For the third year, GolfStatus is teaming up with our giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation for the Play It Forward campaign to celebrate nonprofits and causes who are using golf to do good.

Play It Forward gives individuals the chance to nominate a charity or nonprofit raising money through golf to receive a $10,000 donation to its golf fundraiser, and get the chance to win a one-year honorary membership to Dormie Network (a national network of private golf clubs) plus a $10,000 credit toward onsite golf and lodging.

Designed by famed golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dormie Network’s Victoria National Golf Club boasts gorgeous views amid challenging holes.

nominate your favorite golf fundraiser!

Here’s how to nominate a golf fundraiser for the $10,000 donation (and for you to be eligible for the Dormie Network membership prize):

1. Fill out this form and tell us who you are, who’s organizing the golf fundraiser, and why you think they should receive a $10,000 donation.

2. Follow GolfStatus on social media. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

3. Follow Dormie Network on social media. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

The campaign launched May 29 and the nomination period closes July 4.

Winners will be announced on GolfStatus and Dormie Network’s social media, so follow both handles for news, updates, and announcements.

past winners

Play It Forward began in 2021, awarding $10,000 to the Cameron Steinberg Foundation and its inaugural golf fundraiser. The annual golf event has raised $100,000 for research into congenital heart disease and to help families affected by these defects.

In 2022, two nonprofits were selected for $10,000 donations: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley and Sisters Across America. Make-A-Wish’s Pro-Am for Wishes raises money to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Sisters Across America provides support and mentoring for young minority women pursuing professional golfing careers and teaching juniors to grow the game, raising money through two annual golf fundraisers.

GolfStatus and its giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation are excited to announce that two winners have been selected for the second annual Play It Forward giveaway: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley and Sisters Across America.

The goal of the campaign was simple: to recognize those who are using golf to do good in their communities and beyond. Golfers were asked to nominate their favorite golf tournament fundraiser for a $10,000 donation and were entered to win their own one-year membership to the Dormie Network (a network of private destination golf clubs) plus $10,000 to spend onsite.

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Make-A-Wish’s Philadephia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley chapter’s annual golf tournament was held August 15, 2022. The Pro-Am for Wishes raises money to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since the chapter’s founding in 1986, more than 7,500 wishes have been granted for children in the local community, helping them build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness.

Sisters Across America provides support and mentoring for young minority women pursuing professional golfing careers, raising money through two annual golf fundraisers. Current mentee Lakareber Abe, a 26-year-old alum of the University of Alabama, recently qualified to play in her first LPGA event. Sisters Across America’s support helps remove the mentees’ concerns for financial viability and allows them to focus on improving their game. The group also teaches juniors, to further expand access to the game.

Participant at Sisters Across America’s annual Invitational golf tournament fundraiser.

Cassandra Doty, co-founder and President of Sisters Across America, says that the idea for the organization came from a round of golf with a group of friends, who had all taken up the game later in life. “We wanted to support the next era of young players, and because tomorrow is a promise to no one, we decided to start right then,” she said.

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You Can Golf for Good!

GolfStatus helps streamline and simplify golf tournaments to help organizations save time and raise more money, like the 2021 winner of the Play It Forward campaign, the Cameron Steinberg Foundation. The tournament saw an increase of more than 66% in dollars raised when compared to the tournament’s first year, along with half of the administrative work in using GolfStatus. Through the Golf for Good program, 501(c) organizations and those holding golf events to benefit a charity can qualify for no-cost access to GolfStatus—including an event website, online registration, live scoring, and much more. Click the button below to get qualified or email [email protected].

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Golf is an incredible force for good. Whether it’s a brand new tournament or decades old tradition, a small golf fundraiser or a massive charity event, or anything in between, golf brings people together to support the important work nonprofits are doing in their communities and beyond.

GolfStatus is once again teaming up with our giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation for the Play It Forward campaign to give back to organizations that are using golf to make an impact.

For the second year, the Play It Forward campaign will award a $10,000 donation to a nonprofit or cause raising money through golf. Individuals nominate their favorite golf fundraiser and get the chance to win a one-year honorary membership to Dormie Network, a national network of private golf clubs, plus a $10,000 credit toward onsite golf and lodging.

Designed by famed golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dormie Network’s Victoria National Golf Club boasts gorgeous views amid challenging holes.

2021 winner

The 2021 Play It Forward nonprofit winner was the Cameron Steinberg Foundation’s inaugural golf fundraiser, nominated by Dr. Michael Gaies (who was the recipient of a year-long membership to the Dormie Network). The Foundation honors the life of Cameron Steinberg, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and tragically passed away at just two months old, and helps families affected by congenital heart disease.

