Free clinic shows blind children the beauty of golf

  The Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association will conduct a free golf clinic Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Overbrook School for the Blind. The event is open to girls and boys ages 5-21 that are blind or visually impaired.

  During the clinic, participants will be paired with a PGA professional for one-on-one golf instruction. Golf clubs, balls and a golf bag will be provided. Each child will receive pizza and soft drinks following the session. Prizes will be awarded as well.

  “Many of these kids have never participated in sports,” Norman Kritz, one of clinic’s coordinator, said. “This affords them an opportunity to get out, play and learn a sport that they can play for the rest of their lives. It also affords their parents a chance to see them mingle with other kids that have the same physical challenges that they have.”

  “It’s a great day for the kids,” Gil Kayson, who teamed with Kritz to launch the clinic, added.

  Now in its 17th year, the free golf clinic is an offshoot of the Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association’s junior golf program. It aims to further encourage blind or visually impaired children interested in learning to play golf. The Overbrook School for the Blind offers a nine-hole, chip-and-putt style golf course. Participants will experience it rain or shine.

  The clinic is offered twice a year. Twenty-six children took part in a session this past May. Kritz enjoys “looking at their smiles” as they gain exposure to a lifelong sport.

  The Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association connects players with PGA instructors near their residence. Those teachers, in turn, will provide lessons at a nearby golf course. Transportation to the lessons isn’t included.

  To take part in the Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association’s free golf clinic, call Kayson at 215-884-6589 or Kritz at 856-428-1420. Those interested must call by Sept. 10 so a coach can be assigned to a player in advance.

  The Overbrook School for the Blind is located at 63rd and Malvern Ave. in Philadelphia, Pa. For more information on the Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association, click here
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  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 145 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.