Jim Estes, PGA

The growth of the game award can be best exemplified by the Jim Estes’s achievements as co-founder of the Salute Military Golf Association, a non-profit that provides war veterans the opportunity to use golf in their mental and physical recovery. Jim has given over to 1,500 free lessons and provided 1,200 troops with free custom clubs. Over the past six years SMGA has provided free private lessons, and golf clinics to our wounded vets at four chapter locations.

Facility Type: Stand alone

Past awards/recognitions: 

• Golf Range Magazine Top 50 Instructor
• Golf Digest Best in State

Technology used in instruction: 

• FlightScope
• V1 Pro
• Casio Exl

Approximate number of free “tune-ups” and lessons given per year: 100

Growth of the game initiatives:  

• Junior golf curriculum 
• Athletic games (develop agility, balance, striking, throwing, catching, and kicking)
• The Salute to Military Golf program has hosted 1,500 troops since 2007