"My wife has been a tremendous help getting (the ABDGA) off the ground. The Genie Pro will help me take some of the record-keeping burden off of her. "
Roy Holt, of the Bay Area, CA, takes life by the reins. Not only is he a working father of two young girls, but he has also achieved status as the top-ranked Class-B visually impaired golf player in the United States. Roy suffers from a viral infection that has infected the retinas since he was eight years old. His central vision is virtually gone; leaving him with peripheral vision very similar to macular degeneration.
Roy relies on the computer-compatible Genie Pro CCTV to help him keep an eye on the ball. In 1999, he started a non-profit organization called the American Blind and Disabled Golfer’s Association (www.abdga.org), which holds tournaments and provides frequent clinics to golfers who are blind and/or otherwise disabled. The ABDGA holds an annual tournament in California, co-sponsored by Mitch Juricich of KNBR’s "Hooked on Golf". The nature of the non-profit organization demands a lot of record-keeping. Roy relies on the Genie Pro to keep track of paperwork, spreadsheets and other electronic files for the organization, relieving his wife of her former accounting duties.
The Genie Pro’s split screen mode helps create a work station environment allowing an individual with low vision to view magnified images while also reviewing information from their computer. Roy can display vertical or horizontal line markers and employ the shadow masking feature to help track text and reduce glare.
The Genie Pro’s user-friendly features help Roy stay organized. "My youngest will be in first grade, and I've been Mr. Mom for the last 10 years, and have been scheduling my massage practice around the kids. This is a great help," Roy exclaims. He is also runs a massage practice; another passion he has managed to schedule around family life and his brainchild, the ABDGA.
"It opens up another world when you magnify something and are able to view it in color," Roy continues. "My wife has been a tremendous help getting this organization off the ground. The Genie Pro helps alleviate some of the paperwork burden from her. "
Golf has been a part of Roy’s life for over a decade, after having worked in several rehabilitation units for those with disabilities. Understanding the desire to get the most out of life, Roy empathizes with the challenges visual impairments pose. In order to help educate people about these challenges and raise awareness, Roy provides simulation glasses that people can use on the driving range to experience various types of vision loss. He knows a good thing when he sees it. The Genie Pro has helped Roy get his businesses off the ground, while allowing him to share his passion with the disabled community.
"I founded the ABDGA because I wanted to let disabled people and their families know that they can still enjoy themselves," Roy says. "If they want to play golf at a high level, they actually can play tournaments around the world and be successful." The Genie Pro and Roy Holt are proof that success begets success.