Playing 18 with a Blind Golfer is Both an Inspiration and a Great Lesson in Gratitude

golf SMARTER

Josh Karp

Golf, Sports, Society & Culture

4.3 • 577 Ratings

🗓️ 5 November 2019

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

714: When was the last time you hit balls at range with your eyes closed? It’s an amazing opportunity to learn more about what some coaches call “awareness”, being able to truly feel your body as you swing the golf club. Now do that out on the course. That’s what it’s like for blind golfers! In this episode, Golf Smarter listener, Bob Banks, who has been legally blind for four years, and host Fred Greene play 18 holes at Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo, CA. You’ll hear how Bob and Bob’s friend/guide/coach Jerry, navigate driving, chipping, and putting through a challenging course. You’ll also learn more about how Bob lost his vision, his initial reaction, and how he learned about and became part of the Blind Golf community. Bob challenges us all to close our eyes the next time we're practicing and see what we learn. For more, check out usblindgolf.com Check out the video from this round and watch how Bob and and his friend/coach/guide Jerry work together so that Bob can play blind golf successfully on our GolfSmarterTV channel at https://youtu.be/QdBK3lIs0aU Our next giveaway is a Full Access Pass to the Gravity Golf Challenge, courtesy of GravityGolf.com, valued at $500! Enter at GolfSmarter.com/giveaway2019. Deadline for entry is December 1, 2019 Midnight PDT. This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans, published each Friday, we speak to author/English Professor/golf coach Jame Ragonnet on his book “Golf's Three Noble”. Subscribe to Golf Smarter Mulligans for free wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts or at YouTube.com/GolfSmarterTV.Golf Smarter Mulligans is supported by autoslash.com who can help you find the lowest rate possible for your next car rental. Golf Smarter Mulligans is also brought to you by TwoGuysWithGolfBalls.com where you can buy premium used golf balls, with little to no discernible difference, and at a fraction of the cost of new balls. Use “golfsmarter” at checkout to get an additional 10% off every order, every time! Some restrictions apply.For exclusive content and first access check out Corrected Mistakes on Substack: https://substack.com/@correctedmistake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, this is Fred, and I wanted to set up what this episode is before we begin because it's not the usual interview episode, but I think you're going to find it interesting.
0:12.4	Recently, I received this email. Hi, I'm an avid listener to your Golf Smarter podcast and appreciate the content and guests you have on your show.
0:21.5	I'm also an avid recreational golfer living not far from you in the East Bay of the Bay Area
0:27.2	here in California. Have you ever considered having a podcast episode on the topic of
0:33.0	blind golf? I am legally blind, visually impaired, due to a rare condition which affected me four years ago.
0:43.3	When it first occurred, I thought my golfing days were over, and I actually tossed my clubs in the trash.
0:49.3	Fortunately, in researching my condition, I stumbled upon blind golf, which allows those that are legally blind and or totally blind to continue to play both competitively and recreationally.
1:03.4	I'm not sure if this would be appropriate for your audience, but if so, I would love to speak to you more about the blind golf organizations,
1:11.8	one of which I'm involved being the USBGA,
1:15.4	the United States Blind Golf Association at USblindgolf.com,
1:21.1	and also the IBGA, the International Blind Golf Association,
1:25.6	which provides international golf opportunities.
1:28.3	Thank you for your consideration.
1:32.0	Well, well, you can imagine my response and excitement.
1:37.0	Yeah, I wrote right back to him and said, I would love to play golf with you.
1:41.1	Can we please record it?
1:43.6	So a few weeks ago, I met Bob Banks and his friend
1:46.8	Jerry for a round with the intention of recording the episode, both on audio and video. Obviously,
1:53.6	I'm not going to play the entire round, but what you will hear is our introduction to one another,
2:00.2	teeing off on the first hole, and
2:02.3	then cutting right to putting on the first green and how Bob and Jerry worked together
2:07.6	to get Bob lined up and ready to go on each of those shots.
	...

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