You might not think of golf as a team sport, but for Judy Messina of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, it definitely is.
As a member of the United States Blind Golf Association, or USBGA, she and her coach, Tom—who’s also her husband—participate together in tournaments around the country. Judy also belongs to a league for golfers who have a variety of disabilities, and with a little bit of help, she golfs with other friends, too. “I can’t see the ball and the tee, and I can’t see where I’m headed,” Judy says. But that doesn’t keep her from having fun.
Judy has Stargardt disease, an eye condition that affects her central vision. As a result, she has what she describes as “extremely low vision.” But vision loss doesn’t affect her ability to make friends—and that’s something she’s truly good at.
Judy considers herself blessed—and that’s a word that comes up often in her conversation. She uses it when she talks about her family and friends, including two cherished grandchildren that she talks to daily on Facetime. She also speaks of being blessed with her friends and her involvement in church, as well as her colleagues from a 34-year career with St. Paul Public Schools. She and Tom both feel blessed that their mothers—both in their 90s—are still living nearby. And Judy feels that way about her great partnership with Tom—both on and off the links.
Judy initially started golfing because her parents and her son were playing together, and she simply wanted to join the fun. “My theory is, just be able to be good enough so you can be part of the group and have a good time,” she says. As her interest grew, she started to take lessons from a local pro, who encouraged her to join a USBGA tournament.
The pro also offered some valuable advice before her first event. “She said, ‘Get comfortable with being uncomfortable,’” Judy says. “And I thought, that’s one of the best things anyone’s ever told me about anything.”
Now Judy likes to pass that advice on to others, applying it to just about any new experience. And new experiences are something she has quite often.
Judy’s learning to read and write Braille through Hadley and has shared some of the lessons with her granddaughter, who enjoyed practicing with the Perkins brailler. Judy is also taking workshops on technology, and she’s looking into learning more about orientation and mobility, knowing that she’ll need to keep improving her skills as her vision changes. “I like to be proactive,” she says.
Altogether, Judy is an upbeat person, and she believes a sense of humor “is definitely a good thing to have with some of the experiences that can come about due to vision loss.” As she notes, “There are some things we can’t control, and vision loss is one of those things.” But she also believes in focusing on what she can take charge of, like learning new skills to adapt and adjust, and how she responds to what life brings her way.
Not surprisingly, while Judy focuses on how blessed she is by the people around her, many feel the same way about her—including those at Hadley. She’s a member of the peer-to-peer program, and she regularly meets with two other members to share thoughts, ideas, and wisdom—including the important lesson she learned from her golf pro years ago. “At first, you’re very uncomfortable,” she likes to remind her peers—and others. “Just know that’s part of it, and then go and have a good time.”