Welcome to International Blind Golf Association [IBGA]
Join a World Wide Blind Golf Association as a Player, Assistant or Volunteer
Be Part of the Growth
IMPORTANT NOTICE! JUNE 14 2022 - NEW CORONAVIRUS STATEMENT - CLICK OR SEE BELOW
Although there have been blind golf tournaments held since the early 1950's the International Blind Golf Association was officially founded in 1998. This came about through the efforts of Dr. Haruhisa Handa (now Honorary President of IBGA) who arranged meetings in Australia and the United States which resulted in bringing together six countries that were each following their own programme. The number of member countries has grown steadily ever since, allowing for a growth in the participation of sight impaired golfers in tournaments all around the world
Currently there are over 400 registered IBGA players and many more playing who are not yet registered. The number is growing all the time.
WATCH THE IBGA INTRODUCTION VIDEO
Blind Golf
Blind Golf is played strictly to the Rules of Golf produced by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and United States Golf Association (USGA). They have published "A Modification of the Rules of Golf for Golfers with Disabilities". This allows blind golfers to ground their club in a hazard and their coach/guide to stand on the line of the shot without penalty while the shot is played.
Competitions can be played off scratch within each sight category or off handicap across all sight categories. The IBGA has developed a Handicap Scheme that is operated by all member associations and is used for international competition.
WATCH THE IBGA INTRODUCTION VIDEO
STATEMENT ON CORONAVIRUS JUNE 14 2022
Little did we realise that when we issued our last statement on Corona Virus (1 April 2020) that the threat it poses would still be with us - although much reduced - some two years later.
The IBGA is happy to provide sponsorship for blind golf events. However, we encourage associations to remain vigilant. Should the Corona Virus situation pose a threat in a country hosing an IBGA-sponsored event, associations are encouraged to take appropriate action. This could include requiring all participants to be suitably vaccinated or possibly postponing the event, etc.
To allow individuals enough time to cancel travel arrangements, and associations enough time to cancel hotel/course bookings, etc., we require associations to advise us at least 10 weeks prior to an event if they intend to postpone/cancel.
R&A Women in Golf Charter
The IBGA fully supports the R&A Women in Golf Charter and is committed to increasing the number of women and girls involved in the various aspects of blind golf, including playing, guiding and administering. We encourage all of our member associations to do likewise.
Member Countries
Members of IBGA are now spread right around the world on all continents after the forging in 1998 of an association of six countries starting with Australia and the United States. With the advent of that association Blind Golf grew in popularity
and is now not only played in more countries but those countries are experiencing the excitement of having Blind Golf Tournaments organised there-in with the support of the IBGA.
The Blind Golf Association Member Countries enjoy a growing database of players and supporter including Coaches and Volunteers and appreciate the opportunity to get together at official functions.
Honorary President
Dr Haruhisa Handa is the first Japanese to be appointed to the post of vice president at the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), UK oldest and largest charity, in recognition of longstanding contributions to blind welfare. He is a Member of the Board of Directors at the Association for the Blind of Western Australia.
Dr Handa established the first Blind Golf Club in Japan in 1988, and is known to many in Japan as the "Father of Blind Golf". He serves as Honorary Chairman of the Japanese Blind Golf Association (NPO) and Honorary President of the International Blind Golf Association.
Latest News
The latest news and events including the results of recent tournaments can be enjoyed on the pages of the website.
2023 ISPS Handa Irish Open
10th - 14th September 2023 at MOUNT WOLSELEY HOTEL; Spa and Golf Resort - Tullow, Co Carlow, Ireland
Closing Date for Entries 31st of June 2023
2023 ISPS Handa Spanish Open
9 June - 13 June 2023 at Elba Palace Golf Resort, Caleta de Fuste, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain
Closing Date for Entries now 5 April 2023
2023 ISPS Handa US Blind Golf Open
March 20 - 22 2023 at Green Island Country Club in Columbus, GA.
Closing Date for Entries 20th of February 2023
First Time Event: Scandinavian Blind Golf Open
14 - 16 August 2023 at Sollentuna Golf Club, Stockholm Sweden
Closing Date for Entries 28th of February 2023
We Welcome Sweden and Dominican Republic as Full Members of IBGA
Dominican Republic has been upgraded from Associate Membership while we welcome Sweden as a new Member.