The $10,000 donation was made to the Foundation’s second annual golf tournament, held May 23, 2022. The event’s second year utilized GolfStatus’s golf event management platform (which organizers used at no cost through the Golf for Good program) to manage registrations, sponsorships, and live scoring, and saw an increase of more than 66% in dollars raised when compared to the tournament’s first year.

Mel and Sam Steinberg post with Dr. Michael Gaies at the inaugural Cameron Steinberg Foundation’s golf fundraiser in May of 2021.

nominate a fundraiser today!

The golf fundraiser can be any size or format—a memorial tournament raising money for a favorite cause, alumni golf event, celebrity pro-am, nonprofit fundraiser, or corporate golf outing. The event simply must be raising money for a charitable cause to be eligible for the $10,000 donation. Tell us about the event, what it’s raising money for, and why it’s important to you.

The campaign launched May 31 and nominations close July 4.

The winners will be announced via a press release and on social media, so make sure you follow GolfStatus.org (Facebook and Instagram) and Dormie Network (Facebook and Instagram) for the latest.

Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference and use golf for good!

If the past 18 months have taught fundraisers anything, it’s the importance of being nimble. Indeed, fundraisers have had to find new ways to pivot over the past 18 months, a theme that looks like it’ll continue into the planning season for Spring 2022 events. Fundraisers will need to stay nimble if changes in local circumstances necessitate modifications to in-person gatherings and create approaches to event fundraisers. Options and flexibility are perhaps more important than ever.

Golf tournaments can be easily adapted for distancing and reduced contact, giving event organizers more flexibility than perhaps any other fundraising event, while attracting the right donors and sponsors to effectively help your organization expand its donor network. Here’s a look at six distinct advantages of a golf tournament fundraiser, plus tips for launching a first-year tournament or adapting an existing event (ahead of time or at the last minute).

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1. Golf is something many donors genuinely enjoy.

Golf saw a sustained rise in popularity throughout 2020 and so far in 2021, attracting both veteran and first-time players and amassing over 24 million active, on-course golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation. The surge is expected to continue, particularly given golf’s innate social distancing, which gives donors the opportunity to safely participate in your fundraiser through an activity they enjoy. Charity golf events are unique in that they attract everyone from serious golfers to loyal supporters of your organization. These supporters often use their personal and professional networks to field a team and end up coming back year after year because they enjoy the chance to play a round for your cause.

2. Golf tournaments can be easily adapted for health and safety concerns.

It’s no surprise that golf has been dubbed the official sport of social distancing. The fact that golf is played outdoors and is an individual sport makes it possible to easily remain distanced while still convening. In fact, rounds are up nationwide for the second straight year; overall, play is up 22.8% through June of 2021 compared to 2020. With broad support from the golf industry as a whole via its 2020 Back2Golf initiative aimed at organizing a safe return to play at courses nationwide, event organizers have taken several steps to maintain distancing throughout golf tournaments. This includes using tee times instead of a shotgun start, adapting or foregoing post-golf banquets, limiting carts to one golfer, adequately spacing tables for check in, and switching from paper scorecards to mobile live scoring and real-time leaderboards.

3. A contact-free event is easier than you might think.

Converting to a contact-free in-person event is quite simple with the right technology. You’ll need an event website to market your event and collect registrations, eliminating the need for paper registration forms, checks, and receipts. You’ll also want to get rid of paper scorecards, making live-scoring a must. Doing so gives you more sponsorship options and sets your event up for a seamless transition to a virtual round (where participants can play at the course on their own time in support of your cause instead of gathering for a formal event) should you have to pivot last-minute. If you’re already set on a virtual golf fundraiser, online registration and live-scoring are crucial, ensuring that supporters commit to the virtual round and submit their scores to the leaderboard, which you can also use to keep supporters following your event and submitting online donations before, during, and after the virtual event.

4. Golf events attract high-capacity donors.

Veteran fundraisers and event planners know that it’s not always about attracting supporters to a fundraising event, but the right supporters. The golfer donor is especially important for many organizations because these supporters typically belong to an affluent and influential demographic. The average golfer’s net worth is over $768,000 with a household income exceeding $100,000 (nearly double the national average). These folks also have noteworthy ties to potential sponsors: one in three golfers are top level managers and 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs are golfers. These are the types of supporters who can move the needle for nonprofits in terms of major gifts, and who organizations want to have in their donor database. They can also help organizations connect with local, regional, and even national brands and businesses, making the golf event a seamless entry point to corporate donors and partnerships.

