Perceived Facilitators and Barriers to Participation in Golf for People With Vision Impairment: A Qualitative Study.
Eldré W Beukes, Niall Hynes, David L Mann and 3 others
PMID 36076287WHAT IT FOUND
Vision-impaired golfers identified the need for a knowledgeable guide, high costs, and slow play as major barriers.
Facilitators included club support and social opportunities. Guides valued the partnership but struggled with skill development. This highlights logistical hurdles rather than clinical outcomes.
Key findings
01Barriers to participation included the requirement for a guide, high costs for equipment and tournaments, and logistical issues like transport and slow play.
02Facilitators included the accessibility of the game, support from clubs and sighted golfers, and the opportunity for socialization and personal development.
03Guides reported difficulties in developing the necessary skills, particularly if they were not golfers themselves, and challenges in guiding weaker players.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study interviewed a small subset of VI golfers and guides, so views may not represent the wider population. Content analysis was chosen over thematic analysis, which may have missed hidden meanings or context. Interviews took place before the tournament, which may have affected participants' focus or responses. The study was conducted at a single event in Northern Ireland, potentially limiting generalizability to other regions or contexts.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the Northern Ireland VI Golf Association, which helped inform the protocol and organize participants.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that golf improves clinical outcomes like balance or confidence. This is a qualitative study of perceptions and barriers, not a trial measuring health effects.