A red, white and blue panel of patriotic PGA of America Golf Professionals, military Veterans and program administrators detailed the impact of PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) programs, which reach 30,000 Veterans and active-military members at 500 locations in all 50 states, during a special presentation Thursday on the PGA of America Industry Stage presented by CapTech at the PGA Show.
PGA of America Golf Professional Rob Elliott of Wisconsin, who represents District 6 on the PGA National Board of Directors, emphasized that PGA HOPE programs are as therapeutic for PGA of America Professionals as they are for Veterans and active-duty military, noting that “once you do it, it’s very fulfilling. The best part about PGA HOPE is we’re changing lives by organizing and conducting these programs for Veterans, but it’s helping us (as PGA Professionals), too.”
Brandy Cain, PGA HOPE Program Leader who serves as a liaison between the PGA of American and the Veterans Administration in organizing PGA HOPE programs in all 50 states, comes from a military family and issued an informal call to duty for all PGA of America Golf Professionals to enlist in hosting PGA HOPE programs at their golf facilities.
“I tell our PGA Professionals that finding the Veterans to participate in PGA HOPE programs is the easy part; finding PGA Pros to open their facilities to Veterans and conduct programs is the hard part,” Cain said. “We have Vets who reach out every day to become involved in PGA HOPE programs. We have 30,000 Veterans on the waiting list to get involved, and by 2026 we hope to have program sites to accommodate everyone.”
If PGA of America Professionals could speak for five or 10 minutes with former U.S. Marines Chris Nowak or Roth Coleman, they would instantly realize how beneficial PGA HOPE programs are to Veterans. The two former Marines were part of Thursday’s presentation and earned a smart salute from the crowd after sharing their perspectives.
“We understand that some PGA Professionals might be reluctant to get involved with PGA HOPE, because they don’t know how to deal with disabled Veterans,” said Nowak, who served for six years as an infantry squad leader in the Marine Corps, before losing his right leg in a training accident. The truth is, most of the Vets who want to get involved are just normal cats who want to reconnect with their military brothers and sisters through golf. Honestly, golf is only 40 percent of PGA HOPE programs. It’s primarily a way for Vets to reconnect with the military community and get back to enjoying life a little bit.”
“Camaraderie is the most important part of PGA HOPE programs,” assured Coleman, a retired Marine who now serves as a PGA HOPE Ambassador for the Kentucky PGA Section. “When you get out of the military, you don’t have that structure and some of the Vets are lost. PGA HOPE provides a path back to the military community and gives these guys something to look forward to every day, every week and every month. It makes a big difference in their lives.
“We understand that PGA Professionals have a lot on their plates, but if they can just give three hours a week or three hours a month, it’s a great way to give back to these guys who have given so much for our country.”
The bottom line at the PGA HOPE presentation Thursday was simple: PGA HOPE programs make a positive difference in lives of Veterans and in the lives of PGA Golf Professionals every day.