Brunswick graduate named 2026 American Blind Golf Coach of the Year

BRUNSWICK — Cayden de Wever, from Brunswick High School's Class of 2024, was recently recognized for his coaching at this year's Phoenix Cup, which is an international golf tournament for athletes who have disabilities. Blind golf connects someone who is visually impaired with a coach who helps guide the golfer. Cayden de Wever's father, Jerry de Wever, is legally blind, and the father and son duo have been a team on the golf course for seven summers now. "Around the time I started getting into golf myself, I was about 13," he said. "We then basically decided that I would start coaching him over random people. We actually would Uber to and from the golf course, and I caddied for him from the time I was about 13 to 14." As a coach, Cayden de Wever sets his father up to aim and gives him different clubs based on the hole. After the shot, he gives his dad feedback on how he hit it, where the ball went and how to improve on the shot, if necessary. "If he's on the putting green, he has this custom putter that I bought him for Christmas, where it stands up on its own," he said. "He would set up behind his ball, walk the green, feel out the slope of it, and then I would align the putter myself where I thought the ball should be aimed to play the break. Then he would put it out there for the distance I felt walking it. We rinse and repeat that for all 18 holes." In June, Jerry de Wever played in the Phoenix Cup in Wadsworth, which featured blind golfers and other golfers who have disabilities. Cayden de Wever said the tournament is similar to the Ryder Cup, where the United States plays against Europe. "We had players from Scotland, Ireland, the U.K., Italy and then we had people from several states," he said. "It was a much bigger turnout than many of the blind golf only tournaments that I've coached at." Europe won this year's tournament, but Cayden de Wever was named "2026 American Blind Golf Coach of the Year" for his coaching at the event. He said winning the award came "straight out of left field," since he had no idea it was happening, but it felt nice to be recognized in this way. "You basically have to give an improvised speech thanking, and I almost thought of it like winning a Grammy, if that makes sense," he said. "That's kind of how my brain processed it afterward." Blind golf is a sport based on trust and communication, and Cayden de Wever believes that being a coach in the sport is "extremely rewarding." As a result, he encourages more people to get involved. For more information, visit ohioblindgolf.com. "I basically have creative freedom on what club he hits, but at the same time, there's a lot of talent on my dad's side since he doesn't know where the ball is going nor does he know where he's aiming," he said. "If it's a good shot, it feels twice as good." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.