Summerville, SC – Local men and women PGA Professionals met at the Golf Club at Wescott Plantation to attend a PGA HOPE training session on April 15th. PGA Professional and National HOPE Instructor, Brian Oliver delivered education to eleven Carolinas PGA Professionals that included both indoor and outdoor sessions. The education began with an introduction to the PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) initiative and covered topics such as: Role of the PGA Professional, Defining Disability/Handicaps, Sensitivity Training, Available Adaptive Equipment, Methods of Modified Swings, and concluded with an outdoor hands-on module. “It’s not your side of the ball that matters, it’s theirs,” reminded Oliver.
On average, 22 men and women veterans commit suicide each day. Many veterans suffer from a variety of physical and mental injuries and have difficulty returning to civilian life. There are approximately half a million US veterans who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The goal of PGA HOPE is to provide a positive, therapeutic environment that builds self-esteem, confidence and gets our veterans outside. Each PGA Professional in attendance is now qualified to instruct at any of the twelve PGA REACH Carolinas HOPE Chapters across North and South Carolina.
For more information about PGA REACH Carolinas or PGA HOPE, please contact our PGA REACH Carolinas Coordinator, Jessica Asbury at (336) 398-2848 or jasbury@pgahq.com.