Man who is blind doesn’t let it stop him from golfing

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- Anyone who has played a round of golf has lost sight of the ball, but what if you could never see it, to begin with?

Think of the most magnificent shot you’ve ever seen. Maybe a 50-foot putt, maybe a hole in one, but think if you haven’t seen a golf ball in over 20 years even though you golf almost every day. For one golfer in Zanesville, that’s exactly his story.

Ron Derry has been playing golf since he was just eight years old. He played in McConnelsville with his dad and grandfather.

“We spent most of our summers there, but once a week we’d try to play a little golf,” said Derry.

He played collegiately at Capital University. Then at forty, he lost his vision. That’s right Derry is blind from retinopathy, but will not give up his the game of golf. He can play with the help of a coach. He had a new coach today, Vista’s Golf Pro, Casey Lepi. Derry says he can swing the club, but he relies on his coach.

“Coaching is very important,” said Derry. “It’s a team game. You’re only as good as your coach.”

By that logic, Derry’s previous coach must have been great because Derry has won multiple tournaments.

“I’ve won one of the regionals, and I’ve won the blind Master’s,” said Derry. “That was my best victory.”

Lepi said this is the first time he has ever worked with a blind golfer but, he can already tell communication is crucial.

“I’ve got to give Ron how far it is, where it’s breaking,” said Lepi. “Also what kind of conditions were in and I’ve got to verbally do that to the best of my abilities.”

Derry said without vision he has to rely on his coach’s guidance but, also his other senses such as feel and sound.

“The 7 Iron, I hit, I could barely hear the ball hit the club which means I hit the sweet spot and those don’t make much sound,” said Derry. “I know it’s either a whiff or a pretty good shot.”

Once Derry has reached the green, he and his coach walk the hole to figure out the distance and break of the putt by feel.

“If it’s a left or right putt, I can feel that because as we walk to the ball, if it’s a left breaking putt my left leg is lower,” said Derry. “If it’s a right breaking putt, my right leg is lower.”

After just one day of Lepi as his coach, Derry said he already feels more comfortable with Lepi than he has with any other blind swing coach.