Because of its exceptional work in supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of combat wounded veterans and their families, the SMGA was selected by the Bush Center as one of four military service organizations to be highlighted during the First Annual Warrior Open (www.warrioropen.com). Of the 21 wounded warriors selected to play in the inaugural event, eight are either currently or had been SMGA participants. Held October 10-11 in Dallas, Texas, Ret. Cpl. Chad Pfeifer of Scottsdale, AZ, won the annual event. The SMGA thanks President Bush and his staff for including us in this wonderful event.
SMGA board members and Warrior Open participant Ramon Padilla on the 18th green
President George W. Bush and participants in the first annual Warrior Open
SMGA Participant and Marine Corps Lance Corporal Tim Lang (Ret) was a special guest of honor of the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup team. Dressed in full uniform, Lang led U.S. Captain Rosie Jones and Team USA into the Opening Ceremony, and then served as an assistant to Assistant Captain Sherri Steinhauer. Said Captain Jones, "He was an inspiration to us there representing our country, and the message he sent to Team USA and the world was amazing. Not only did Tim share his story with us, but he lifted the hearts of these young women by his actions
(http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=30284&mid=1)."
The North Texas Wounded Warrior Golf Association hosted SMGA participants Denis Oliverio, Brian Bradley, Chris Bowers, and Matt Levine. This year's event is expected to raise close to $9,000 to benefit SMGA programs and affiliates. Thank you to Glen and Matt Rosenberger for the amazing hospitality showed to our golfers and for putting on a great tournament.
SMGA Co-Founder Jim Estes traveled to Dallas, TX, to play golf with President George W. Bush and participate in the planning sessions for the upcoming Warrior Open (www.warrioropen.com). Recognizing that golf is an important part of the rehabilitation process for many of those seriously injured on the front lines, the Warrior Open will bring together many of the brave men and women of our military for a 36-hole competition. This year’s tournament will be held October 10 and 11, 2011 in Dallas, TX, and a number of SMGA participants are expected to compete.
SMGA Co-Founder Jim Estes with President George W. Bush
Members of the Warrior Open planning committee, including President George W. Bush, Patriot Award Winners Jim Estes and Andy Weisinger, and wounded warrior Chris Self
In April 2011, the SMGA was asked to conduct a clinic in the Rayburn House Office Building on National Golf Day. The following are comments made by Congressman Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, about the SMGA program:
Question: What was your impression of Jim Estes' work with SMGA and the development of such individuals like Ret. Staff Sgt. Ramon Padilla?
Rep. Jeff Miller: “The golf community through organizations such as the Salute Military Golf Association is taking the lead on providing many of our wounded veterans with a preview of the full and productive life they have ahead of them, a life in which a battlefield field injury is not a disability, nor does it define the person. We see this world of the possible time and time again through the veterans who have benefited from Jim Estes’ instruction on the golf course. Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla (U.S. Army, Ret.) is a great example of Jim’s leadership in this field. We witnessed firsthand his smile of confidence as he teed off. And that smile was only the beginning. From achievement comes inspiration, and a desire to engage in life again to its fullest. It was an honor to watch on as Staff Sergeant Padilla gave us all a golf lesson, not only in golf, but in the game of life – you have to play the ball where it lands.”
Question: Do you believe that individuals like PGA Professional Jim Estes and Sgt. Ramon Padilla merit their voice before those in Congress about future programs or rehabilitative endeavors that help restore Wounded Warriors back to mainstream society?
Rep. Jeff Miller: “Organizations such as Salute Military Golf Association deserve a voice not only in front of Congress, but across the nation – in every hometown and state. Community-based programs, and the hard work of individuals who are stepping up to help veterans, are making a huge difference in the healing process and lives of America’s wounded warriors. Golf is unique in that it allows the individual to compete against him or herself, and one good shot, as any golfer knows, keeps you playing on. Jim and Ramon in particular are two men setting an example for all of us and demonstrates the power of rehabilitative sports for our warriors.”