5. Golf tournaments are both fundraisers and outreach opportunities.

Most charity golf events are scrambles, which means that players must tap a few friends or colleagues to join them in participating, making the event a natural outreach effort. If you’re planning an established annual event, you’ll of course want to start by engaging participants from years past. If your field tends to sell out each year, consider adding a virtual round to the traditional in-person event to involve more supporters and give folks who might not feel comfortable playing in the event an opportunity to still participate on their own time. Golf tournaments also tend to attract coverage by local media outlets, which spreads awareness for your cause throughout the community. It’s a good idea to reach out to newspapers, online news outlets, radio stations, and television stations with information about your event and invite them to cover it.

6. Virtual tournaments give you a built-in back-up plan.

Whether you decide ahead of time or need to pivot to virtual leading up to your event, it’s easy to add a virtual option for a hybrid event or go completely virtual with your golf tournament if necessary. Flexible technology makes it simple to collect registrations online, provide touch-free mobile scoring during the event, collect donations, and share live leaderboards to keep golfers and spectators engaged with the event and your cause. Not only does a virtual round give golfers the choice of when and how they play to support your organization, it also provides an avenue to grow your fundraiser. Best of all, you have options, including a completely virtual tournament, a hybrid event that includes an in-person round as well as a virtual round, or a completely in-person event that’s touch-free and safely distanced.

How to Get Started 

The right technology is key to a successful fundraiser, whether it’s a distanced in-person event, a virtual round, or a hybrid tournament. Launching an event website is a great place to start—simply outline a few key details like date and facility and get it on your supporters’ calendars sooner rather than later. 

You’ll need to be aware of any guidelines or regulations that courses are requesting to keep golfers safe, such as not touching the pin flag, wearing masks in the clubhouse, and restricting carts to one golfer or those in the same household. In addition, be cognizant of capacity limitations at the golf facility and adjust accordingly. You’ll also want to be ready with a back-up plan if local conditions change. Having a virtual round in your back pocket is a great option so you’re ready for changing circumstances. Technology makes it easy to adapt and pivot and keep your golf fundraiser moving forward.

GolfStatus’s golf event management software is designed specifically for fundraisers (including traditional and virtual outings). It’s available to qualifying nonprofits at no cost through GolfStatus.org and the Golf for Good program. Get qualified by clicking the button below or email us directly at [email protected].

From small, local fundraisers to massive charity tournaments, golf is a great way to bring people together in support of a cause. This summer, GolfStatus.org is teaming up with our giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation to celebrate those who are doing exactly that.

This is a unique opportunity to “play” it forward: You nominate a golf fundraiser to receive a $10,000 donation and get a chance to win a one-year honorary membership to Dormie Network, plus a $10,000 stipend to spend on golf and lodging at its exclusive private destination golf resorts.

The golf fundraiser can be anything from a memorial tournament commemorating a loved one to an alumni golf event and from a celebrity pro-am to a corporate golf outing raising money for a favorite charity. As long as the golf tournament raises money for a charitable cause, it’s eligible! Nominate a tournament by telling us about the mission and cause it supports, and why that cause is important to you.

Designed by famed golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dormie Network’s Victoria National Golf Club boasts gorgeous views amid challenging holes.

The winner will be announced on social media, so make sure you follow GolfStatus.org (Facebook and Instagram) and Dormie Network (Facebook and Instagram) for the latest.

You don’t want to miss out on this chance to make a difference and use golf for good. The entry deadline is Labor day (September 6) so nominate a golf fundraiser today!

Thoughts on the Current Fundraising Climate, the Challenges ahead & Golf as a Fundraising Mechanism

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)—the world’s largest community of fundraisers—recently announced a new partnership with GolfStatus.org. We sat down with AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA to discuss fundraising, golf, partnerships, challenges, and the future.

AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: Thanks for sitting down with us to talk about this new partnership and fundraising in general.

Mike: Thank you for inviting me—more than happy to talk with you. We’re really excited about collaborating with GolfStatus.org and what you can bring to our members. Plus, personally, I don’t ever mind spending a little time on a golf course, especially given the times we’re in. It can be very relaxing.

GolfStatus.org: Speaking of, how are fundraising professionals overcoming the challenges of the current fundraising climate? 

Mike: This is one of the most unique and challenging environments the fundraising profession and charitable sector have ever been in. We don’t know how long COVID-19 will last, and there are economic, social, and personal impacts that may be with us for a long time. Dealing with COVID-19 was already a rollercoaster of emotions, and then we experienced the anger, frustration, sadness, and pain of the last several weeks, watching the U.S. and the world respond to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and countless other people of color.

