Headline: Members of the Carroll Center for the Blind Makes a Special Visit to MGA Links at Mamantapett
For Immediate Release: July 21, 2010
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The Carroll School for the Blind staff member Lynton Cahill-Watts (left) works on putting with Daniel Nash of New York during Tuesday's event at MGA Links in Norton. (Sun Chronicle staff photo by Tom Maguire) |
Norton, MA — The staff at MGA Links at Mamantapett took a break from their busy summer schedule to welcome a special group to the Norton course.
Members of the Carroll Center for the Blind visited the facility earlier this week and enjoyed day of instruction and fun.
Here is an article that appeared in a recent issue of the Sun Chronicle.
Unique Golf Lessons
By Aaron Keller
For the Sun Chonicle
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
NORTON - It was no ordinary day at MGA Links in Norton.
The Carroll Center for the Blind paid a visit, with the intention to learn a bit more about the game of golf. Providing instruction was Bill McMahon of Framingham, who learned the game at a young age while his vision was failing him, before going completely blind by the time he was 25.
McMahon said of his background in the game: "I started playing as a 9 year old. As it turned out, I played and caddied all through college, it helped me keep my diabetes under control. In '83 I started having eye problems and by January of '84, the lights went out completely."
However, this did not deter McMahon from playing a game he loved.
"I was very fortunate to meet Joe Lazaro, a nationally renowned blind golfer from Waltham. He took me on as his protege, and we've been playing since '85."
Shortly after meeting Lazaro, McMahon became involved with the Carroll Center, which teaches the newly blind how to live and adapt in life. Events like this can be very important for the blind says McMahon.
"If they want to they can go out and do something like this. It will help them later on in life in the workplace, on corporate outings they won't have to feel intimidated."
The Carroll Center's outing at MGA Links began with a brief walk around the holes, to get the students accustomed to the surface they would be playing on. From there, they were divided into two groups - swingers and putters. McMahon went with the putters and instructed the kids to swing in a "pendulum-like" motion.
"For a three-foot putt, you are going to want to take your putter about three inches back, and slowly hit it forward," he added. Many of the students could not contain their excitement after sinking several short putts in a row. McMahon just looked on, smiling all the while.