More Than Golf: PGA HOPE

Southwest PGA Foundation Builds Connection, Confidence and Community

For the men and women who have served our country, finding meaningful connection, purpose and community after military service can be every bit as important as learning a new skill. PGA HOPE-Southwest is proving that the game of golf can provide all of those things—and much more.

PGA HOPE—Helping Our Patriots Everywhere—introduces Veterans and Active-Duty Military members to golf in an environment built around encouragement, camaraderie and belonging. Led by Southwest PGA Professionals, PGA HOPE combines golf instruction with opportunities to strengthen physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. Programming is provided at no cost to participating Veterans.

More Than Golf: PGA HOPE-Southwest Builds Connection, Confidence and Community

Serving Those Who Served

Throughout the Southwest, PGA Professionals are doing much more than teaching the golf swing.

They are creating relationships.
They are opening doors to new friendships.
They are helping Veterans discover a game they can enjoy for a lifetime.

And perhaps most importantly, they are creating a place where Veterans can once again experience the camaraderie, teamwork and sense of belonging that were such important parts of their military service.

The developmental PGA HOPE curriculum introduces participants to the fundamentals of the game while PGA Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency help create a welcoming experience for players of different ages, backgrounds and abilities.

You do not have to be a golfer to belong. You simply have to be willing to take that first step.

The Graduation Is Only the Beginning

One of the most powerful aspects of PGA HOPE-Southwest is that the relationship does not have to end when the introductory program concludes.

The Southwest PGA Foundation continues to create opportunities for PGA HOPE graduates to remain connected to the game and, more importantly, connected to one another.

PGA HOPE Play Days provide graduates with opportunities to get back on the golf course in Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas in a casual environment centered around golf, friendship and camaraderie.

Programs supported by The Arizona Golf Fund such as Patriot Wingman – Southwest take that commitment even further, providing PGA HOPE graduates an opportunity to continue playing while sharing the experience with a trusted Wingman—a fellow Veteran, family member, friend, caregiver or other important person in their life.

That continued connection matters. Because sometimes the most meaningful part of a round of golf has nothing to do with the score.

It is the conversation walking down the fairway. It is the laughter after a missed putt. It is knowing there is another tee time on the calendar. It is realizing that you are part of a community that wants you there.

PGA Professionals Making a Difference

PGA HOPE Southwest also demonstrates what PGA Professionals can accomplish when they use their profession to serve others.

Every lesson taught, every handshake exchanged and every Veteran welcomed onto the golf course reinforces an important message:

Golf can be a vehicle for something bigger than golf.

Through the support of The Arizona Golf Fund and the Southwest PGA Foundation, PGA HOPE-Southwest continues to use the game as a platform for service, relationships and meaningful community impact.

See the PGA HOPE-Southwest Story

We invite you to learn more about PGA HOPE Southwest and the people who make this mission possible by watching the short video below recently featured on FOX10 Phoenix and which first appeared on the website for AZ Alliance for Golf.

Whether you are a Veteran interested in discovering the game, a PGA Professional looking for a way to make a difference, or a supporter who believes in serving those who served us, there is a place for you in the PGA HOPE Southwest community.