There’s been a lot of change, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for fundraising. Yes, we need to approach people with empathy and sensitivity. But we still have to approach them. We cannot turn down our fundraising when the needs of our communities have only increased, not decreased.

We have to remember that our donors want to support causes. They want to let their principles and values be known. They want to have a voice and create impact. And with many in isolation, they will want to talk with us about everything—how they’re feeling, how they have been impacted, what they think we should do. Fundraisers can be an important outlet when we communicate with them.

I like to say, fundraising is the IMPACT profession, and now we have an opportunity to show just how important our organization is and the impact we create. But more than ever we need to understand our donor base. Who’s most in jeopardy for not giving anymore this year? Who could use a little personal contact in order to ensure their gifts? And how do we best communicate with them all? 

I would suggest three things. One, take a deep dive into your database and separate donors by group and who needs to be contacted. Two, this is the time to ASK your donors what they want and need during these times. How awesome will they feel to be sent a communication that doesn’t ask them for money, but instead what they’re thinking about what’s happening in their life and how you can be their partner. 

Third and finally, develop action plans for every three months or whatever works for your organization. It’s very easy to get bogged down, with just the pressures of working from home, trying to keep in touch with everyone remotely, and the constantly changing environment. One way to help keep staff, donors, and others focused and energize is to have shorter plans (three months, for six months out, and for the rest of the year). What can you accomplish in three months that you can then celebrate and use the momentum from for the next three months?

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“There’s a natural connection between fundraising and golf—both in terms of reaching out to donors and providing supporters with sponsorship opportunities.”

— AFP President & CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: When it comes to fundraising, what value does the golf event bring? 

Mike: I think there’s a natural connection to fundraising and golf—both in terms of reaching out to donors and providing supporters with sponsorship opportunities. What’s interesting is that during the pandemic, golf courses are reporting significant increases in usage. Playing golf is a way to get outside and be social but in a smaller, more confined group. I think golf and golf events are important opportunities that charities and fundraisers should consider as they think about their development plans moving forward.

GolfStatus.org: What impact can technology have on the operational, budgetary, and time-management challenges nonprofits face?

Mike: Technology is absolutely critical when it comes to fundraising, and there are two main aspects. One is using technology to comb through your database and find the donors and potential donors who could really make an impact on your organization. Charities miss out on significant opportunities if they don’t have the appropriate technology to really make use of their database and all of the information it contains.

Second, we as a profession have to use technology better when it comes to automating processes and making our lives easier. Whether it’s for shepherding online donations or managing all of the aspects of a special event like a golf tournament, we can be so much more effective and efficient with better technology. I think anytime you work with a partner like GolfStatus.org that can provide event management software and mobile apps which help event organizers streamline outings to save time and raise more dollars can be really powerful.

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“Technology is absolutely critical when it comes to fundraising.”

— AFP President & CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: How does the partnership between GolfStatus.org and AFP align with AFP’s efforts to help fundraising professionals and the sector as a whole? 

Mike: AFP’s goal is to provide our members with the programs and resources they need to raise funds and create impact in their communities, and one of the most critical ways we do that is by working with outstanding partners who share our values. GolfStatus.org has a unique niche in the philanthropic world, and they understand both what fundraisers need, as well as the ethical principles and values that support their work. That’s really important to me and to all of AFP. Golf events can be valuable fundraising and donor stewardship events, so the resources, technology, and tools that GolfStatus.org can provide will help our members in reaching their goals and creating impact in their communities. 

GolfStatus.org: We’re looking forward to our partnership and are so excited about working with AFP members. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Mike.

This article first appeared on AFPGlobal.org in a July 2020 blog post.

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GolfStatus.org is a proud partner of the Association of Fundraising Professionals

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Interest in learning more about GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program? Submit an inquiry here to get qualified or email us directly at

[email protected].

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The Legend & Lore of Project Greek Island

Image courtesy of @vgagolf

This week, 95 golfers representing U.S. military veterans and their families grace the pristinely groomed golf greens of the Greenbrier Resort. Ranked among the top public golf courses in the country, the Greenbrier’s Old White TPC is a championship-caliber track tucked into the scenic backdrop of West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Crisp and classic in its luxury, the Greenbrier itself is the perfect intersection of public extravagance and private practicality—service and sport, legend and lore. Thirty years it spent as a completely classified precautionary emergency hideaway for the U.S. federal government first commissioned as Project Greek Island. In all, the structure tells two distinct yet intertwined stories: one the pinnacle of golf and hospitality; the other a large-scale preparation for the unfathomable.

