Just into the rough of the 11th hole at the Westlock Golf Course, Jerry Nelson lines up for a 25-foot chip.
He exchanges words with coach Chris Villeneuve, pulls into his back swing and strikes the ball. It lands on the green, rolls towards the hole and drops in.
You’d never have guessed it from that shot, but Nelson is blind.
Nelson, along with more than 20 other legally-blind golfers teed off at the Westlock Golf Course last week, competing in both the Canadian Blind Golf Open and the Western Canadian Blind Golf Championship.
They, along with their coaches, travelled from across Canada and as far away as San Diego, Calif., to participate in the two tournaments, which were held back-to-back July 11-15.
How do blind golfers play? The answer can be found with their coaches, who act as their eyes and describe what they can’t see.
Golfers must have a close relationship with their coach and be able to trust their advice. It especially rings true for Winnipeg’s Joe Furber and his coach Fran Oliver.
“I think I do an alright job. It is my brother, so I get to be a little rougher with him,” Oliver said with a laugh.
“She does a fabulous job,” Furber added. “Without a coach, in general, I can’t play.”
Golfing while blind does come with its challenges, but for Furber he’s just glad to be playing the sport again.
“I played my whole life and once my eyesight decreased, I stopped playing,” Furber said.
“As frustrating as it can be, it’s very exhilarating. I know when I hit a nice shot or when I sink a putt.”
Linda Port travelled from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., to participate.
Port played in her first Canadian Blind Golf Open last year in Creston, B.C. and enjoyed the experience so much she came back.
“I love the people. They are so nice,” Port said. “It’s so great, such a great experience.”
Port said for her, playing golf is a test of her mental capability.
“In my case, it’s a test of what your brain can fill in for what you can’t see. Your brain is really an amazing computer. It can fill in the blanks and that’s how I choose to look at it,” she said.
“If you understand the factors, even if you can’t see it, your body will make the great swing and you will go approximately where you’re supposed to go.
“If you have a good guide, and you have to have the guide.”
Port, however, was without her regular guide. She was able to recruit local pro Ken Smith to help her out and the pair clicked instantly.
“In this case, it’s easy because he knows everything about the course, and so there’s a huge trust thing right there,” she said.
For Smith, who’s a regular at the Westlock Golf Course and has experience coaching blind golfers, Port was easy to work with.
“Linda has a great swing and she trusts what I’m telling her,” Smith said.
“About the third hole in we figured something out that’s going to work for us. I know what information I have to give her that she needs to pull of the shot.”
Aside from the golfers and the coaches, volunteers were a key component to allow the tournaments to run.
Tournament organizer Johanna Camarta said preparation for the event was a long process, but was pleased with how smoothly it was able to run.
“It’s been a lot of work, but I’m really grateful for the Westlock Golf Course and the staff here and all the volunteers that are members,” Camarta said.
“It would not be possible. I couldn’t do this all by myself.”
Volunteer coordinator Cecile LeMessurier said 40 helped out with everything from picking up donations to keep score and spotting.
“Some of them are working through the whole thing. It’s been quite easy getting volunteers here,” she said.
