A new golf clinic for people with sight loss has launched in Southend-on-Sea, offering residents the chance to take up the sport with specialist support.
The initiative, announced on 30 April 2026 by Southend in Sight, is based at the Norman Garon Trust golf complex. The inaugural session was attended by 15 local visually impaired people, most of whom had never picked up a golf club before. One participant noted that the opportunity was on his bucket list.
To help players track their progress, the clinic uses technology that displays ball flight data on screens, allowing participants to receive instant feedback even if they cannot see the ball in the air. Former world blind golf champion Andy Gilford has endorsed this approach, describing the system as a game changer that helps bring independence back to players.
Georgie Haynes, community engagement officer at Southend in Sight, said the programme is about more than just sport. She stated that the partnership helps local blind and partially sighted people participate in a new activity while encouraging them to form friendships and make connections.
The project is a collaboration between Southend in Sight, the Norman Garon Trust, and England & Wales Blind Golf. The organisers aim to create a long-term pathway for participants, starting on the driving range and eventually progressing to the short course and the full 18-hole course.
Southend in Sight has been supporting residents with sight loss since 1958. The charity is currently one of two organisations nominated for the 2025/26 fundraising campaign led by the Mayor of Southend-on-Sea, Councillor Nigel Folkard.
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