On a warm sunny day this month a group of 22 intrepid golfers and one guide dog gathered at the Sampford Peverell Westcountry Golf Academy with varying degrees of apprehension.
Half the party were visually impaired people and the other half were there to act as sighted guides, although many wished to give golf a try too. The golfing experience of the whole group ranged from zero to mildly experienced, which was not an auspicious start!
However, in the capable and ever positive hands of Stuart Sawyer, the golf instructor and academy owner, plus his very able young, partially sighted aid, Harry, success in hitting a golf ball was quickly achieved by everyone and confidence grew. Without exception the whole party of golfers had far more success than they had dared to hope for.
Most did not know other members of the group when they first arrived, but by the end of the morning and after a lovely leisurely lunch it had become clear that there was a sense of inclusion and warmth of welcome amongst the players. Touchingly, those with more sight were keen to support and guide those with a greater sight impairment than their own, despite plenty of sighted guides being available.