‘I got a real kicking and my eye came out’ – blind golfer Tim Joyce on the road to recovery after violent attack

A blind golfer who lost his vision in an attack more than 20 years ago is starting his new sporting journey in honour of his late brother-in-law.

62-year-old Tim Joyce, a retired sales engineer, took up blind golf a year ago after his brother-in-law Chris, who was suffering from terminal cancer, encouraged him to enter into the Blind British Open.

Tim, who is in the B3 category, meaning he has about 10% vision or less, achieved that goal by playing in the tournament last summer, coming 14th against other players with similar eyesight issues.

His story begins more than two decades ago, with the incident that led to him losing his sight.

After spotting two drunk men outside his house looking for his next-door neighbour, he ended up getting involved in the dispute.

“My neighbour came out and started fighting with one of them, so the other one went to join in and I got a hold of him,” Tim said.

“But I didn’t know they had eight mates on the corner and I got a real kicking and my eye came out.”

After bleeds in both eyes, and despite injections, Tim’s vision decreased quickly, leading to his disability.

Several years later, he started playing at a driving range with his son and two son-in-laws, which was the beginning of his new sporting career.

But it was a conversation with Chris, his brother-in-law, shortly before his death from leukaemia, which inspired him to take it seriously.

“He said, ‘you must do everything you can on a daily basis to enjoy life’,” Tim recounted.

“I mentioned to him that I was thinking of playing blind golf and he said, ‘What’s that all about?'”

After explaining what the sport was, Chris asked Tim to make a promise for him.

“He said, ‘will you play in the Blind British Open for me?'”

Tim fulfilled that promise last year, and even had a special club cover made to remember his late brother-in-law.

Every blind golfer needs a guide to help them line up shots and to judge distance. Tim’s guide is usually his lifelong friend, Paul McKee, who he has known since the age of four.

Because Paul is a “really good golfer”, playing off a handicap of three, Tim was worried his friend wouldn’t be keen on a non-playing role.

“But he’s really been the guy who’s pushed me in this,” said Tim.

“He now says that he prefers the guiding side, and meeting all the blind golfers, than he does playing himself.

“I think it’s something to do with the drink to be honest!”

After going through one of the most terrifying ordeals imaginable and losing the vast majority of his sight, Tim has turned his life around and rediscovered his love for sport – a journey which saw him finish second in last year’s Spanish Open.

“It means the world to me. I didn’t realise how much I missed competitive sport,” he said.

“The guys are great people but when you get out there you’re trying to win.

“I never thought I’d have that again. It’s really competitive but we all have a drink afterwards, and that’s the main thing.

“I’ve made some friends for life already, and I’ve only been doing it for a year.”

Tim’s blind golf adventure will continue this month when he returns to the Spanish Open to try and defend his title.