Rep. Jeff Miller, SMGA Participant Ramon Padilla, and
SMGA Co-Founder Jim Estes participate in National Golf
Day event on Capitol Hill
Fore Reservations!, the largest tee-time reservation service in the country, welcomed four SMGA members to participate in its annual tournament. At the event, the SMGA was presented with an extremely generous donation of $10,000.00.
Pictured with Scott Merchant of Fore! Reservations are combat wounded veterans (l to r): Mike Stafford, Tim Lang, Charles Eggleston, Scott Merchant, and Dewitt Osborne
The SMGA participated in the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL; the largest golf trade show in the world. At the show, SMGA member Tim Lang, SMGA Co-Founder Jim Estes, and PGA Tour star Ken Green conducted a clinic at the 12th Annual Teaching and Coaching Summit; the SMGA also hosted a reception for groups wishing to become SMGA affiliates and appeared on the Golf Channel's Morning Drive program and ESPN Radio's Views from the Rough program. USA Today highlighted the SMGA's participation at the show: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2011-01-25-pga-hotline-tim-lang-jim-estes_N.htm
SMGA Member Tim Lang with the LPGA's Sara Brown
The certified public accounting firm Kearney and Company continued its generous support of the SMGA in 2010 with a donation of more than $34,000. At the local level, the donation will be used locally to support the rehabilitation of combat wounded soldiers stationed at WRAMC, Bethesda Naval Hospital, and Ft. Belvoir. Funds will also be used for capacity building to extend SMGA programs nationally.
SMGA participants accept a check
from Kearney and Company's Brian Kearney
David Rushe, an SMGA volunteer and competitive high school golfer at Glenelg Country School, produced the following documentary on the SMGA for his freshman Civics Leadership class. A student under SMGA Founder Jim Estes, David is
currently in the process of creating a new fundraising event on behalf of SMGA.
LPGA profesional Kris Tschetter generously donated her time to the SMGA in 2010, appearing at both the spring and fall clinic series. Not only did Ms. Tschetter conduct clinics with SMGA co-founder Jim Estes, but she played several holes with SMGA participants in the spring, and then offered teaching advice to a number of SMGA participants during the fall clinic series. The SMGA thanks Ms. Tschetter, and wishes her the best of luck with her new book Mr. Hogan--The Man I Knew
LPGA professional Kris Tschetter and SMGA Director of Golf Jim Estes at the SMGA 2010 Fall clinic
LPGA professional Kris Tschetter provides instruction during the SMGA's 2010 fall clinic series
The SMGA recently received its largest single, stand alone donation from the Certified Public Accounting firm Kearney & Company. The donation will be used to further the SMGA's work supporting combat wounded veterans through the
game of golf.
SMGA Board Member Ramon Padilla, SMGA Founder Jim Estes, and SMGA President Brian Finan are presented with a check from Kearney and Company
The 2009 AT&T National and host Tiger Woods honored our nation's wounded warriors with a patriotic opening ceremony on July 1, 2009. Following a jump by the 101st Airborne Division's Parachute Demonstration Team to Congressional Country Club to deliver golf balls for the ceremonial first shot, Major Ken Dwyer and SMGA participant Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla were welcomed by Tiger Woods to hit the first tee shot to officially kick off the AT&T National.
Major Ken Dwyer, Tournament Host Tiger Woods, and SMGA Participant Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla hit the ceremonial opening shot at the 2009 AT&T National.
SMGA Participant Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla receives golf balls from a member of the 101st Airbone Division's
Parachute Demonstration Team
Tiger Woods greets Major Ken Dwyer and SMGA Board Member Ramon Padilla at the start of the 2009 AT&T Invitational
The SMGA participated in the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL. The show is the largest golf trade show in the world with more than one million square feet of exhibition space and 10 miles of product aisles. At the show, SMGA participant Staff Sgt. Charles Egglestion was recognized as a Leader of the Year by African American Golf Digest and the Folds of Honor Foundation (www.foldsofhonor.org) presented SMGA participant Sgt. Ramon Padilla with college scholarships for his children. SMGA President Jim Estes gave a number of radio and print interviews on the SMGA's efforts to grow the game by bringing the game of golf to our nation's combat-wounded veterans.