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A Storied Past

The legendary Greenbrier was a marvel long before its prime. With nearly two and a half centuries of history, the 11,000-acre site’s natural mineral sulphur springs made it attractive to early 18th century colonists. In the time since, it has been dubbed America’s Resort with a premier spa experience, a corridor of retail boutiques, gourmet dining, and a destination golf experience quite unlike any other.

The course is steeped in history, having hosted its fair share of legends—from golf’s Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Tiger Woods to dukes, duchesses, prime ministers, kings, and presidents, including Woodrow Wilson (one of the first golfers to ever play its greens). Opened in 1914, the 7,286-yard, par-70 track was constructed by Charles Blair Macdonald on the grounds of a historic hotel built in 1858. The strikingly white hotel’s pillared entry and grandiose archways stood beside the property’s original Grand Central Hotel until the latter was demolished in 1922. A point of distinction, its stark white complexion earned it the nickname The Old White, a name later adopted by the course itself (now officially called The Old White TPC). Its undulating greens are a complex blend of Old World design with New World influence, landing it among Golf Digest’s top 100 public facilities for the last decade. Its accolades include the honor of hosting the 1979 Ryder Cup as well as an annual PGA Tour event.

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The Classified Version

Image courtesy of @vgagolf

Beyond its perfectly manicured grounds and striking exterior—or rather below—is a piece of history you almost have to see to believe. Seven hundred and twenty feet under the west wing (fittingly), behind a 25-ton reinforced steel door is a facility that once served as plan B: the emergency headquarters for the U.S. federal government in the event of a nuclear strike on our nation’s capital. Commissioned by President Eisenhower in 1955, the series of chambers includes a decontamination corridor, a makeshift Senate floor large enough to host joint sessions, and 18 dormitories, each consisting of 60 metal bunk beds. The site also held a full-service kitchen and a 400-person-capacity cafeteria that, at one point, included a series of fake windows decorated to mimic scenic outdoor views.

In its heyday, the site included a two-month supply of foodstuffs, a self-sustaining power plant, an air intake system capable of filtering out radiation, and a water purification system consisting of three, 25,000-gallon tanks. In all, the facility now affectionately referred to as the Bunker could accommodate every member of the U.S. Congress and then some (with sleeping quarters for a total of approximately 1,100 people).

Image courtesy of @vgagolf

Perhaps even more striking than its scale, or even the contrast of its circumstances juxtaposed against the Greenbrier’s sustaining luxury, is the fact that the compound remained completely top secret for so long. White Sulphur Springs, which folds into the Blue Ridge foothills about two hours southeast of Charleston, is only about two square miles in total with a couple thousand residents. It has a handful of stoplights and one elementary school. Every spring, the town celebrates the beginning of another season with an annual dandelion festival. Of course, there was a documented and well-known history between the U.S. government and the Greenbrier that spanned decades ahead of the construction of the Bunker. The resort served as an internment facility for Japanese, Italian, and German diplomats during World War II; it was then transitioned into a temporary military hospital, where Eisenhower himself was once a patient. But after the war, it returned to its original function as a luxury resort, until construction began on the west wing in 1957. While the two-level, 112,000-plus-square-foot bunker was not designed to survive a direct nuclear strike, it can withstand the force of a blast as close as 15 miles. While contractors, construction workers, and locals asked plenty of questions about the mysterious construction project and the circumstances surrounding it—why it required a seemingly endless amount of concrete; why its restrooms included so many partitions; and why a town of roughly 2,500 people required a 7,000-foot landing strip—its true function was (thankfully) never needed, and the Greenbrier’s secret remained safe for decades. Once constructed, the bunker was maintained by a small team of government employees who worked as undercover audio-visual staffers servicing the hotel’s TVs. The bunker remained top secret until the Washington Post revealed its true function in a 1992 story. The facility was swiftly decommissioned.

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Image courtesy of @vgagolf

Today, it welcomes a fitting group of golfers: 95 members of the Veteran Golfers Association—a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to impact the lives of U.S. military veterans and their families through the game of golf. The organization provides opportunities for veterans to remain physically active and connect with other servicemembers during their crucial transition back to civilian life and beyond. After regional league play concludes at the end of season, players move on to regional qualifers, where they earn the chance to play in the national championship. Today marks round one of this very special event. For these players, it’s more than just a game—and the Greenbrier is more than just a venue.

