2019 Annual Report

2019 Annual Report

Our Mission

“EMPOWERING WOUNDED VETERANS, ONE FAIRWAY AT A TIME.”
The SMGA’s mission is to provide rehabilitative golf programs, experiences and family inclusive golf
opportunities for post 9/11 wounded war veterans in an effort to improve the quality of life for
these American heroes. Eligible veterans and service members include those wounded or injured in
post 9/11 military operations, including those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).



Board of Directors

Pete Bechtel | Chairman
Jamie Winslow | Co-Founder/President
Jim Knorr | Vice President
John Barnes | Treasurer
Brian Finan | Secretary
Anthony Fernandez | General Counsel
Matt Anderson | SMGA Member
Charles Eggleston | SMGA Member
Chris Johnson
Andrew McCann
Dewitt Osborne |SMGA Member
Brad Roberge
Bob Winegard


Staff

Jim Estes, PGA | Co-Founder & Director of Instruction
Scott Allen, PGA | Executive Director
John Reviere | Manager of Golf Programs and Equipment
Margy Hughes | Bookkeeper

2019 Year in Review

The SMGA enjoyed another successful year in 2019. Since 2007 the SMGA mission has been to
provide rehabilitative golf programs, experiences, and family inclusive golf opportunities for post
9/11 wounded war veterans in an effort to improve the quality of life for these American heroes.
Nationwide Adaptive Golf Programming
The SMGA delivers its adaptive golf programs in two ways. The first are our Warrior Golf Clinics
which expose the veteran and their families and care givers to all aspects of the game. In 2019, our
seven chapters conducted our 8-week Warrior Golf Clinics at over 25 locations offering over 60
clinic series. Jacksonville, FL conducted its first ever Warrior Golf Clinic and they hope to hold
another in 2020. For veterans who do not live close to one of our chapters. We offer our American
Golfer Program. With the American Golfer Program, we help veterans identify a local PGA
professional who can administer our program.
Through our Warrior Golf Clinics and the American Golfer Program, the SMGA offers programs
nationwide to our veterans, no matter where they are located.

In 2019 alone:
More than 1100 Hours of Instruction
Over 500 Veterans and Their Families Served

SMGA Maryland

Highlights:
SMGA Maryland is the flagship chapter of
the SMGA. It was created organically in
2007 when Jamie Winslow and PGA
Professional Jim Estes began working
with wounded veterans from nearby
Walter Reed Medical Center. We’ve been
working with veterans at Olney Golf Park
in Olney, MD ever since. Over 1,000
veterans have gone through our programs
at Olney and we’ve given out almost 300
sets of golf clubs.

In 2019:

• 2 Warrior Golf Clinic Series
o 130 participants

• 1 PTSD clinic series with Walter
Reed National Military Medical
Center


• Robert Baker represented the SMGA
at the Hootie and the Blowfish
Monday after the Mastersevent

• Tyson Quink was selected to
participate in the 2019 Bush
Institute Warrior Open.

• SMGA veteran, Scott Allen,
represented the SMGA at the PGA
Tour Zurich Classic

• Director of Instruction, Jim Estes,
was named to Golf Digest’s list of
Top Teaching Pros in Maryland

SMGA Adirondacks (NY)

The SMGA Adirondacks (NY) was the
SMGA’s first chapter, founded in 2011.
Lead by Alec Williamson, SMGA
Adirondacks works closely with veterans
from the 10th Mountain Division based at
Fort Drum. Since its inception, SMGA
Adirondacks has reached 200 veterans
and given out over 60 sets of equipment.

Their clinics take place at Willowbrook
Golf Club in Watertown, NY.


SMGA Carolinas

The SMGA Carolinas chapter was created
in 2013 and is administered by PGA
Master Professional Brad Clayton. SMGA
Carolinas hosts Warrior Golf Clinics at
three different locations:

• Fort Bragg, NC
• Camp Lejeune, NC
• Pinehurst, NC

In 2019, they hosted a total of six clinic
series, reached almost 50 veterans and
distributed over 30 sets of golf clubs.

