Golf: Handicap need never be a hindrance

Norman Von Nida was one of the world's top golfers more than 50 years ago. Now in his 90s, his sight may have gone but his love of golf hasn't. Picture / Reuters

When the Australian PGA belatedly honoured Norman Von Nida with life membership a couple of months ago, it was revealed that at the age of 91 he was still playing golf even though he couldn't see where he had hit the ball.

The Von is legally blind, an affliction clearly shared until now by the PGA, which had previously honoured many who had profited from the crusty veteran's pioneering exploits in tournament golf around the world.

Not deterred by lack of sight, he used iridescent paint on top of his clubs and iridescent balls.

He was an Aussie battler from way back, winning the Australian Open three times and finishing second six times between 1938 and 1955.

He also won four Australian PGA Championships, and in 1948 he won seven tournaments on the European Tour and five in Australia, a feat never equalled.

Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Greg Norman, Ian Baker-Finch were inspired by the little man in the black beret and it was appropriate that the professional circuit designed for up-and-coming Aussie pros bears his name.

Now he stands as an inspiration to all those who play the game despite physical handicaps.

He makes light of his efforts: "All I've got to do is swing the club and allow someone to tell me where it went.

"I can tell by the feel of the club contacting the ball relatively in what direction it's gone and how far it's gone."

Another sightless golfer was in the news recently for scoring a hole in one.

The fact that he was an Israeli blinded while serving in the army and the ace came on the country's only 18-hole course at Caesarea added to the news value.

Zohar Sharon jokes that he is "the world's greatest golfer by night", and he has won international blind tournaments in Scotland, Australia the United States and Canada.

His caddie, Shimshon Levi, acts as his eyes, lining up his shots and clapping behind the hole to guide him. His guide dog, Dylan, was part of the team until he became a bit too keen on retrieving the balls for his master.

Amputee golfers have achieved remarkable playing standards and compete in tournaments where their skills put many of the regular players to shame.

The USPGA was mired in controversy a few years ago over Casey Martin's request to use a motorised cart. Martin, a former university team-mate of Tiger Woods, suffers from an inherited complaint that affects his ability to walk 18 holes.

The USPGA allowed him the cart, but some argued that it gave him an unfair advantage.

Sydney professional Geoff Nicholas competed on level terms with the best despite losing his lower left leg. He was born with both legs deformed after his mother took thalidomide in pregnancy. At the age of 11 he had the right leg amputated and some of the bones were used in a series of operations to improve the left leg. But the ordeal never deterred him from wanting to become a professional golfer.

He won the world amputee title 12 years in a row but even more remarkably played on the regular Australasian PGA circuit with no concessions to his disability.

In 1992, when Nick Price won the Air New Zealand tournament on The Grange course in Papatoetoe, Nicholas made the cut and played the full 72 holes unaided.

* This is Bob Pearce's final golf column for SuperSPORT