MyTurn by JIM DUCIBELLA
The goal of this STAG party ? Giving back
IN 2008 , SCOTT COTHERMAN threw a birthday bash for himself at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Wisconsin , not far from his then-home in Chicago . It may have been Cotherman ’ s celebration , but it ’ s America ’ s golfing youth who have received the gifts .
The latest recipient is the Virginia State Golf Association chapter of the Youth on Course program — a nation-wide non-profit organization whose stated goal is “ opening doors , supporting dreams and transforming the lives of young people through opportunities on and off the golf course across Virginia .”
Junior golfers who are program members play rounds for $ 5 or less at nearly 2,000 participating courses across the U . S . and Canada . Forty-six Virginia courses participate in the program and throwing in Maryland and D . C . adds another 16 options .
Back to Cotherman and his birthday . With the food devoured , the wine quaffed , the cake cut , Cotherman ’ s guests began exiting , when the birthday boy put up the stop sign .
“ I want to start a club ,” the former global advertising executive announced .
That pronouncement turned into “ The Royal Society for Soon to Be Ancient Golfers ,” mercifully shortened to STAG . A
Murphy Hart is clad in the King ' s Kilt , which every member of the group must wear once during a round .
ABOVE : Eighteen STAG group members teed it up at Kingsmill in May .
tongue-in-cheek takeoff on the Royal and Ancient Golf Club , Cotherman serves as “ King .” A couple other members carry royal titles as well , depending on how they serve the organization .
“ I like to call it a golf group on steroids ,” Cotherman said . “ It started a long time ago as a fun thing during stressful work times . I don ’ t think much of it , but a lot of other people apparently do , including the guys who are members .”
Among requirements for becoming a member of this men-only club , one must be at least 40 years old , carry a legitimate handicap index and “ don ’ t take yourself too seriously ,” Cotherman added .
“ Most of the members are successful people who are retired and in giving-back mode ,” he said . “ They ’ re also members of private clubs that have programs for disadvantaged youth or the children of people who work at the clubs .”
There ’ s a lot of good-natured “ ceremonial weapons ” in STAG . The club has an official banner , the centerpiece of which is a golf club in the form of a crooked walking stick that represents a “ frail , meager , and aging links-land warrior .”
Above the caricature of a crowned king ’ s head hovers the group motto Ad Moltos Annos —“ To Many Years .” There is an official logoed golf ball , wine , cigar , and champion ’ s plaque . Each member receives a logo-bearing storage box for his scores and other memorabilia from the “ battles ” he wages .
The annual Founders banquet has been described as “ set for royalty , fellowship , and debauchery . Nothing but the finer things in life and more .”
Amidst all this mirth are a couple of serious missions , starting with a member attempting to play each of Golf Digest ’ s top 100 public courses . That ’ s how the group came to Williamsburg for three days in early May . They played the River Course at Kingsmill ( number 96 ) and Golden Horseshoe ’ s Gold Course ( number 43 ).
On their way out of town , they presented the VSGA with a check for $ 10,000 .
“ We don ’ t do any fund-raising per se ,” Cotherman said . “ They pay dues to me that go to fund all the crazy things we do that are part of a golf trip . Then they make a separate donation to the STAG foundation every year , which we disperse .”
“ We ’ re kind of like the angel organization that drops in the middle of a community on a golf trip . Sometimes it ’ s a famous place — like Pebble Beach . Sometimes it ’ s a bit more obscure , like the trip we ’ re planning to Mississippi .”
The latest contribution brought the total given to youth programs to $ 80,000 . Impressive , given that STAG ’ s first two years were devoted to accumulating funds and two years of travel were lost due to Covid .
Cotherman doesn ’ t classify donations as charity . He calls them a “ replacement strategy .”
“ We ’ ve gotten so much out of the game over the years , and we really want to support organizations committed to the game through younger people ,” he said . “ Maybe when we ’ re gone , these young people will do something great in the game .”
Thanks to STAG , the odds of that happening are much improved .
ANDREW JACKSON / SAVAND PHOTOGRAPHY
40 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY / A UGUST 2023 vsga . org