a podcast conversation series from He Said, Son Said
On Their Turf
Episode 21

Listen to James
Davis’ Story.

James lost his sight at 55. At 76, he found golf.

But this story is about much more than the game.

Founder of the Triangle Blind Golfers Association — a conversation about independence, community, accepting help, putting in the work, and how to help someone without taking the shot for them.

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Guest James Davis
Sport Golf
Series On Their Turf
Format Interview + Round
What This Episode Is About

We met James Davis early one morning at Hillandale Golf Course in Durham — this one's part of On Their Turf, the series where we sit down with people right where they do their thing. James lost his sight at 55. At 76, he found golf. What started as a game became something much bigger: a way to rebuild independence, and eventually, a community for other blind and visually impaired golfers. We spent the morning walking the course with James and his coach, Kevin, and by the end it was pretty clear this was never really just about golf.

What Stuck With Us

On finding golf

"I never thought I could even — I never dreamed about playing golf. But I knew I could, you know, this is not physical — I didn't have to maneuver around anyone else. So this game right here is all about me."

— James Davis
On ownership

"His successes are my successes and his failures are all on me." "Not necessarily. If the ball is there, if I come up on it, that's all on me. He didn't pull me up. I did that."

— Kevin Tellemath & James Davis
On why he started the association

"We had nothing like this in this area. Nothing like that for blind and visually impaired people. It started keeping me awake at night. So I just decided — if it's doing this to me, I need to go ahead and go with it."

— James Davis
On community

"I don't like using the word I now. Yes, I founded the program, I am the president — but that's usually the only I you'll get out of me, 'cause it's a community effort."

— James Davis
Nash's Moment

Somewhere between holes, Matt and Nash fell behind James and Kevin's cart — and it got a little chaotic. A mic came loose mid-chase, there was a real "hands off the wheel, I've got it," and a lot of "gotta catch up, floor it, shortcut, shortcut" before they caught back up. None of it made the episode. It's exactly the kind of thing that only happens when you're following a story instead of scripting one.

About James

James Davis's sight started fading around age twelve and was completely gone by 55. At 76, he decided to take up golf — a game his own daughter told him was "the hardest game you could ever find." Once he started making contact, he was hooked.

Today he plays regularly at Hillandale Golf Course in Durham with his coach, Kevin, who lines up every shot for him — learning James's fade, his tendencies, and when to trust him to swing on his own. But golf became bigger than James's own game: after a chance conversation in the clubhouse, he founded the Triangle Blind Golfers Association, which has grown into a real community of blind and visually impaired golfers, volunteers, and coaches — Kevin included.

Ask James what golf has given him, and he doesn't hesitate: "A sense of pride. Confidence, independence."

You don't have to see it to hit it.

Triangle Blind Golfers Association Email 919-688-7700

Behind The Scenes

The group at Hillandale — golfers, coaches, and volunteers from the Triangle Blind Golfers Association.
On The Range
The group at Hillandale — golfers, coaches, and volunteers from the Triangle Blind Golfers Association.
A coach walks through the motion for one of the group's golfers — teaching by feel, not by sight.
Reading The Swing
A coach walks through the motion for one of the group's golfers — teaching by feel, not by sight.
Mid-swing at the range, with a coach spotting every shot.
Making Contact
Mid-swing at the range, with a coach spotting every shot.
Getting the grip right, one adjustment at a time.
Hand Over Hand
Getting the grip right, one adjustment at a time.
Lining up the ball before the swing — the kind of small assist that makes the whole game possible.
Setting Up The Shot
Lining up the ball before the swing — the kind of small assist that makes the whole game possible.
A couple of stray range balls, low in the grass.
The Little Details
A couple of stray range balls, low in the grass.
Rolling on one of the sit-down interviews.
Behind The Camera
Rolling on one of the sit-down interviews.
Younger golfers were out on the range too.
Passing It On
Younger golfers were out on the range too.
From The Notebook — "Getting It Right"

Matt wrote a longer reflection for the Substack on editing this one — the pull to turn James into "an inspirational blind golfer," and why he resisted it in favor of the real story: agency, independence, community, and accepting help without losing ownership of the outcome.

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