om
To Tony Henry,
a retired U.S. Army infantry-
man who suffered a traumatic brain injury fighting in Afghanistan,
Links to Freedom is perfectly named.
The golf-therapy program founded by PGA professional Steve
Greiner at VSGA member Fort Belvoir Golf Club in Northern
Virginia provides Henry a pressure-free opportunity to connect
to who he was before “too many explosions” took their toll.
“I’m still pretty reserved outside of the program, but when I’m
with the golf community, I’m really open. I smile,” says Henry,
47, who endures debilitating migraines and blackouts from his
injuries. “My wife says, ‘You’re there when you talk about golf.’‘’
Similar testimonials about wounded vets regaining a grip on life
led Greiner in late 2015 to resign as head pro at Fort Belvoir after
17 years to expand the Links to Freedom Foundation.
vsga.org
by
TOM ROBINSON
Greiner and his work were recognized last November by the PGA
of America’s Patriot Award. That goes to PGA professionals who
personify patriotism and commitment to United States service
personnel through golf.
“I’m kind of caught up in it,” says Greiner, 57, who launched a
prototype wounded warrior program in 2008 that evolved through
heavy demand into Links to Freedom. “You feel like you’re making
a difference.”
ANSWERING THE CALL
The program works like this: For two months in the spring and fall,
wounded servicemen and women and interested family members
meet once a week for 90 minutes to learn golf fundamentals, from
how to hold a club, dress and hit a chip shot to how to make a tee
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