By Al Barkow
You might think that golf as a therapy for people with serious psychological problems, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is counter to anyone familiar with the game.
Golf is difficult to play even reasonably well by those with a relatively untroubled mindset. The best of golfers finds the game frustrating and hard on their patience. And yet, it seems so easy. One stands before a ball with plans to hit it as best they can--no one out to block or tackle them from doing so. A pitcher or tennis player is not sending a ball at them at 90 mph. Indeed, the ball itself is just sitting quietly before them waiting for its orders.
Ironically, all the above is the cornerstone of the PGA HOPE program. Chris Nowak, a central figure in the origination and growth of the program, explains: “Golf takes tremendous focus, because it is you alone who must deal with the task at hand. Golf is a very singular game.”
Indeed. When addressing the ball, the golfer must block out everything that has nothing to do with the immediate goal before them. In regard to this article, it means expunging memories of great noise of the battlefield, the death or serious injury of buddies or themselves. An accumulation of those moments addressing the ball during a round or just hitting balls on the range could very well have a long-lasting effect on distancing oneself from those painful recollections. That is the goal of PGA HOPE, which stands for Help Our Patriots Everywhere. It not designed to produce good golfers with low handicaps. It is devoted entirely to mitigating the psychological and permanent physical damage veterans have to deal with as a result of their battlefield experiences.
The program goes further than that. Bob Epperly, a golf professional based in the PGA of America’s Vacaville section office, and who helped introduce the program to Northern California, tells of a vet who, before joining the program, had not left his house for some two years. “He had poor short-term memory problems and told me that the next step for him was suicide; the fellow got into the HOPE program, and it turned his life around...entirely.
That’s only one of many such stories. Don Rea, of the PGA, likes to say that of all the programs the association has to promote the game, HOPE is the only that “saves lives.”
The program also has a not-unimportant camaraderie factor. Vets have an opportunity to talk about war experiences they are reluctant to discuss with family and friends. Some vets remain reticent to bring up that subject even with cohorts, but it is still an opportunity to ease somewhat the trauma they shared. It also evokes the good old-fashioned rivalry between service branches.
Marc Marquez, for example, has on his right forearm a distinctive Semper Fidelis tattoo, and likes to needle ex-Navy guys; “We are the men’s division of the Navy.
“In the military, servicemen live in a very structured society,” Epperly points out, “and when they lose that they can have trouble dealing with civilian life. Through golf they get some of that structure back.”
Golf professionals have been helping permanently injured veterans ease their pain through golf since the end of World War II. But there was no designed effort until early in this century.
Chris Nowak got involved out of his own traumatic event. At 22 and a few years into a planned military career in the Marines, during a training exercise he suffered an injury requiring amputation of his left leg below the knee. He went to work with the Veteran’s Administration’s Adaptive Sports Department, and eventually became an Associate Director of the Therapy Department. “My amputation definitely fueled me to find ways to deal with the loss of my leg. I had no outlet, and found it through the program,” Nowak said.
In his 18 years at the VA, Nowak developed a deep expertise in this special field, which led him to being hired by Scott Kemec, of the PGA of America’s charitable arm. Together, and with the help of others, they created a program for helping vets cope with their mental issues. Among the others was Judy Alvarez, a long-time teaching professional in Florida who specializes in helping disabled vets through golf. Alvarez is believed to have coined the name of the program.
HOPE was initiated in the Bay Area 10 years ago at the Cypress Lakes GC in Vacaville, where the PGA’s sectional office is located.
Suzy Schneider, program manager for the section’s NorCal PGA Foundation, recalls that it was near to closing for lack of funds and new ideas. She was asked to explore ways to get a grant for something worthwhile.
Aware of a golf program at Walter Reed hospital, and that the HOPE idea that was forming in the East and Midwest, she saw a window of opportunity. She went to Nancy Maul, former executive director of the NCPGA Foundation, who was immediately interested. The ball began rolling. Bob Epperly was asked for ways to be helpful and create a structured program. He knew that Dave Carr, head pro at Teal Bend GC in Sacramento, was doing something close to the final version, and he became a very effective contributor to it.
But first, Maul and Schneider needed to produce a plan, a worksheet to present to PGA officials. Following closely what they learned of HOPE programs, the idea was accepted and fund raising to make HOPE happen in Northern California was on its way. Schneider knows for a fact that the NorCal HOPE program was the first on the West Coast and perhaps everywhere west of the Rockies.
There are two four-or six-week sessions; one in the spring, one in the fall; from 15 to 30 vets per session. They meet once a week, on Monday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. to take lessons on grip, stance, swing, the fundamentals. There are also Play Days, when the vets tee it up and play nine or 18 holes.--all at no charge. At the end of the Fall session, both groups of vets graduate. There is a lunch, words of appreciation from graduate vets, and nine holes of golf.
To get the idea on track, at a sectional conference in Vacaville, Bob Epperly asked if any of the professionals attending would care to get involved. Mike Robason, at Metropolitan Golf Links, joined up immediately. His program is the second longest in the immediate Bay Area; it is in its eighth year. Other courses in the area include Mariners Point, Diablo Creek GC, Presidio GC., Boundary Oaks GC and Moffett GC.
Haggin Oaks owner Tom Morton, brought HOPE to his course some five years ago. One of his staff, Alex Culp, speaks of it in words that echo all the others involved. “HOPE is wildly successful. The vets have a new hobby and almost all of them stick with the game.”