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Etowah Valley teaching pro on national team to help veterans

Etowah Valley golf course teaching pro Brian Oliver (right) is a national trainer for veterans through a program sponsored by the PGA's charitable foundation.

Brian Oliver, teaching pro at Etowah Valley Golf Course, will serve as a National Trainer for PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), a program of the Charitable Foundation for the PGA of America that helps veterans with disabilities enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.

 

The PGA HOPE Asheville lead instructor, Oliver joins the PGA HOPE National Training Team alongside lead instructor Judy Alvarez (South Florida PGA Section); Robert Epperly (Northern California PGA Section) and Joe Grohman (Southern CA PGA Section).

The National Training Team, all experts in teaching golf programs for individuals dealing with physical/cognitive challenges, will be responsible for delivering PGA HOPE golf training seminars to PGA Members across the nation. The simulated training sessions are designed to ensure all PGA Professionals teaching PGA HOPE sessions provide a safe environment and are comfortable using adaptive equipment while instructing Military Veterans with living with physical or cognitive challenges such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and amputees, among others.

Golf has become a therapeutic part of the rehabilitation process for many Veterans living with disabilities, and the PGA HOPE program - featuring a 6-8 week instructional golf clinic, followed by a graduation, and on-course golfing opportunities has been inspiring. All PGA HOPE programming is fully funded by PGA REACH and offered at no cost to military veterans. The Carolinas PGA Section offers several HOPE programs throughout the year, and Oliver is entering his third year leading the PGA HOPE Asheville program. The spring session will start on May 21.

Oliver was the 2005 recipient of the Carolinas Section PGA Mountains Chapter Professional of the Year and 2006 recipient of the Carolinas Section PGA Mountains Chapter Junior Golf Leader of the Year.