By Graeme Strachan

THE CAPTAIN of Tayside Blind Golf Society last night rubbished claims that some of its members are sighted and abusing the goodwill of others.

George Derby said all its members are registered blind although they have different degrees of visual acuity.

He was hitting back at claims the society was taking advantage of its position after The Courier received a letter of complaint, following a recent visit to Downfield Golf Club.

“I am employed in the voluntary sector so am aware of most disabilities and their consequences, but it was obvious that the majority of these ‘blind’ people were sighted,” said the reader.

“In the clubhouse I observed ‘blind’ people walking around unaided, buying refreshments and going up and down stairs with ease.

“Outdoors was a similar experience with many pulling their own golf trolleys and one in particular reading a scorecard.

“On the course I watched players tee off with little or no assistance and several watched their own shot approach a green.

“One particular gentleman, pointed up the fairway toward a green and asked, ‘Is that a flag?’ The flag on the green was some 200 yards away.

“I struggled to see the flag against the tree line, and I can see to drive a car. Perhaps the worst of all was the number of ‘blind’ players who putted out without any assistance and then picked their own ball out of the cup.

“There are many thousands of legitimately disabled people throughout Scotland, but this group clearly take advantage and abuse the goodwill of others.”

George Derby, captain of Tayside Blind Golf Society, described the claims as “a lot of rubbish.”

Mr Derby, who was at the Downfield golf event, said, “All our members have been tested and they range from B1, which is totally blind, to B4, which is partially sighted. But they are all registered blind.

“If they feel their eyesight is getting any worse they are tested again and their grade is altered accordingly.

“Players with a sight classification of B1 can’t walk around on their own, but B2 was a common number there on Saturday and some of those people can get about.

“There were also B3s there who went about themselves.

“But they are all registered blind with various levels of blindness. They have to be checked before joining and will be issued with a certificate from British Blind Sport.”

According to the Scottish Blind Golf Society new members must supply a completed application form, a copy of their blind or partially sighted registration form from their social work department or Society for the Blind, a completed classification form and three completed 18-hole score cards.

B1 is defined as ranging from total blindness to the ability to perceive light, but the inability to recognise shapes.

B2 is defined as from the ability to recognise shapes to an acuity of 2/60 and/or a field of less than five degrees.

B3 is defined as from an acuity of 2/60 and/or a field of five degrees to an acuity of 6/60 and/or a field of less than 20 degrees.

The B4 category is defined as extending from an acuity of 6/60 to one of 6/24 in the best eye and with the best correction. An acuity of 6/24 is the ability to read the top three lines of the optician’s chart at a distance of six metres.