SEE THE FULL MEMBER COUNTRIES LIST
Updated IBGA Handicap Policy 2023 Now Available Online
The IBGA Handicap Policy 2023 can now be downloaded in PDF.
DOWNLOAD THE 2023 IBGA HANDICAP POLICY
2022 IBGA Vision Cup Results
On September 19 to 22 2022 TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA succesfully hosted the 2022 Visions Cup Matchplay between North America versus Rest of the World.
Updated IBGA Sponsorship Request Form
The December 2022 updated IBGA Sponsorship Request Form can now be downloaded in WORD or PDF.
Available also now in Spanish.
DOWNLOAD FROM COMPETITION FORMS PAGE
The Following Three Events have been Listed Online:-
2023 ISPS Handa British Open
July 9-July 13, 2023 at The Lake Golf Course, Belton Woods Hotel
NOTE: Closing Date for Entries December 31 2022
2023 ISPS Handa Canadian Open and Brian MacLeod Memorial
August 20th to 25th at Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
2023 AMI WCBGA Championships
July 16-July 20, 2023 at The Legends Golf Club, Warman Saskatchewan
2023 ISPS Handa Australian Blind Golf Open
9th & 10th March at Rosebud Country Club
2022 US Blind Golf Open Results
The 2022 ISPS Handa US Open Blind Golf Championship was held at the King and Bear Golf Course, St. Augustine, FL.
2022 Spanish Blind Golf Open Results
15 players attended the first Spanish Blind Open finally after so many attempts with all that was happening with the pandemic.
2022 British Blind Golf Open Results
The British Blind Golf Open took place at Spew Valley Golf Course in Aviemore Scotland.
IBGA Player Sight Database
The 'Player Sight Database' is now to be called the 'Sight Classification List' and is found on the WHS Website.
READ MORE INFORMATION ON THE CHANGES
GO TO IBGA HANDICAPS WEBSITE; OPENS IN NEW WINDOW
IBGA World Championships - 2023
March 26 - 31 2023. Venue: Milnerton Golf Club Cape Town South Africa
Updated Forms on Website
DOWNLOAD UPDATED [APRIL 2022] IBGA CONSTITUTION
DOWNLOAD UPDATED [JUNE 14 2022] CORONAVIRUS STATEMENT
DOWNLOAD UPDATED [APRIL 2022] VISION CUP SELECTION POLICY
Application and Sight Form Now Available in English and Spanish
The Application and Sight Form is now available in Spanish as well as English and can be downloaded as a PDF to fill in.
DOWNLOAD PDF SIGHT FORM IN SPANISH
IBGA Women In Golf
New IBGA Women In Golf Forum; this will create a fantastic platform for blind and visually impaired ladies involved in (or interested in becoming involved in) golf to come together and chat via regular Zoom meetings. It will be an opportunity to network, to share our experiences and to exchange ideas and initiatives on how any issues or obstacles for women in blind golf can be addressed and how we can make blind golf more attractive for women.
2022 South African Open Results
The 2022 ISPS Handa SA Blind Golf Open and Inter-Provincial and Challenge Cup was staged at the picturesque Milnerton Golf Club in Cape Town at the end of March.
New Policy Forms Now Online
A number of new policy forms relating to IBGA events are now online. An added page and links listing these new documents is added in the top menu.
LIST OF FORMS AND POLICIES PAGE
VIDEO ONLINE
ABC TV News [Australia] has recently featured an item on Blind Golf including interviews with Graham Coulten and guide Sue Carpenter and Ron Anderson on the creating and playing of Blind Golf.
VIDEO: Sports Illustrated Shows Us How To Play Blind Golf In The USA
Sports Illustrated (SI) in the USA has made a short story/documentary on blind golf. SI has given us permission to put the story on the IBGA webpage. There are 2 versions here, 1 has an audio description for the totally blind and other does not.
NEW VIDEO: Vision Sports Ireland James Joyce Art and Essay Competition Launch
READ MORE ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS
Special Report from Ernst Conradie from South Africa: Blind Golf Stunt!
"I have decided to do another mad stunt this year to show people that blind and visually impaired people can also play golf and that we can do it sometimes better."