A team of four military veterans led by PGA Professional Jason Kuiper traveled to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to compete in the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup held at Indian Springs Country Club on May 16th, 2022.
The Secretary’s Cup is a spirited nine-hole golf competition that kicks off PGA Championship week and features military Veterans who have participated in the PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program hosted by their local PGA Section.
Georgia PGA operates seven PGA HOPE chapters around the state. These chapters introduce golf to Veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. The veterans representing Team Georgia were chosen to represent the section in this special event due to their tireless service to their chapters and other veterans.
Members of PGA HOPE Georgia:
- Tom Gilmore, United States Army (3 years); 2021 Georgia PGA HOPE Ambassador and Purple Heart recipient (Vietnam War)
- Karen Cooper, United States Army/Civil Servant (14 years/22 years)
- James “Butch” Vincent, United States Army (22 years)
- Funmilayo “Funmi” Aranmolate, United States Air Force (6 years)
PGA Professional Jason Kuiper, Director of Instruction at Bobby Jones Golf Course, served as team captain, leading Team Georgia to a T4 finish of 4-under-par 32. Kuiper has led the Atlanta PGA HOPE program for the past three years at Bobby Jones Golf Course.
In addition to the 9-hole tournament, Secretary’s Cup participants also enjoyed fellowship with veterans from around the country and took in a practice round day at the PGA Championship.
“We are so proud of our PGA HOPE program and are grateful to have participated in this special event,” said Scott Geary, Executive Director, Georgia PGA. “Tom, Karen, Butch and Funmi have all helped us grow our PGA HOPE program and truly exemplify the spirit of service shown by our service men and women.”