PGA HOPE IS BACK 🇺🇸

FALL REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

I am excited to announce two upcoming PGA HOPE programs for Veterans and Active Duty Military in Southeast Louisiana this fall.

PGA HOPE at TPC Louisiana - Begins Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 9:00 AM. Please register at https://www.pga.com/things-to-do/events/pga-hope-session-581978.

PGA HOPE at Bayou Oaks at City Park - Begins Saturday, September 19, 2026. Please register at https://www.pga.com/things-to-do/events/pga-hope-session-497014.

WDSU PGA HOPE

Six-week program

Over the course of six weeks, we will work through the game from the green back to the tee:

• Week 1: Putting

• Week 2: Chipping

• Week 3: Pitching

• Week 4: Full Swing — Short Irons

• Week 5: Full Swing — Mid Irons

• Week 6: Full Swing — Driver

PGA HOPE, Helping Our Patriots Everywhere, is about much more than learning how to play golf. It is about bringing Veterans and Service Members together through the game, building camaraderie, creating connections, and providing an environment where everyone is welcome regardless of golf experience or ability.

There is no cost to participate, no previous golf experience is necessary, and golf equipment is not required.

We were also honored to recently welcome Darryl Forges and WDSU to Bayou Oaks to share the PGA HOPE story and help us reach even more Veterans throughout Southeast Louisiana. Thank you to WDSU and Darryl for helping us spread the word about a program that means so much to our Veterans, our PGA Professionals, and our community.

Please visit WDSU's website for the video.

🇺🇸 Registration is now open. Please register while spots are available.

• PGA HOPE at TPC Louisiana - Begins Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 9:00 AM. Please register at https://www.pga.com/things-to-do/events/pga-hope-session-581978..

• PGA HOPE at Bayou Oaks at City Park - Begins Saturday, September 19, 2026. Please register at https://www.pga.com/things-to-do/events/pga-hope-session-497014.

Whether you have played golf your entire life or have never picked up a golf club, we would love to have you join us.

Golf is the game. Veterans are the mission.

Why Do We Start With Putting?

There is a reason our PGA HOPE program begins on the putting green and gradually works its way back to the tee. For many of our Veterans, PGA HOPE may be their first introduction to golf, and we want that introduction to be comfortable, enjoyable, and successful. Putting allows participants to learn some of the fundamentals of the game without worrying about making a big swing or hitting the ball a long distance. From there, we move to chipping, pitching, short irons, mid irons, and eventually the driver. Each week builds upon what we learned the week before.

I like to think of it as learning the game from the hole backward. We start with the smallest motion in golf and gradually add distance, speed, and movement as participants become more comfortable. By the time we reach the driver in Week 6, our Veterans have spent five weeks developing their setup, contact, balance, and confidence. More importantly, they have had five weeks to get to know one another, laugh together, encourage each other, and become part of the PGA HOPE community. The goal is not simply to teach six different golf skills. It is to create a progression that helps every participant leave the program feeling more comfortable with the game, more confident in their abilities, and excited about continuing to play golf.

A Special Thank You to Darryl Forges and WDSU

We are incredibly grateful to Darryl Forges and WDSU for taking the time to come out to Bayou Oaks and help us share the story of PGA HOPE. Every time someone helps us tell this story, there is an opportunity to reach another Veteran who may not know that PGA HOPE is available to them. Darryl gave us an opportunity to talk about what this program really means: golf may bring us together, but the friendships, camaraderie, laughter, and connections that develop through PGA HOPE are what make the program special.

Thank you, Darryl, for helping us spread the word and for using your platform to support our Veterans. We are truly grateful.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who continues to support PGA HOPE and helps us share its mission throughout Southeast Louisiana. We are especially grateful to our Veterans and Active Duty Service Members for their service and sacrifice, and we consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to introduce them to the game of golf and welcome them into the PGA HOPE community.

Whether you are picking up a golf club for the first time or returning to a game you already love, we look forward to welcoming you. We hope to see our Veterans and Active Duty Service Members at one of our upcoming PGA HOPE sessions at TPC Louisiana or Bayou Oaks at City Park.

Golf is the game. Veterans are the mission.

Sincerely,

Ed Carlisle, PGA Master Professional, Bayou Oaks at City Park

Alex Abbruzza, PGA, TPC Louisiana

Jackson Gunnels, Gulf States PGA

Marcos Devoto, Bayou Oaks at City Park

Santiago Cordova, PGA HOPE Certified Instructor, TPC Louisiana

Stuart Lambert, PGA, PGA HOPE Certified Instructor, Bayou Oaks at City Park

Zaire Stevenson, PGA, PGA HOPE Certified Instructor, Bayou Oaks at City Park