News

Coming Events

The National and International Event Calendar has been updated.

Venue for 2019 ISPS HANDA Australian Open

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the venue for the 2019 ISPS HANDA Australian Blind Golf Championships has been changed to Collier Park, Perth. The dates remain unchanged at September 12/13.

Handicaps

Updated BGA handicaps as at May 31st 2019 are now available. You will find them at Handicaps.

BGV's Come and Try Day

Blind Golf Victoria is having a Come and Try Day on Sunday 30th June, 11.00am – 2.00pm. The Venue is the Melbourne Golf Academy, 385 Centre Dandenong Road, Heatherton 3202. All equipment and coaching will be supplied at no cost. If you are interested in coming along or need further information please call President Doug Sloan on 0418344243 or email Secretary Jo Delaney at blindgolfvic@gmail.com. Please RSVP by 16th June. Read more in the flyers - in PDF (86KB) or docx (64KB) format.

2019 Australian Stableford Championships -Adelaide

BGA staged our 2019 Australian Stableford Championships at the renamed Adelaide Shores course ( now called West Beach Parks Patawalonga course ) on May 16/17. A reasonable field of 14 competed including first time entrant Cameron Reid from South Australia.

Some excellent scores were recorded over the 2 days The best scores were on the second day with Mark Eschbank scoring 42 points, Glenn Niciejewski 40 points, Michelle Watts 39 points and Brad Carver 37 points all beating their handicap.

The overall winner was Michele Watts (NSW) and her caddy Jan Freed with a great 75 points. Three players had a total of 73 points with Mark Eschbank (NSW) and his caddy Michael Clemens winning the Runner Up trophy on a countback from Glenn Niciejewski and Brad Carver.

Glenn Niciejewski (Qld) and his caddy Mark Tookey won the B1 event with 73 points from the "ageless" David Blyth( Vic) and his caddy Gary McInnes with 51 points.

Gary Sargent (NSW) and his caddy Eileen Sargent was the B2 winner with 65 points with Jenny Abela (NSW) and her caddy Peter North second with 54 points. Brad Carver( Qld) with his caddy Paula Carver won B3 with 73 points from Rod Mills (NSW) and his caddy Andrew Breuer with 65 points.

Nearest the pins were shared around -Jeff Ellis ( Vic) , Mark Eschbank (NSW), Jenny Abela, Michele Watts both NSW.

BGA again thanks Arthur Wade for acting as referee for both days.

Full details are available in the Results section of this website.

2018/19 Order of Merit

The 2018/19 BGA Order of Merit has been updated following the 2019 Australian Stableford Championships. The "top five" are Rod Mills 59.5, Gary Sargent 50.5, Graham Coulton 43.5, Stephen Mitchell 41 - all from NSW - and Brad Carver (Qld) 40.16.

Full details are available under order of merit Order of Merit.

New Rules of Golf

The new rules of golf commenced on January 1 2019. All blind golf events in Australia are being played under the new rules without any issues.

Explanation of all the changes can be found by going to Golf Australia’s website (2019 Rules of Golf ).

Golf’s New Rules

• Support Resources
• 1 minute videos on each major change
• R&A PowerPoint on New Rules
• Modified Rules of Golf for Players With A disability

All blind golf events in Australia will be played under the new rules from January 1 2019 . It is the responsibility of individual players and their caddies or guides ( or aides) to have a full understanding of the new rules.

Glenn Niciejewski easy winner of 2019 BGV Victorian Open

The 2019 BGV Victorian Open was played at Rosebud Country Club South Course on March 25/26 with a good field of 19 blind/vision impaired golfers. BGV once again expresses sincere thanks to the Rosebud Country Club for their invaluable assistance over 29 years .

Congratulations to Glenn Niciejewski (Qld) and his caddy Peter Harrington who had a wonderful score of 85 points over the two days ( 13 under Glenn’s handicap) to easily be the Victorian Open winner. Glenn is a B1( totally blind) and has been working very hard on his golf.

Gary Sargent (NSW) , the 2018 winner, was runner up with 71 points on a count back from Brad Carver (Qld) . Doug Sloan ( Vic) won the B1 trophy with David Blyth (Vic) runner up. Stephen Mitchell and Graham Coulton both NSW won the B2 winner/runner up trophies. Brad Carver (Qld) won the B3 trophy with Jeff Ellis (Vic) runner up

New BGA Member - Blind Golf Queensland

In 2016, BGA decided to conduct the first Queensland blind golf open at Virginia GC with the aim of establishing blind golf in Queensland . In a little over 3 years with a lot of hard work from a lot of people, Blind Golf Queensland was incorporated in January 2019 with 8 members and had its application for full membership of BGA approved by a General meeting of BGA members in March. Initial office bearers are Brad Carver, President, Glenn Niciejewski Vice President, Glen Baxter Secretary and Steve Art Treasurer. If you require more details on blind golf in Queensland please contact Glen Baxter email glenbaxter@gmail.com

Blind Golf in South Australia

The process to resurrect blind golf in South Australia is making great progress with a Committee formed and incorporation now under way . For more details please contact Cameron Reid email Djcruiser@protonmail.com . BGA is conducting the Australian Stableford Championships at Adelaide Shores GC in May and it is hoped to have several SA new members participate

BGA Annual General Meeting

The 2018 BGA AGM was held on October 16. Office bearers elected for the next year were Doug Sloan Vic President, David Martin WA Vice President, Peter North Vic Secretary/ Treasurer, John Hayward NSW and Stephen Jackson NSW Directors, with Geoff Walsh Vic subsequently being appointed by the new Board as Handicapper/Director

New audio

An interview with Michele Watts (NSW) 2018 Italian and World Champion, on Vision Australia Radio, 17th October 2018.

Website Update

This website has been totally updated to eliminate duplication, delete irrelevant and out of date items and add new items which hopefully readers will find of interest. In particular we have added a totally new section on how to get started in blind golf in Australia including a copy of the sight certificate required, updated contacts and revamped all BGA policies governing blind golf played in Australia—the latter is important for current members to read—go to Policies.