Linda Port and Sheri Sears
Lynn Matousek
At the recent PCLGA Member/Guest Tournament, PCLGA member Sheri Sears invited Linda Port to participate as her guest. Sheri and Linda have been friends for over 10 years, both living in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Thirty years ago Linda was diagnosed with progressive hereditary eye disease and as a result lost all but peripheral vision five years ago. Although she had been a golfer for many years, her disease caused her to give the game up temporarily. Then she discovered the United States Blind Golf Association and the International Blind Golf Association of which she became a member. The motto of the USBGA is “You Don’t Have to See It, to Tee It!”
The U. S. Blind Golf Association is an organization for individuals with visual impairments to learn, compete and challenge the game of golf. Prior to its formation in 1953, several totally blind men, primarily recent World War II veterans, gathered in California for the purpose of competitive golf. Accompanied by their guides/coaches, they played according to the Rules of Golf. As it gained awareness and support of successful businessmen and even Hollywood entertainers such as Bob Hope, PGA tour golfers and civic organizations, its notoriety and growth evidenced the need for the organization. Membership is available to those adults with a visual acuity of less than 20/200 and wish to compete. There is the Totally Blind Division and the Vision Impaired Division. Blind golfers are expected to follow established Rules of Golf with the exception of being able to ground a club in a hazard and have their guide/coach stand behind them when lining up a putt. Their sighted coaches perform the duties of a caddie, describing distance, direction and characteristics of the hole. It’s the golfer’s skill that determines the resulting strokes.
And skill is what Linda Port has! She carries a 16 handicap and practices daily to maintain the muscle memory she requires. In the three years of competition, Linda has won several open tournaments: the British, Canadian, Italian and United States, as well as the International Blind World Championship in Tokyo, Japan last November. In addition, she was selected to play on the North American team at the 2015 Vision Cup (Ryder Cup format) at Villa D’Este, Lake Como, Italy, playing against the Rest of the World team. Sheri was her guide/coach in Italy and the two are traveling to the Irish and British Opens in June. She will then be on the North American team at the 2017 Vision Cup in Creston, B.C. Canada this July. And something to which we can relate, Linda shot an 86 and an 81 in the 2017 PCLGA Member/Guest Tournament! It was a privilege to have her here.
Many thanks to Linda for sharing her story and to Sheri for inviting her to the PCLGA tournament. Linda is an inspiration to all of us to face our challenges and never give up.