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: Public

Past awards/recognitions: 

• GRAA Top 50 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional
• PGA Patriot Award
• PGA Player of the Year
• Golf Digest Best in State
• Golf Magazine Innovators Award

Technology used in instruction: FlightScope

Approximate number of free “tune-ups” and lessons given per year: 25

Growth of the game initiatives:  

• Adaptive golf clinics for disabled
• Wounded veteran golf clinics
• Kwik Golf for juniors
• Get Golf Ready
• PGA Sports Academy
• The Salute to Military Golf program has hosted 1,500 troops since 2007