Highlights:

Brian Auker, Gunny Driver, Johnny Glenn,
Jim Herring, Chris Herrick, and Scott
Nelson represent the SMGA at either the
Hootie & the Blowfish Monday after the
Masters event or Denny & Mark’s Pro-Am
Jam.

Jim Herring (pictured) was selected to
participate in his third Bush Center Warrior
Open.

Brad Clayton was named to Golf Digest’s
Top Teaching Pros in North Carolina.

PGA Professional Paul Surniak leads the
SMGA’s Colorado chapter at Cheyenne
SMGA Colorado Shadows Golf Club at Fort Carson in
Colorado Springs. The chapter was
SMGA Hawaii founded in 2016 and operated three
Warrior Golf clinics series in 2019. These
Our SMGA Hawaii Chapter is one of clinics reached over 60 veterans and
our oldest chapters and operates distributed over 30 sets of clubs.
programs at Kaneohe Bay Golf
Course on the island of Oahu. PGA Highlights:
Professional, Mo Radke, leads the
chapter which was founded in Justin Pullin was selected to participate in
2011. Since then, over 200 the Bush Institute Warrior Open in Texas.
veterans have gone thru the
program and almost 50 sets of
clubs have been distributed.
Highlights:

• Selau Aiava represented
SMGA Hawaii in the Russell
Wilson Celebrity Classic in
Cle Ellum, WA.

• 62 veterans participated in
the program (the most ever)

SMGA New England SMGA New England runs Warrior Golf
Clinics in all six New England states. Led
by Jerry Shanahan, the SMGA New
England is the most comprehensive SMGA
chapter with numerous fundraising
events and playing opportunities
Highlights: (including leagues, tournaments, and
social outings for SMGA members all over
• Over 100 participants and almost the region.
50 sets of clubs distributed in
2019 Programs:

• Nick Gernt participated in the • Burlington CC (VT)
Bush Institute Warrior Open • Springfield CC (MA)
• Sterling CC (MA)
• Jerry Shanahan (pictured) was • Twin Springs GC (MA)
one of 25 recipients of the New • Granite Links GC (MA),
England Patriots Myra Kraft • Back 9 Club (MA)
Foundation “Community MVP” • Atkinson CC (NH)
award. • Wannamoisett GC (RI)
• Dunegrass CC (ME)
• Garrett Brenton and Derrek • Fox Hopyard GC (CT)
Eggerman represented SMGA New • Hop Brook GC (CT)
England at the Hootie & The
Blowfish Monday after the Masters
event.

SMGA Pacific Northwest Based out of Chambers Bay Golf Club, the
host of the 2015 US Open, SMGA Pacific
Northwest works closely with Joint Base
Lewis McChord. The entire staff of PGA
professionals are actively involved with
the program, led by PGA Director of Golf
Brent Zepp. The SMGA is fortunate to
have the support of a world class facility
and their amazing staff.

Highlights:

• Ran three Warrior Clinics in 2019


• Over 80 veterans participated in
programming


• Rolando Munoz and Lee Baleme
represented the SMGA at the
Russell Wilson Celebrity Classic in
Cle Ellum, WA



American Golfer Program

The American Golfer Program has become tone of the he SMGA’s largest programs. This
program affords participation in SMGA golf instruction for veterans and service members
who are not located near an SMGA chapter.

Highlights:

• 80 American Golfer participants
• Michael Edds (Louisiana), Vernon Mitchell (Illinois), and Jerry Woods

(Pennsylvania) participated in the 2019 Bush Institute Warrior Open
• Richard Casper participated in the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday after the Masters
• Michael Edds & Joe Bennett represented the SMGA at the PGA Tour Zurich Classic

Strategic Chapter Growth & Expansion

We have worked with the Department of Defense to identify locations where dense
populations of wounded veterans are located. We are considering possible expansion to
Georgia, Delaware, Oregon, and San Antonio, TX in the future. In the fall of 2019, we
operated our first Warrior Golf Clinic in Jacksonville, FL with the hope of that series
continuing in 2020 and beyond.

