Getting Back On Course (With Olney Golf Pro's Help, Wounded Soldiers Show Their Range)

The Washington Post ^ | Saturday, June 21, 2008 | Leonard Shapiro

[MinorityRepublican]

For golf professional Jim Estes, it began with a casual conversation with one of his customers at Olney Golf Park, where the former University of Maryland golfer and onetime PGA Tour player has been teaching since 2001.

Billy Bartlett, a Vietnam veteran, had become involved in a program that took wounded soldiers rehabilitating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from often catastrophic injuries incurred in Iraq and Afghanistan out to dinner once a week at a downtown Washington restaurant. One night in 2005, he invited Estes to meet some of the veterans, and not long after, he also took Estes to the hospital.

"I was just blown away by how serious some of their injuries were," Estes said. "And then I started thinking about how these young kids have been so traumatized. To tell you the truth, I felt tremendous guilt. I kept thinking that I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do something to help their lives. It was just something that touched me, and I knew I had to get involved."

Estes went to Olney Golf Park owner Tim Landres and told him what he had in mind. Initially, Estes wanted to offer an open invitation to the facility for any interested wounded veteran. Landres never hesitated, telling Estes that golf balls would be free for any of them.

In the beginning, a few soldiers began to show up at the Montgomery County facility, a full-service driving range and teaching facility with practice greens, chipping areas and bunkers. They would go to the range and start swinging away, and any chance Estes had in between his full load of lessons, he would try to offer swing tips and advice.