Patriot Award Recipient
Jeff Olson, PGA, doesn’t seek recognition for what he does. He seeks connection. That humble spirit lies at the heart of why he was selected as the 2025 Patriot Award recipient by Southern Ohio PGA. His impact on Veterans in Central Ohio has been built one clinic, one handshake, one shared smile at a time.
Olson’s journey with Veterans began in 2018 when he launched the Columbus Chapter of PGA HOPE at Golf Club of Dublin. Since then, he’s been its engine as the lead instructor and organizer for over seven years. Under his leadership, the program has grown into a trusted space where military personnel find community, confidence, and, often, joy.
As lead instructor, Olson coordinated every detail of the PGA HOPE program: planning, staffing, registration, and instruction. He built a team of PGA Professionals who teach six weeks of clinics each year, culminating in a banquet that feels more like a reunion than an awards ceremony. But Olson didn’t stop at the basics. He introduced a Graduate Program, giving past participants the chance to keep playing, learning, and bonding—five more weeks of golf and camaraderie, complete with donated prizes and the kind of good-natured competition that makes the game feel alive.
His efforts have also extended beyond instruction. Olson helped lead fundraising efforts for Folds of Honor through an annual outing that contributed to a $23,000 donation from the Columbus Collective, a network of six KemperSports-managed facilities in the region. His commitment has helped ensure the program doesn’t just survive year to year, but thrives.
Olson also serves on the PGA HOPE Southern Ohio Committee, sharing best practices with instructors across the Section and lending his experience to grow the program beyond his own club. His passion for the cause reached a national stage last spring when he gave a live interview during coverage of the PGA Professional Championship, showcasing how the game of golf can be a bridge between service and healing.
But perhaps the clearest reflection of his impact can be found in stories like Kevin Farrell’s. A veteran who joined PGA HOPE in its first year, Farrell not only found renewed purpose through the program but went on to become a HOPE Ambassador for PGA HOPE Southern Ohio and a fundraiser for brain tumor research.
For Olson, that’s the point. Not recognition or headlines, just helping others find their next chapter through golf. That’s why the Patriot Award fits him so well. It honors not a single act, but a sustained, heartfelt commitment to those who’ve served.