Impact

The SMGA aims to meld a love of country
and love of golf in an effort to support the
mental and physical rehabilitation
programs of post-9/11 wounded and
injured veterans. SMGA golf professionals,
skilled in teaching adaptive golf,
understand the unique needs of veterans
returning home from service and have
witnessed first-hand the powerful
benefits the game of golf can provide in
improving the quality of life of wounded
servicemen and women. Golf embodies
strength, flexibility, endurance, balance,
and mental discipline, all central qualities
of a successful rehabilitation program.
The camaraderie and lasting friendships
SMGA warrior golfers forge among
themselves have helped many return to
active duty or successfully reintegrate
into civilian life.



Equipment, Instruction, & Adaptive Golf Aids

Eligible veterans who complete an SMGA adaptive golf program are issued custom-fit golf
clubs, apparel, and golf aids. This is one of the larger line items in our budget as each new
SMGA member’s equipment costs us approximately $1200. Many of our programming
locations utilize para-golfer or solo-riders for our golfers who are physically disabled.

Featured Events

The SMGA offered over 500 playing opportunities to its members in 2019. Ranging from
local charity outings up through once-in-a-lifetime experiences. These events offer our
members a chance to network and connect (or re-connect) with their local communities.
The SMGA was honored to send members to several first-class events in 2019.

Hootie & the Blowfish Monday after the Masters

Thanks to Del Monte and Myrtle Beach Golf
Holiday, nine SMGA members (3 American
Golfers, 3 from SMGA Carolinas and 2 from
SMGA New England) were treated to an all-
expense paid trip to play golf, meet, and
hang-out with some of the biggest celebrities
in music and sports.


Russell Wilson Celebrity Classic

Thanks again to Del Monte, four SMGA
members attended the Russell Wilson
Celebrity Classic in the Cascade
Mountains of Washington. Two members
of SMGA Pacific NW and one member
from SMGA Hawaii joined Executive
Director, Scott Allen, at the event.

Denny & Mark Pro-Am Jam

Thanks to Del Monte, three SMGA Carolinas veterans, their spouses, and SMGA Manager of
Equipment & Programs, John Reviere, attended this two-day event in Charleston, SC hosted
by Mark Bryan from Hootie & the Blowfish and NASCAR champ, Denny Hamlin.

Bush Institute Warrior Open

The SMGA was again well represented at
the 2019 Bush Institute Warrior Open.
Seven SMGA members (below)
participated, representing four chapters
and our American Golfer Program.

Michael Edds (American Golfer - LA)
Nick Gernt (SMGA New England)
Jim Herring (SMGA Carolinas)
Vernon Mitchel (American Golfer - IL)
Justin Pullin (SMGA Colorado)
Tyson Quink (SMGA Maryland)
Jerry Woods (American Golfer – PA)

Fundraising
The SMGA continues a varied approach to fundraising. We will continue to identify new
sources of income to support a growing demand for programming.

2018 Income: $722,922 2019 Income: $884,000
2018 Expenses: $781,148 2019 Expenses: $884,000

Booz Allen Hamilton Tournament Series

For the past 10 years, Booz Allen Hamilton, an international leader in
management consulting, has supported the SMGA by hosting a series of
golf tournaments around the country. The 2019 Wounded Veteran
Tournament Series raised over $140,000 for the SMGA.




Annapolis, MD
Augusta, GA
Clifton, VA
Charleston, SC
Colorado Springs, CO
Dayton, OH
Fayetteville, NC
Huntsville, AL
Norfolk, VA
San Antonio, TX
San Diego CA
St. Louis, MO
Troy, MI
Warner Robins, GA