For those involved with the American Lake Veterans Golf Course, it truly is a labor of love. Since the Veterans Administration cut off funding for the course way back in 1995, the course, located along American Lake in Tacoma, has used volunteer manpower and donations to get through.
So far, so good.
In fact, probably better than so far so good. The volunteers, who number more than 100, have turned the course into a terrific 9-hole layout and added numerous touches, including a tournament pavilion, practice area, room for club repair and more.
The course is open to veterans only. In fact, many veterans who are recuperating from injuries sustained in the line of duty use the course for rehabilitation.
A threesome was playing one day last month and all were spending months at the nearby Veterans Hospital. Patrick Alva of Texas uses his time on the course to recover from injuries he suffered during his tour in Iraq. Same for James Dahl of Montana and Dave Coleman of Puyallup, who also suffered injuries from IED’s in Iraq and uses golf as part of their rehab.
“It helps to have this course to play,” said Alva. “We need this.”
It looked grim for the course back in 1995 when the U.S. Government cut off funding for the golf course. But people rallied together, and put together ideas of volunteers and donations. Today, that combination keeps the course up and running – and it’s getting better all the time. In 2004, a nonprofit group called Friends of American Lake Veterans Golf Course was put together and has taken the course to another level - with improvements on and off the course. In addition, the group has purchased a handful of solo rider golf carts, where the passenger can play golf without ever having to get out of the seat.
Another big thing was the addition of a three-hole short course, where new players are introduced to the game. And this goes right along with Pepper Roberts who spends hours upon hours helping veterans learn to play the game of golf. Mike Kearney has done a great job at putting it all together as the manager of the facility.
Little touches have also helped give the place a face-lift – like the addition of a club repair room with Bernie Housden and Lyle Hanks. Donations of equipment, including several sets of clubs, have come in.
The volunteers also run many different types of clinics throughout the year, including one for blind veterans, disabled veterans and veterans who have never played golf before.
For more information or to check out about donations call 253.584.0079.