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GolfStatus is honored to partner with the Veteran Golfers Association. Follow live leaderboards for the 2019 VGA Championship online:

2019 VGA Championship Leaderboards.

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It’s certainly not uncommon for children to follow in the footsteps of their parents—especially in military families. In fact, military children are twice as likely as their civilian counterparts to join as adults. Recently separated U.S. Army veteran Colter Kautzmann is no exception. The Montana native was born in Bozeman, where his dad spent three years teaching and coaching high schoolers and his mom worked as the assistant director of the Montana State University Alumni Association. He was introduced to the military at a young age when his dad returned to MSU as an AFROTC cadet after watching a Thunderbird airshow. Colter would eventually make the same decision to enter the military, but not before developing a passion for competitive golf that would shape much of his future.

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MILITARY UPBRINGING

Left: Colter and his dad at 1st Envoy First Officer Flight in Texas in 2018. Right: Colter (age three) with dad at 1st T-18 AF flight in Texas in 1987.

A self-proclaimed military brat, Colter spent much of his childhood in quite unlikely places. The family’s first assignment was Germany. “We probably moved 14 or 15 times over the 20 years that my dad was in the military,” he explains. “But I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. We lived in Hawaii for a couple years, all over the U.S., even in Egypt.” It was during that time that Colter was introduced to golf at the age of 14. “Dad was finishing up his remaining few months in Egypt, and my mom took me out with a friend to play a shorter course—a par 67 executive course,” recalls Colter, who took to the sport quickly. “My parents saw the potential and they saw that I enjoyed playing, but they had a different way of approaching things with me. Lots of junior golfers had been playing since they were toddlers—so I was a little behind, and they made me work for it. I started out with an old set of irons and a putter, and they’d say: If you can shoot in the mid-80s, we’ll get you a new driver. Then, if you can shoot in the mid-70s, we’ll get you a new set of clubs.”

But it wasn’t just about instilling discipline and determination; it was about teaching respect for the game and the importance of maintaining grace and composure, even through challenges. “ Dad was a huge fan of David Duval. Duval was so even-keeled—it didn’t matter if he was shooting 80 or 59,” says Colter. “He expected me to play and behave the same whether I was having a good day on the course or a bad one. That stuck with me, and I learned respect, poise, and composure.”

As a teenager, Colter also earned his pilot’s license and began taking an interest in aviation—but golf held his attention. He competed through high school, winning the Arizona 4A State Championship as a senior. His success on the course landed him a golf scholarship at the University of Idaho. After graduation, Colter competed in local, state, and national tournaments as well as on the mini professional tours. At this point, golf had become a 24-7 occupation. Having met his future wife, Sara, and looking to provide more stability and a future for his soon-to-be family, Colter took a step back. In pursuit of his second passion—aviation—he applied for the Army Warrant Officer Aviation program. It's especially competitive, with few slots, but Colter had an advantage with a pilot's license and a college degree in hand, plus the focus and determination he'd cultivated as a competitive golfer. The Army recognized his talent and, at age 27, Colter started his military career as an Army aviator. With his first assignment set for Germany and his now-expectant wife, Sara, in tow, Colter was officially following in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one.

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SERVICE & VALOR

Meanwhile, Colter’s mother had fallen ill. “When I joined, my mom had been diagnosed with a very rare type of cancer called Leiomyosarcoma,” he explains. “She had been fighting it on and off for a few years and I spent all the time I could with her,” he adds, recalling the three months he lived with her in a cancer center in New Orleans before leaving for basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.

After training, Colter received his wings and was assigned to Germany as a UH-60 Medevac pilot. His unit was charged with weekly Medevac rotations, overseeing high-risk training missions at Germany’s Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas, where his company worked alongside NATO forces. The work was demanding and challenging; crews worked a one-week-on, one-week-off schedule and had to be prepared to respond to anything. “The military does phenomenal safety training,” notes Colter, “but that training involves risk and can be very dangerous. We had everything from jumpers getting stuck in trees to Humvee rollovers and injured soldiers and civilians. We flew real-world, life-saving missions in one of the world's largest training areas.”

After four years in Germany, including missions in the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, and a fourmonth deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Colter was tasked with a move to a different unit when the news that his mother’s condition had become terminal brought him back to the states. “My mom was a key piece of my life.” He pauses and takes a breath. “My daughter was born in Germany, and the nature of my assignments and deployments meant that she hadn’t spent more than a couple weeks with my mom.” He submitted a formal request to the Army to spend the rest of his time with the military with the Arizona Army Guard, which was quickly granted. The move meant a substantial change of scenery, both for Colter and his family, but it also meant a chance to be close to family and fulfill the desire for his daughter to get to know her grandmother.

