VIG's Activity

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* Golf for visually impaired people
* VIG's activity
* Rule of competition
* News Letter
* Invitation for members

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## Objectives of VIG

VIG aims at distributing information for visually impaired people and volunteers, promoting golf for visually impaired people, providing support to players and partners for skill improvement, and publicizing golf by visually impaired people to golf courses and the society. Major activities of VIG include:

  • Organizing golf competitions for visually impaired golfers in spring and fall
  • Facilitating information exchange among visually impaired golfers, volunteers, and partners
  • Publishing bulletin "VICK" to publicize golf by visually impaired people
  • Tailoring rules, handicap system, and manuals for visually impaired golfers
  • Promoting good manner and supporting skill improvement
  • Promoting international exchange between visually impaired golfers in Japan and overseas by encouraging participation in international competitions
  • Organizing training camps for visually impaired golfers and their partners
  • Negotiating with golf courses to allow visually impaired golfers' admittion
  • Communicating with other organizations such as local governments

## Practice Schedule

* Kanto area

Northern C Nishikigahara Golf Course practice round (Ohmiya, Saitama Pref.)
The last Sunday of each month
This is a practical training round. Activities include practice in driving shot, approach, patting, and round lesson at the course. It is scheduled on Sunday afternoon for the convenience of volunteers.
Toshoen GC Monday practice round (Sanofujioka, Tochigi Pref.)
Three or four times per year on the closed day of the golf course
Best Golf Range (Yachiyo, Chiba Pref.)
The second Tuesday of each month
Sanyo Golf Garden (Yokohama, Kanagawa Pref.)
The first and third Saturdays of each month
Hamadayama Golf Garden & Mini Course (Suginami, Tokyo)
Supported by Highland Center Co., Tokyo Golf Colege
The second and fourth Saturdays and last Sunday of each month
Kamiigusa Golf Center (Suginami, Tokyo)
Every Saturday
Training Session in Hamadayama Mini Course (Suginami, Tokyo)
Supported by Highland Center Co., Tokyo Golf Colege
The second or third Sunday of each month
This is a practice round at a mini course with 7 holes and par 21. It is the best for training for approach shots.

* Kansai area

Training Session at Osaka area Kuzuha Golf Course
Every month

* Chugoku area

Koyo Golf Center (Asakita, Hiroshima pref.)
Every Friday

## Official Competitions

  • Competition of Visually Impaired Golfers of Japan, once a year
  • Competition at Mini Course, once a year
  • Competition of Visually Impaired Golfers for Guide Dog Promotion, coorganized by Japan Guide Dog Association and VIG, in every September

## Publishing Activities

  • Bulletin "Big Partner" (Eleven issues per year)
  • Member list on braille
  • Transliteration and distribution of Weekly Golf Digest (biweekly)
  • Transliteration of JGA rule book and primer of golf
  • Enactment and distribution of rules and handicap system for visually impaired golfers
## History of VIG
1993.10"The First Visually Impaired Golfers Competition for Guide Dog Promotion" organized by Japan Guide Dog Association (at Hakusui GC)
1994.7Establishment of "Visually Impaired Golfers Council of Japan"
1994.8"The First Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG : the first golf tournament for visually impaired golfers in Japan (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
1994.10"The Second Visually Impaired Golfers Competition for Guide Dog Promotion" coorganized by Japan Guide Dog Association and VIG (at Fuji Heigen GC)
1994.12"The Second Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
1st general meeting of VIG
1995.4"The Third Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
Participation in "Tournament for Leader Dog Visually Impaired Golfers" (at Arizona, Phoenix)
1995.8Participated in "Canada and Japan Friendship Golf Competition for Visually Impaired Golfers (CJ Cup)" (at Regina, Canada)
"The Third Visually Impaired Golfers Competition for Guide Dog Promotion" coorganized by Japan Guide Dog Association and VIG (at Fuji Heigen GC)
1995.10Participated in "Australia Open" (at West Australia, Perth)
1995.11"The Fourth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
1996.4"The Fifth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
Renamed to "Visually Impaired Golfers of Japan" at the general meeting of VIG
Established rules and handicap system for visually impaired golfers
Participated in "The First Niigata Pref. Visually Impaired Golfers Competition"
1996.6VIG's Third Anniversary Memorial Practice Round(at Toshoen GC)
1996.9"The Fourth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition for Guide Dog Promotion" coorganized by Japan Guide Dog Association and VIG (at Fuji Heigen GC)
1996.12"The Sixth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
1997.5"The Seventh Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)
Masanao Shimizu was inaugurated as the president
1997.7`11Training for golf partners of visually impaired golfers began (total five courses)
1997.9Participated in "The Second Niigata Pref. Visually Impaired Golfers Competition"
"The Fifth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition for Guide Dog Promotion" coorganized by Japan Guide Dog Association and VIG (at Fuji Heigen GC)
1997.12"The First Visually Impaired Golfers of Japan Competition" organized by VIG (at Itsuura Teien CC)
1998.5"The Eighth Visually Impaired Golfers Competition" organized by VIG (at Tokyo Highland Center mini course)

(C) 1998 Visually Impaired Golfers of Japan, Manabu **Springwater** Shimizu
Translation (C) 1998 Jiro Nemoto