Tyler Schaff , left , at the VSGA ’ s Military Appreciation Day at Eaglewood GC in October 2023 . |
REPRESENTING AMERICAN GOLF |
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VSGA board member and veteran Jim Gallagher shares his thoughts on military golf . |
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COURSES AND JUAN GIRAUD , ERIN STRICKLER |
Hardcastle , retired military and member of the VSGA board and MEG . “ In particular , I do think the support for junior golfers of the military community creates a unique opportunity that exposes those youths to the game at an early age and in a very cost-effective way .”
Facing Challenges
Depending on the source , U . S . armed forces operate between 120 and 160 courses worldwide ( 11 countries ), but most are in the U . S . ( 40 states and District of Columbia ). California has the most military courses with 14 . Virginia is second with eight and Texas , Georgia and Florida have seven each .
Military courses receive no taxpayer funding . By federal law they must be self-sufficient . About two-thirds of the military courses are open to the public , and several bases have 36 holes . Most military golf courses have reasonable public rates .
Attracting civilian green fees helps keep the facilities open for current and former military members and their families and provides added revenue to help cover their operational costs .
Like Hardcastle , Jim Gallagher is retired military and a VSGA board and MEG member . Gallagher won the VSGA Senior Four-Ball with partner Jim Nirich and was runner-up in the VSGA Senior Amateur in 2013 . He was the VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion in 2015 and tied for second in the Senior Four-Ball with Nirich in 2016 .
“ All of the military courses in Virginia represent good value for daily rates or seasonal memberships ,” Gallagher says .
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“ I ’ m partial to my home track at Eaglewood ( Langley AFB ) which has a lot of history since opening in 1938 .”
Virginia Golf Hall of Fame inductee Jack Isaacs ( Class of 2022 ) served as Eaglewood ’ s head professional for 25 years ( 1938-1963 ). Current Langley-Eustis PGA Professional Andy Weissinger is president of the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA . He was host professional for the VSGA Military Appreciation Day held in mid-October 2023 .
“ I know [ Eaglewood ] would like to host another event , and even a VSGA competition ,” Gallagher said .
Golf comes under the auspices of the Morale , Welfare and Recreation ( MWR ) fund which provides a variety of activities and programs for men , women and children .
In mid-July 2023 the Air Force Academy ’ s Eisenhower Course in Colorado Springs , Colo ., played host to the U . S . Girls ’ Junior . It was the first USGA championship held at a military facility . Civilian play on a military base course requires proper clearance . Most military courses have a plan to get golfers through the entry gate .
“ At Langley the course manager has an arrangement that allows golfers to get a unique ID card that is good for six months and can be renewed ,” Gallagher said . “ The course phone numbers are listed so golfers can call the pro shop and get instructions on how to reach the course . Once you ’ ve done it once , you will realize it ’ s not as daunting as you might think .”
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One of the great thrills of my golf life was to represent the country in international military team play . I played five times for U . S . military teams , and strangely also played on Royal Air Force ( RAF ) teams while I was exchanged for three years .
I had the opportunity to play our own military courses at Nellie , Vandenberg , Tyndall , Hurlburt and Elgin ; as well as RAF Bruggen and Ramstein AFB ( in Germany ).
I flew the first B-52 to do an air show in Japan at Yakota , near Tokyo , and once the town mayor found out I was a golfer , he insisted that we play at his club . I ’ m certain we leapfrogged hundreds of players for a tee time ; even had a gallery . I ’ m glad I played well and was well under par because I knew that I was representing American golf that day .
Many servicemen and women have shared the privilege of representing our nation in military team play , or in support of our service members , some famous names among them .
Dwight D . Eisenhower , for example , was influential in both introducing Americans to the game and popularizing golf with the general public . Orville Moody spent 14 years in the military . There ’ s no telling how many more amateur and professional titles he might have won had he shortened his military career .
Gerald Ford was a dedicated golfer who served in the military and helped make golf popular by being bad at it . Bob Hope , though he wasn ’ t in the military , was considered by many of us who served as an ambassador for servicemen , golfers and the nation . And probably the greatest golfer of any to serve his country ’ s military was Bobby Jones .
DID YOU KNOW ?
Widely considered to be one of the best presidential golfers of all time , it ’ s estimated Dwight D . Eisenhower played more than 800 rounds of golf during his presidency .
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Source : USGA |