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BACK IN THE STATES & ON THE COURSE

The return to the U.S. brought something of a change of pace. While most states experience the turbulence of natural disasters, Arizona is quite mild, demanding little in the way of emergency orders. At the same time, a small force meant that Guard members saw a wider variety of missions. “On active duty, my job was solely Medevac missions, but with the Guard, units are somewhat understaffed—so, if you’re available and qualified, you can get sent on just about any mission.”

With a controversial climate at the U.S.-Mexico border, Colter found himself in the cockpit once again, this time facilitating border missions. “We spent a lot of time flying senators and press members down to the border to get a first-hand look at a situation that a lot of people don’t fully understand,” explains Colter. “We were able to show them major cities where people cross the border in cars and other vehicles, and the areas where infrastructure is in place as well as areas where it’s not. We take them down there to show them the reality of the situation, and then let them make their own decisions on what needs to be done.”

Meanwhile, Colter also continued to golf and was looking to return to competitive play. “I have a friend—an Air Force guy up in Montana that I met in Germany—and we were looking to play some events and just get out more,” says Colter, who quickly found the Veteran Golfers Association after an ad for an upcoming event happened to be at his home course in Great Falls, Montana (his dad's second Air Force assignment location). The VGA event was actually scheduled to be held at the first golf course his dad ever took him to at age 11—not to play, but to ride along.

A nationally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the VGA’s mission is to impact the lives of U.S. military veterans and their families through the game of golf. With chapters all over the country, the VGA provides opportunities for veterans to play great courses at a subsidized price point. They compete all seaosn long in a local series of events culminating in regional qualifiers and, ultimately, a national tournament. Run by veterans, for veterans, the organization provides opportunities for veterans to remain physically active and connect with other servicemembers during their crucial transition back to civilian life and beyond.

“The VGA is really a special organization,” says Colter. Though a relatively new member, he's already made a name for himself as a competitor, winning the central regional championship held in August at Nebraska City’s ArborLinks (part of the prestigious Dormie Network) to qualify for a spot in the VGA Championship at West Virginia’s renowned Greenbriar Golf Club. But it’s not just about the golf; it’s about returning to the relationships and camaraderie unique to military service.

“I’ve heard some phenomenal stories and met some amazing people,” says Colter, noting that the values behind the organization extend from the players and regional directors all the way to the organization’s president. “He would drop anything to do anything for any member of the VGA, or just if you need to talk. It’s crazy having someone that high up in the organization willing to drop everything and give you a call at any second.”

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Today, Colter is Envoy Regional Jet First Officer on the EMB 175. He recently moved to Dallas to be closer to family, and is settling into civilian life with Sara, the kids, and plenty of golf. While his path has certainly been his own, in many ways, it mirrors his family’s values and traditions, many of which were instilled at a very young age. For Colter, it all came full circle when he was able to take his dad—a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who flew the F-16 and is now a test pilot for Gulfstream Aerospace—on his last Black Hawk flight before separating from the Army. Of course, Colter still flies his dad as an airline passenger, one who gets a few extra cookies from the cabin attendant (airline perks!).

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Learn more about the VGA at

www.vga.org.

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A Return To Vietnam

On February 24th, 2019, a group of graying Vietnam War veterans boarded a plane to return to Vietnam—a place many of them swore they’d never go back to. Their smooth faces and freshly pressed fatigues have been replaced by weathered expressions, creased t-shirts, and ball caps. This tour, nearly 50 years later, isn’t about duty, weapons, and war; it’s about offering 53 Northeast Wisconsin veterans a chance at reconciliation, healing, and peace. Conducted by Old Glory Honor Flight—an all-volunteer northeast Wisconsin organization dedicated to serving war veterans—this once-in-a-lifetime trip takes veterans to locations they occupied during the Vietnam War. From the sweltering swamplands of the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam to the remains of North Vietnam’s Hoa Lo Prison, dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American prisoners of war, the trip offered the veterans a chance to heal old wounds and build new relationships with the land and people of Vietnam.

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Courage & Survival

One of the veterans on board was George Dexter, who served in the Army’s 9th Infantry Division during the war. George enlisted at the start of his lifelong career as a mail carrier, just after his best friend was killed in combat in Vietnam. During the War, George’s primary duty was delivering mail to the troops. “I was still a mailman, just a heavily armed one,” George chuckles before drawing in a deep breath. “I did whatever it took to get our guys their mail.”

