A worldwide phenomenon

THE first known instance of blind golf was in 1924 when American golfer Clint Russell played on a course in Minnesota, USA.

The International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) was established in 1998, sponsoring international open tournaments and the World Blind Golf Championships, hosted by Japan this year.

The IBGA has around 400 blind golfers from 16 member national associations, including USA, Canada, Scotland, England and Japan.

There are no blind golf professionals, but players can play in pro-ams.