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Welcome to International Blind Golf Association [IBGA]

Join the World Wide Blind Golf Association as a Player, Assistant or Volunteer

Be Part of the Growth

Photo of Blind Golfer Driving off Tee 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 500 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

Photo of Blind Golfer with Coach at Tee 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

Member Countries

Photo of Blind Golf Association Members Dinner 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 now enjoy a fast-growing database of players and supporter including Coaches and Volunteers and appreciate the opportunity to get together at official functions.

SEE MEMBER COUNTRIES

Honorary President

Photo of Honorary President Dr Handa 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

Photo of Blind Golfer and excited Coach laughing The latest news and events including the results of recent tournaments can be enjoyed on the pages of the website.

NEW 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.

GO TO THE VIDEOS

NEW VIDEO: Vision Sports Ireland James Joyce Art and Essay Competition Launch

A New Year; More Events to Look Forward to

2019 Vision Cup; hosted by Northern Ireland Blind Golf

The 2019 Vision Cup, to be hosted by Northern Ireland Blind Golf, is now only weeks away. The event will be held at Portmarnock Hotel and Links, Dublin, Ireland, from 17-20 June.

The organising committee is doing some excellent work, and have set up a webpage for the event. You can take a look at this at:-

WWW.VISIONCUP.IE

The April Handicaps Lists and Sight Database are now online

Japan and South African Open Dates Announced

Both events will be in September with more information now online; see NEWS or EVENTS for dates and locations and links to download Information Sheets and Entry Forms.

2019 Vision Cup News

The fourth edition of the ISPS Handa Vision Cup will be hosted by the Portmarnock Links Golf Club, Dublin, Ireland from 17-20 June 2019. The Vision Cup is a biennial Ryder Cup style tournament featuring the top 12 ranked blind golfers from North America competing against the top 12 from the rest of the world.

2019 Open Events

Also the ISPS Handa Austrian Blind Open will take place from September 1st - 5th at Golfpark Mieminger Plateau, Tirol, Austria.

GO TO EVENT PAGE FOR 2019 AUSTRIAN OPEN

The first of the 2019 events are now online with an INFORMATION SHEET and ENTRY FORM for the 2019 ISPS Handa US Blind Golf Open Championships to be held on April 4 - 8 2019 at the Haven Golf Course, Green Valley Arizona.

GO TO EVENT PAGE FOR 2019 US OPEN

Also the ISPS Handa British Blind Open will take place from 21 - 25 July 2019 at Carden Park Hotel Golf Resort, Nr Chester, England.

INFORMATION SHEET and ENTRY FORM for the 2019 ISPS Handa British Blind Golf Open Championships are now online.

GO TO EVENT PAGE FOR 2019 BRITISH OPEN

The dates have been announced for the Canadian and Western Canadian Golf Open Championships for July 7th to 14th.

New Associate Member Country: Dominican Republic

We love watching our Member Countries grow and now welcome Dominican Republic and Marcela Bettoni to the growing list of Associate Member Countries.

New Associate Member Country: Mexico

We welcome Mexico and Ricardo Silva Da Luna to the growing list of Associate Member Countries.

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."

READ THE SPECIAL REPORT