Two or three times a week, George brought mail—whether by jeep, truck, or helicopter—to troops wherever they were, even on the war’s most dangerous battlefronts. “One time, I went to bring mail to our mechanized unit, and they weren’t where they usually were,” recalls George, who himself was injured in combat and awarded a number of honors for his bravery, including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. “I came back to base and did some digging around, and I finally located them in Cambodia, so I requisitioned a C130 transport plane to fly me to the Cambodian border. From there, I unloaded the mail into a truck, and went with a six-vehicle convoy to where our guys were. They started their mission with 18 vehicles, and when I found them, they were down to one.” He pauses. “When I finally caught up with them, they were a mess. But I found what was left of them and got them their mail.”

George’s service in Vietnam—and that of many of his fellow soldiers—centered on a single philosophy. “Survival,” says George. “Any given day could be our last.” Such grave circumstances demand bonds between soldiers that can never be broken. “In a lot of cases, we didn’t have to say any words to know what the others were thinking,” he says.

The Trip Of A Lifetime

The Old Glory Honor Flight to Vietnam gave veterans the opportunity to revisit some of those bonds, as well as forge new ones. Exploring significant military sites together—places where many of them spent time in battle—brought intense, cathartic emotions quickly met by brotherly understanding and support. “They told us when we started the trip that things were bound to get emotional for each and every one of us,” says George. “We were there for each other through all of those moments. We had each other’s backs.”

George was especially inspired by how well-received he and his fellow veterans were by the local people. “We were treated with such kindness and respect,” he says. “We even met a former enemy who was a fighter pilot for North Vietnam. We all shook hands and gave hugs. He was someone’s father, son, and brother just like we were. It felt really, really good to do that after 50 years.”

A Well-Deserved Return

The week-long trip was packed with laughter and tears to be sure, but perhaps the most powerful experience was the return home, especially when compared to the return from Vietnam nearly 50 years ago. 

Amid a particularly treacherous political climate, many American soldiers returning stateside after surviving unspeakable horrors were greeted with scorn. Spitting, vulgar gestures, and even violence toward returning soldiers was commonplace, adding yet another layer of trauma to the soldiers’ already life-altering experiences. And because of the war’s longevity and resulting deployment logistics (a soldier completed a year-long tour of duty and was then replaced by another), soldiers often returned home alone rather than with their unit.

50 years later, the veterans on the Old Glory Honor flight finally received the welcome home they deserve. After a long flight and bus ride back to Menasha, Wisconsin, the group was greeted by a law enforcement escort. “When I saw the flashing lights and heard the sirens, that’s when the tears started for me,” says George. At their destination—Menasha High School—the veterans were met by their spouses and families, tenacious embraces, and tears of joy and healing.

The heartfelt homecoming only intensified as the veterans entered the school’s gymnasium, which erupted into raucous cheering from over 3,000 supporters. It was a moment that could bring even the hardest soldier to tears. “I cried like a baby,” says George.

Finding Peace

George’s return to Vietnam brought him peace, healing, and camaraderie—things that are crucial to veterans as they adjust to civilian life. In life after war, George has found another source of solace: golf.

When he started golfing at 60, it was love at first swing. “I fell in love with the game the first time I held a club in my hands,” says George, who is today an active member of the Veteran Golfers Association, a nonprofit committed to enriching the lives of U.S. military veterans and their family members through the sportsmanship and camaraderie of golf. “You’re out in God’s creation, and you’ve got nature and wildlife at its best, and it’s you and a little white ball,” says George through a smile. “It’s hard to beat that.” 

The Veterans Golfers Association has taken George’s love for the sport to the next level. When George heard his home course Thornberry Creek at Oneida (the official course of the Green Bay Packers and the home of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic) was holding one of eight qualifying tournament events for the VGA Championship, he joined the association immediately. Along with participating in the VGA qualifying event held at Thornberry, he also earned a spot as one of 83 golfers to qualify for the VGA Championship held in Pinehurst, North Carolina. George was tickled to have the opportunity to play Pinehurst No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 with fellow veterans—an experience he ranks as one of his most memorable.

George’s successful golf career with the VGA has continued; he’s qualified for regional and championship events several times. But his on-course successes are secondary to the relationships he’s built in the VGA because for George, the real, heart-healing reconciliation happens when he builds unbreakable bonds with other vets who have given so much to our country—whether on the course or through experiences that meet life-altering turmoil with peace. “I love meeting people from all over the country who have put on a uniform and served this great nation,” says George. “Being out on the course with fellow vets—it doesn’t get better than that.”

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This article first appeared in the spring 2019 edition of GolfStatus magazine. Learn more about the Veteran Golfers Association at

www.VGAGolf.org

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