Blind golfers and sighted coaches welcomed at Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association
More adults are continuing to enjoy golf even after losing their vision. The Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association (MABGA) is making it possible.
MABGA’s mission is to provide women, men and children who are blind or visually impaired the opportunity to enjoy the challenges and rewards that golf provides.
MABGA is a longstanding partner of the Montgomery County Association for the Blind (MCAB) that has two clients who are golfers with MABGA.
Serving blind golfers since 1948, MABGA has 110 totally blind and visually impaired golfers and sighted coaches ranging in age from late 20s to mid80s.
Adult members participate in approximately 35 golf outings each year, as well as one special outing with a local PGA professional as a partner and an annual fundraising charity tournament.
At the 2020 season-opening golf outing in June at the Stonewall Country Club, Suzanne Woodall and Shawn Britt, both clients of MCAB, joined 16 blind fellow golfers for a day on the beautifully manicured course in East Nantmeal Township, Chester County.
Woodall of Hatfield, Montgomery County, just started taking lessons and playing in golf outings with MABGA this season.
“My fellow golfers are nice people and very competitive,” she said. “The outings get me out of the house onto some beautiful and exclusive courses. It’s really fun!”
Britt of Limerick became legally blind just over two years ago.
“The game and camaraderie makes me feel part of something,” Britt said. “I’m around people who have similar challenges to myself. I enjoy the socializing and the game. It’s a good feeling.”
Many golfers who lose their sight later in life think their golfing days are over. Not so, says Mario Tobia, president MABGA.
“I had been an avid golfer before losing my sight,” Tobia
said. “At that worried that my days were over.”
Tobia joined MABGA in 2000 and began a whole new golfing experience. In the past 20 years, he achieved great success as a blind golfer, including being the top U.S. ranked blind golfer six times, and he finished fourth in the world twice.
“The main emphasis for people joining MABGA is both social and therapeutic,” Tobia said. “It is an opportunity to get out in the fresh air and socialize with time, I golfing your peers who are experiencing the same joys and challenges in life as you are. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced.”
Alan Test is a disabled, legally blind retired Vietnam veteran who presently serves on the Board of Governors and is the membership chairperson.
“I joined MABGA about four years ago,” he said. “Not knowing much about golf or the organization, I found a great group of people who include both legally blind or totally blind members. They are all willing to go out of their way to make you feel comfortable with the organization.”
Whether you’re new to golf or a seasoned golfer, it’s easy to give MABGA a trial run. Potential new members are invited to two outings initially to give them an idea of what MABGA is all about.
Each member must have a sighted coach with them at every outing, after which the member is invited to join for $100, the cost of annual membership.
MABGA plays more than 35 courses a year, and all outings and lunches are included in that one-time fee. The only additional monetary commitment requested is participation in the annual invitational golf outing, which has an entrance fee.
MABGA coaches are volunteers and are given the opportunity to play at all outings with a member team, at no charge. Lunch is included.
“We are always in need of more coaches,” Test said.
Coaches have golf experience but aren’t necessarily experts. They just have the desire to get out and experience life with a blind or visually impaired golfer. MABGA expects coaches to attend at least three outings per season.
To join MABGA, blind golfers must live in Philadelphia or its suburbs, South Jersey, Delaware and the surrounding area. All of the golf outings are hosted by golf courses within those areas. Coaches provide the transportation to and from the courses.
For membership information, to become a coach or to donate, send an email inquiry to info@mabga. org, call MABGA at 215745-2323 or visit the website mabga.org.
MABGA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.
In addition, the junior golf program with 78 blind golfers has expanded to North Jersey and is building of a new course on the grounds of the New York Institute for Special Education in the Bronx, N.Y. This is the second course built by MABGA, the first being at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia.
Montgomery County Association for the Blind (MCAB), founded in 1945, is the only local organization to provide continuous specialized services to county residents of all ages with visual impairments. MCAB’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for people coping with blindness or vision impairments through education, support and advocacy, and to strive to prevent blindness through education and screening programs.
For more information, email Catherine Nold at cnold@mcab.org or call 215661-9800, ext. 413.