Today, MAPGA Operates One of The Largest PGA HOPE Programs in the Nation; Led by PGA Professionals, Rehabilitative Golf Program is Changing & Saving the Lives of Veterans Locally & Nationwide, Helping America’s Heroes Assimilate Back into Their Communities Through the Social Interaction Golf Provides
Stafford, Va. – The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America (MAPGA), which is celebrating its 100th Anniversary since being founded in 1925, has announced its 2025 PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) Golf Program schedule, featuring over 60 programs across 31 golf facilities throughout the region, including DC, Maryland and Virginia, that will connect the game with over 1,100 military Veterans.
PGA HOPE, the flagship military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, is a national program that introduces golf to Veterans and active-duty military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being through a six- to eight-week developmental curriculum taught by PGA of America Golf Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency. It is the only adaptive golf program that has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs, which enables medical staff to refer Veterans to PGA HOPE as a form of therapy. All programs are funded by PGA REACH and supplemented by PGA of America Section foundations, with no cost to all Veterans.
On a national scale PGA HOPE is currently being offered at more than 550 locations in the U.S., across all 50 States and 41 PGA of America Sections. In 2024, the program positively impacted over 17,000 Veterans, and since its inception in 2015 more than 50,000 Veterans have participated in the program.
Today, more than 4,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals have received specialized training in using adaptive equipment and instructing Veterans, including over 232 MAPGA Members that will service the program throughout the Middle Atlantic Region in 2025. In fact, the MAPGA now operates one of the largest PGA HOPE programs in the nation.
“We are very proud of the continued growth and impact PGA HOPE has made throughout the Middle Atlantic region, as it’s a unique program that uses golf to change lives, and in some instances, save the lives of our Veterans,” said Jon Guhl, Executive Director, Middle Atlantic PGA. “Thanks to dedicated PGA Professionals who work closely with our amazing military Veterans, PGA HOPE provides a lasting, meaningful experience for these American heroes to utilize golf as a means of rehabilitation and fun.”
PGA HOPE Programs will take place under the direction of PGA of America Golf Professionals at golf facilities through the Middle Atlantic region starting in April 2025 and running through the fall golf season. Among the prominent facilities that will host PGA HOPE training include Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD., The Courses at Andrews at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Eaglewood Golf Course at Langley AFB, Va., Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., Reston National Golf Course in Reston, Va., and TPC Potomac at Avenal Farm in Potomac, among others.
Veterans interested in participating in PGA HOPE and finding a local facility, can visit: https://mapga.com/pga-reach-2/military.
About the Middle Atlantic PGA Section
The Middle Atlantic PGA Section (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The MAPGA has been a part of The PGA since 1925 and consists of over 1,200 members and associates in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. There are over 900,000 golfers playing more than 16.5 million rounds of golf a season in the Middle Atlantic region. As player development remains a driving force in the golf industry, the MAPGA provides a wide variety of programs and assistance to support its members who teach the game, promote goodwill and share the game’s values to their golfing customers and their communities in general. Locally, MAPGA Professionals assist in raising over $6 million annually for charities.
