When Golfsmith MD Doug Poole heard of an association of sight-impaired golfers in Spain requiring equipment to help newcomers to the sport begin playing, his response was positive and immediate.
SIGA, the Sight Impaired Golfers Association, required the clubs to provide the players with the opportunity to play the Paradores course, Malaga, following a series of lessons from the PGA pro there, Paco Navarro.
Golfsmith, leading suppliers of components and accessories for specialised club making, club fitting and repairs who are corporate partners of the PGAs of Europe, dispatched four sets of high quality clubs straightaway.
Jack Nusbaum, the former editor of Costa Golf, is SIGA’s pioneer and director. His enthusiasm for the cause opened the way to a meeting with the world-famous Dutch World Cup football star, Johan Cruyff, and subsequent support from the Cruyff Foundation.
Paco Navarro’s course of lessons at the Real Club de Campo de Malaga, and all the help that goes with them, is also free of charge. SIGA membership is open to any appropriate player of any age throughout Spain.
In carrying out such work for the first time he has found it both a challenging and satisfying. The sight-impaired players are given the appropriate club for each shot, they position it correctly in their grip by running their hands over it, they are then told the distance of the shot by Paco, or a caddie, and the results achieved are remarkable.
On the putting green they can ‘hear‘ the target by the sound of the flag stick being tapped against the hole, after having been lined up and given a distance. “We were very happy to support both the sight impaired golfers and those who give their time and expertise to helping them improve their lifestyle in this way,” said Doug Poole.
Now Jack Nusbaum has extended the invitation to sight-impaired golfers anywhere in the world to have lessons with SIGA ‘cost: gratis‘. “We open the doors to any folks of any country, sex or age who would like to learn our beloved game but are sight impaired, no matter to what degree,” he said. “We can teach them in any language and will provide the lessons at our student cost, gratis. The course is five minutes from Malaga Airport and half an hour from Malaga train station. The director of the Parador will offer a reasonable rate for accommodation. Just contact us.
For more information about SIGA contact Jack Nusbaum, Calle Estrella 7-2C; 29620 Torremolinos, Spain or call 00 34 952 052 112 (after 5pm local time).
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