The SMGA participated in the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show
SMGA President Jim Estes, SMGA Participant Charles Eggleston, and SMGA Participant Ramon Padilla
LPGA Superstar Lorena Ochoa and SMGA
Participant
Ramon Padilla
The SMGA held its first annual Veterans Day
Appreciation Dinner on November 11, 2008,
at the Oakdale Emory United Methodist Church
in Olney, MD. A group of 150 gathered to
honor all those who serve, and who have
served, in the U.S. armed forces. The SMGA
presented five combat wounded veterans
with sets of golf clubs and golf bags.
SMGA President Jim Estes presents golf clubs and golf bags to SMGA participants Mackenzie Miller, Kevin Brown, and Michael Hardiman at the SMGA's annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner.
At the invitation of Iraq war veteran and Merion Country Club member Bill Curran, SMGA President Jim Estes led a group of six combat wounded soldiers to Merion Country Club's East Course, host of the 2009 Walker Cup and 2013 U.S. Open. Merion has hosted more USGA events than any other venue in the United States and was the sight of Bobby Jones's Grand Slam in 1930 and Ben Hogan's victory in the 1950 U.S. Open. Merion is best known for its wicker-basket pins.
SMGA members on the first tee of Merion
Country Club's East Course
SMGA President Jim Estes qualified to play in the 90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club, just outside of Detroit, MI. In addition to competing in 2008's final major championship, Jim and SMGA participants David Cook and Ben Dellinger gave a free clinic at the PGA Learning Center the day before the tournament to more than 150 spectators. The clinic was covered by Fox Sports, the Detroit Free Press, Golf Week, and CBS Sports among others; the following links provide major news coverage of this story:
SMGA President Jim Estes at the PGA Learning Center
during the 90th PGA Championship.
SMGA President Jim Estes and David Cook at the
PGA Learning Center golf clinic
SMGA President Jim Estes and Ben Dellinger at the
PGA Learning Center golf clinic
SMGA President Jim Estes and SMGA Chairman Jamie Winslow met with Representative John Boozman of Arkansas to discuss the role golf can play in the rehabilitation programs of combat wounded soldiers.
SMGA President Jim Estes and SMGA Chairman Jamie Winslow with Congressman John Boozman of Arkansas.
Kyle Lograsso, a young golf prodigy who suffers from Retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina, stopped by the SMGA booth at this year's PGA Merchandise show. Kyle and his father Jeff, a Marine, visited the SMGA booth to show their support for America's wounded warriors. For more information on Retinoblastoma, please visit Kyle's site at: www.kylelograsso.org; More of Kyle's amazing story can be seen here: http://www.sonnyradio.com/kylelograsso.html.
Kyle Lograsso and his father Jeff, a Marine, at the SMGA booth during the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show.
The SMGA participated in the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL. The show is the largest golf trade show in the world with more than one million square feet of exhibition space and 10 miles of product aisles. SMGA President Jim Estes was recognized during the 'State of the PGA' press conference for his efforts to grow the game of golf and his work in aiding our country's combat-wounded veterans through the founding of the SMGA. To further the SMGA's effort to bring the game of golf to combat-wounded soldiers, at the trade show Tee It Up for the Troops (www.teeitupforthetroops.com) donated a Solorider golf cart to the SMGA."
CBS Sports featured the SMGA's participation in the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show in a television special that aired on May 3, 2008.
SMGA President Jim Estes, Tee It Up for the Troops President JB Ball, and DUSA Executive Director and former SMGA participant Orlando Gill in the SMGA Booth.
Executives from Solorider, Inc., SMGA partipants Orlando Gill and Staff Sgt. Charles Eggleston, and SMGA President Jim Estes with the Solorider golf cart donated to the SMGA by Tee It Up for the Troops.
The SMGA participated in the 2008 PGA
Merchandise
Show in Orlando, FL.
Salute Military Golf Association (SMGA) :: P.O. Box 83893,Gaithersburg, MD 20883; (301) 500.7449
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