Local wins SA Blind Golf Open

MOSSEL BAY GOLF NEWS - A member of the Mossel Bay golf club won the 2021 SA Blind Golf Open last weekend.

It was held at The Lakes Golf Club in Benoni from 6 to 8 October.

Morné Els (39), who has 10% vision, started playing golf at a young age with his father. His dad used to guide him, playing golf.

In 2015 he seriously started blind golfing and achieved numerous victories. In 2018 he won the World Blind Golf Championships in Italy.

Els spoke to the Mossel Bay Advertiser after his victory over the weekend. He said trust in your guide was highly important. His guide for the weekend was Charl Enslin, a good friend, whom he uses as a guide often.

Roadshow
Ernest Conradie, public relations and marketing manager of the South African Blind Golf Association (SABGA), also a well-known blind golfer, hosted a roadshow from the beginning of September to the end of October around the country.

He visited three major universities and golf clubs to help promote blind golf in South Africa. Golf is one of the sport codes in which a visually impaired person can compete against normal golfers and even win. The aim of the roadshow is to get not just blind golf enthusiasts interested in golf but to get more abled golfers to become guides and coaches.

All welcome
Conradie will visit the Mossel Bay Golf Club on 22 and 23 October to do the roadshow at the club. Conradie and Els will be on the golf course for a round of golf. Anybody is welcome to come to meet them at the course and learn more about blind golf.

On Saturday Conradie will promote blind golf at the club as well as the World Blind Golf Championships taking place at the Milnerton Golf Club in March 2022. This event is one of the biggest events on the blind golf calendar. The SA Blind Golf Association has a growing base of dedicated players and stages a South African Blind Golf Open annually. SABGA was formed in 2006.

"The roadshow was a great success so far. During the two months we gained four new golfers as well as a golf coach, who will help three of the new golfers," said Conradie. For more information contact Conradie (083 336 0909).

Golfers on the greens at The Lakes Golf Club in Benoni during one of the roadshows hosted by Ernest Conradie and the South African Blind Golf Association.