Golf is among the most frustrating games to ever grace the wide world of athletic competition, but on greens across the world walk athletes who play an even harder version sport, making their success not only remarkable but inspirational. The first recorded round of Blind Golf occurred in 1925, when Clint Russell, a Duluth, Minnesota native, teed it up for the first time after losing his sight in an exploding tire accident. By the early 1930′s, Clint Russell managed to gradually improve his scores, recording rounds as low as 84 over 18 holes, as Blind Golf was born.Blind Golf is remarkably similar to standard sighted golf, with the only major difference being the additional of coaches. Blind Golf coaches are much like caddies in that they advise club selection and distance, but obviously go into further detail, serving as the golfer’s eyes by describing the physical characteristics of the hole and ball’s lie. Before the stroke, the coach will place the player’s club head behind the ball, but from there on the outcome hinges on a golfer’s swing consistency and talent. As far as scoring goes, only one minor change is made to accommodate blind golfers, with no penalty being assessed for the grounding of a club in a hazard. The rule change makes obvious sense as visually impaired players have little way of knowing precisely where the ball meets the sand or grass. Read on …

If you are a fan of the X games, be sure to check out the Ex-games, the Extremity Games in the spirit of full disclosure. Not only is it a clever play on words, the Extremity games feature athletes who enjoy taking their talent to the very brink of safety and possibility. The Extremity Games allow competitors with amputations and limb differences to test their abilities at extreme sports against fellow competitors in a format much like X-games. Athletes compete for medals across a variety of events, with winners taking home gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as money and other prizes. Read on …

One of the most heartbreaking aspects of a disabled childhood is the inability to fully participate in classic childhood activities, sports in particular. Pee Wee kids across the country not only forge friendships that can last a lifetime, but also learn valuable teamwork skills at a young age. Fortunately, Little League baseball has been enjoyed by kids regardless of so-called physical or mental limitations thanks to the Challenger program, founded in 1989. Challenger levels the playing field, open to all youth who are mentally or physically challenged. Though Challenger is a division of Little League, not all participants are little, with any individual under the age of 22 invited to participate, as long as the player is still enrolled in high school.Teams are divided by abilities rather than age brackets, recognizing that certain players may not be able to perform at the same level due to varying conditions. Challenger offers t-ball, coach pitch and player pitch formats, even combinations of the 3, catering to each team. While a Challenger division player will suit up in the same uniform, safety equipment and shoulder patches as any other Little Leaguer, games are usually not conducted following the same rules as other divisions of little league. There is more than one way to end an inning as 3 outs can at times be tough to come by. A half-inning is also over after each player has had a chance to bad or a predetermined number of runs cross the plate. Most Challenger games do not keep score, rather playing for the experience and love of the game. Read on …