Outlook Nebraska will host its 19th golf tournament June 7th at the Tiburon golf course in Omaha. Tee it up for Sight’s annual tournament brings in golfers from around Nebraska and out-of-state to raise funds for the organization.

Outlook Nebraska Inc. is the largest Ability One facility in a seven-state region. It began as a supplier of janitorial paper products, with a majority of its workforce being blind and low vision people. In 20 years, it’s expanded to offer skills training for blind and low vision Nebraskans, such as using adaptive technology, and creating its Enrichment department, providing a range of activities for the blind community.

The golf tournament is Outlook’s biggest fundraiser. It typically hosts 40 to 48 teams, bringing in anywhere between 160 to 190 individual golfers. In addition to playing a round of golf, there will be a raffle and various activities. When golfers reach the ninth hole, they will have the opportunity to try putting with sleep shades. A dinner will follow at the Waterfall restaurant.

A change is happing this year for the tournament. For the past 18 years, blind and low vision people have the opportunity to participate in a golf clinic in the morning before the tournament. Students and instructors from UNO’s Health and Kinesiology department, and its golf team, work with blind people during Outlook’s Stanley M. Trohlsen, Jr. golf clinic. Before now though, not many blind people have participated in the tournament itself.

The family of Stanley M. Trohlsen, Jr. gave a generous donation this year, with the caveat it be used solely for the golf tournament. Trohlsen himself was an avid blind golfer. “I thought, why don’t we have visually impaired people in the golf tournament itself?” said Nina Rongich, director of fundraising Development for Outlook. So, it bought a golf simulator blind golfers can practice with.

“People think that just because somebody is visually impaired, no matter what part of the journey they're on, that they can't do certain things,” said Rongich. And it's like, they can do everything we can do as a sighted person.”

Four blind golfers have been paired with sighted partners and will participate in the tournament this year. Golfers can find their own partners, but Outlook also has a deep pool of volunteers who are available as well. In addition to practicing with the simulator, each has spent time on actual golf courses with their partners.

“In 2001, I basically hung up my clubs. I didn’t think I would ever golf again,” said Tim Green, one of the blind golfers in this year’s tournament. Green started losing vision in his late 40’s due to macular degeneration. He was a life-long golfer, playing on his high school team in Albion, NE, and in college. Since discovering Outlook Enrichment in the last couple of years, he’s found a community to connect with, and activities to keep him busy in retirement. “I told Nina after the clinic last year that they got my enthusiasm back up for the game again.”

Golfing nonvisually involves using a sighted partner, who helps describe the course and conditions. Partners can also provide information about distance, or if a golfer needs to shift their body or club in order to swing. “You’re gonna’ make a lot of bad shots before a really good one,” said Green. “But this is making people feel included.”

The simulator has been a helpful tool to practice with. Unfortunately, it’s not accessible, meaning the programming does not offer audio features, like text-to-speech. According to Megan Mackie, community outreach specialist for Outlook Enrichment, some low vision people can see the screen since it’s large. But those who are totally blind or can’t see the screen well enough, find it more useful when a sighted person can help describe what is on the screen.

“We’re hoping when people see blind golfers out there during the tournament with all the other golfers, it will make some kind of impact,” said Mackie. “And maybe, we can open some eyeballs with these different companies, showing them there are blind people that wanna’ try everything, and encourage them to make these simulators accessible.”

The goal is to encourage blind people to use the simulator year-round and gain more experience, so they can participate in the golf tournament. “We’re looking to incorporate these things that people want to do in their everyday lives, instead of just giving them a chance to do something one time,” said Mackie. “We can do this year-round with the golf simulator.”

Green will partner with a friend he’s been playing golf with since high school. They already have a rhythm and have been out practicing.

Green is thrilled to find golf back in his life again. “Outlook’s gotten me back out there, doing things again.” He spent 20 years believing blindness meant giving up things he loves, like golf. Since his wife stumbled across Outlook Enrichment’s website, Green has had opportunities to rediscover activities he enjoys. “It’s been a blessing, such a positive,” said Green.

Visit Outlook Nebraska’s website to learn about its enrichment programs, or details on the golf tournament.