Blind golfer gets hole-in-one

deluthnewstribune-

It was a tough shot for Terry Howard, who unfortunately didn’t see any of his first-ever hole-in-one because he is legally blind.

Terry Howard lined up for his drive at the gold tees on the 17th hole at Enger Park Golf Course last week. Being 76 years old, he chose to go with his driver for this 159-yard par-three hole. He swung his club and hit his ball dead on. It bounced and then rolled up the green. Then it was out of sight. It was a hole-in-one.

According to Craig Smith, director of sales at Duluth Golf, the 17th hole is a difficult one.

“It’s not an easy hole to get a hole-in-one on from really any distance,” Smith said. “It’s an elevated tee and it goes down into a fairly deep swell then the green sits up on top of the hill. It’s a pretty tough shot.”

It was even tougher for Terry, who unfortunately didn’t see any of his first-ever hole-in-one because he is legally blind. Luckily his brother Peter Howard was there to describe it to him. Terry, 76, lost his sight about three years ago due to a condition called wet macular degeneration.

The chronic eye disorder causes blurred vision or a blind spot in the visual field. It’s generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula, which is in the part of the retina responsible for central vision.

Terry said his vision is blurry but he can see the ball on the tee, though it isn’t round to him. It looks like an egg due to his vision distortion.

“Over the last couple of years, I’ve been trying to develop a swing that would make that ball go fairly straight,” Terry said. “I can never see a flag or the hole on the green when I’m approaching it. So I have to be told or guess.”

But that doesn’t stop Terry from playing the game he loves, and with the help of his brother Peter, 69, he doesn’t have to.

“I line him up and he swings,” Peter said.

more

ht/ joe6pak, who might’ve had a hole-in-one… (of his socks)