Imago
Golfer silhouette swinging at sunset design background, Golfer silhouette swinging at sunset design background
Imago
Golfer silhouette swinging at sunset design background, Golfer silhouette swinging at sunset design background
Information about blind golfers is scarce, even if you try to dig it up from the official website of the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA). But as per reports (2014), the association has at least 500 registered golfers. And while the number may seem small, every story coming out of IBGA is worthy of every bit of attention, including that of the 43-year-old Paul Innocent.
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Playing at the U.S. Blind Golf Championship 2026 (April 13-15), Innocent told BBC, “Within the next year or two [of contracting the disease], I could have a high possibility of being completely blind. I was a self-employed electrician, and basically within a space of three days I’d had to stop work; I was registered blind, and I had my driver’s license taken off me, and I didn’t know where to turn.”
Innocent was diagnosed in 2023 with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disorder. He lost his entire vision in one eye and 70% in the other within the span of three days. But giving up was not an option. This is why he has been playing blind golf for the last six months. Although it might be complicated, Innocent uses his guide to place a colored stick where his ball is, so he can aim at it.
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“We are going out there to compete and to do our best,” he added. Having gained confidence after winning the B2 Gross title at the British Blind Open and the Jack Kerfoot Cup in his debut season, Innocent said he has “reasonable hopes” of winning this week as well. Innocent will tee up in the B2 category for partially-sighted players.
He will be accompanied by fellow Sheringham member Rob Linge, who acts as his coach and guide. Rob, who has lost an arm, has become invaluable, especially on the greens, where he shares crucial details to help Innocent measure the length of his strokes and starting line.
He started playing golf at the age of 15. After contracting the disease, his wife contacted the England & Wales Blind Golf charity to explore playing options. The couple moved to north Norfolk in 2024; soon after, Innocent started playing at the Sheringham Golf Club on the coast. Though he called his vision loss “heartbreaking,” he said he was thankful for his wife and family’s support.
That’s why he has a goal. “There is hope out there, and if someone could watch me playing golf and think ‘I could do that’ and it helps other people, then that’s what we’ve got to look forward to.”
But what is LHON? It’s the most common inherited mitochondrial disease, typically starting as painless vision loss in one eye, followed by the other eye weeks to years later. No one knows exactly why it hits males more often (up to 80% of cases), but one theory points to a “susceptibility gene” on the Y chromosome. Age and lifestyle factors don’t appear to raise the risk.
Meanwhile, Innocent is hardly the only inspiring blind golfer.
Fort Myers completely lost sight in his right eye and 80% in his left, leaving him legally blind. Myers once dropped golf but has since returned to it. Meanwhile, Billy McAllister lost his vision to diabetic retinopathy, becoming completely blind. He picked up golf tentatively, learning how to swing with the help of a broomstick.
But it all started in the early 1920s.
The story of the world’s “first” blind golfer
Blind golf got its start in 1924 with Clinton Russell, a wealthy 28-year-old from Duluth, Minnesota. He was heading home from a hunting trip with his wife and two young daughters when his car got a flat tire. While changing it, the tire burst in his face, leaving him blind. Having already played golf before the accident, Russell was out walking a local course with his father and brother when they convinced him to swing at a ball anyway. He connected, reigniting his passion for the sport.
Russell started honing his game at Duluth’s Ridgeview Country Club, working with instructors and using a friend or caddie as a guide to align his clubface and tweak his stance. By 1931, he carded an 84 over 18 holes there. Golf undeniably transformed Russell’s life, and it continues to serve as a vital lifeline for blind players today.
The story first came to light thanks to late cartoonist Robert Ripley, who published the story in his 1932 article “Believe It or Not,” calling Russell the “world’s only blind golfer.” The problem was, he did the same six years later with Dr. Beach Oxenham. When Russell learnt about it, his friends challenged Ripley to host a Blind Golfers Championship. Ripley did so, and Russell defeated Oxenham 5&4.
This amazing example set by Russell inspired the creation of the United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA).
USBGA players obey the USGA rules with just a handful of tweaks for the blind. Competitors can use a coach to help with club choice, aiming the clubface, and stance setup before swinging. They’re also permitted to ground their clubs in hazards.
Written by
Edited by
Riya Singhal