MILITARY Pillar

PGA HOPE is geared towards Veterans with disabilities however is offered to all servicemen, servicewomen, and Veterans.

Participants include

• Military Veterans living with physical or cognitive challenges such as:
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or the loss of limbs, among other challenges.
• All servicemen, servicewomen, and Veterans.

PGA HOPE programming is closely aligned with local VA hospitals, as both strive to best meet the needs of all military Veterans.

Southern Ohio PGA Professionals provide expert golf instruction during our Southern Ohio PGA Hope Programs and are sometimes assisted by volunteers. Our PGA Professionals teaching PGA HOPE sessions are trained in adaptive golf methods to ensure they are comfortable instructing military Veterans with disabilities.

Southern Ohio PGA Hope Program Leads

• Centerville Chapter Lead Professional: Brian Fennen, PGA
• Cincinnati Chapter Lead Professional: Matt Starr, PGA
• Zanesville Chapter Lead Professional: Kelly Morrow, PGA
• Columbus Chapter Lead Professional: Jeff Olson, PGA
• Cincinnati (East) Lead Professional: Jennifer Ridle, PGA

• We offer a fun and safe environment in which our veterans can experience the instantaneous feeling of being welcomed and have the opportunity to meet other veterans from various generations and backgrounds.
• Learning and playing the game of golf is a proven activity that has positively impacted thousands of wounded Veterans nationwide. PGA HOPE is a program that is truly making a difference, as golf has become a therapeutic part of the rehabilitation process for many Veterans with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
• PGA HOPE has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which enables Recreational Therapists to refer Veterans to the PGA HOPE program as a form of therapy.
• Our Southern Ohio PGA Hope Program provides our veterans with the essential skills and tools taught through our trained PGA Professionals, believing that our graduates will feel confident enough to apply them on the golf course.
• The PGA HOPE program is an opportunity fully funded by PGA REACH and offered at NO COST for Military Veterans.

No prior experience is required to participate in any of our Southern Ohio PGA HOPE programs. Any Veteran or Active Duty Personnel is welcome to join our programs. Our primary goal is to introduce the game of golf while creating a fun and safe environment for all our participants.

Registration for each Chapter Clinic takes place on PGA.com. To receive email updates about PGA HOPE Southern Ohio Chapter Clinic registration opening, please click here and select your preferred Chapter.