The American Lake Veterans Golf Course is located on the grounds of the VA Hospital in Lakewood, Wash. On June 6, course leaders marked the completion of the renovation of the front 9 holes by hosting a tournament for the course’s volunteers. “It has been a long 20 years since friends got together to make this beautiful venue,” says Bruce McKenty, General Manager of the course. The renovation improves playability for golfers with disabilities, has more compatabilty with the back nine, makes maintenance easier to manage, implements new drainage systems in the new greens, replaces the antiquated irrigation system, and allows the installation of new asphalt cart paths.
On June 6, the American Lake Veterans Golf Course in Lakewood, Wash. unveiled its newly renovated front nine holes with a tournament for the course’s volunteers, South Sound Magazine reported. The course is located on the grounds of the VA Hospital in Lakewood.
The event kicked off with an inaugural tee-off by the general manager of American Lake Veterans Gold Course, Bruce McKenty, and the vice president of the course, Jim Martenson, South Sound Magazine reported.
“Today, we are having the volunteer tournament to celebrate the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course,” McKenty said to a group of around 120 volunteers who helped get the course ready.
In 2014, Jack Nicklaus designed the back nine holes for the course, South Sound Magazine reported. That project was completed in 2016, and he also redesigned the front nine.
“It has been a long 20 years since friends got together to make this beautiful venue,” McKenty said. “We have put over $12 million into this golf course over the past 20 years.”
The renovation improves playability for golfers with disabilities, has more compatabilty with the back nine, makes maintenance easier to manage, implements new drainage systems in the new greens, replaces the antiquated irrigation system, and allows the installation of new asphalt cart paths, South Sound Magazine reported.
McKenty praised the volunteers who assisted in the course’s preparation and dedicated the tournament to them.
“This is our course. We built it. Thank you for being part of the journey and thank you for letting us be part of the journey with you. You are all wonderful volunteers,” McKenty said. “Today is a special day because it is not about any VIPs, it’s not about the people who have given the millions of dollars over the years, it’s not about the VA, or anybody else. It is about us, the volunteers.”
The course, which provides rehabilitation, socialization, therapy, and support to veterans, is managed and run by some 230 volunteers, many of whom are veterans themselves, South Sound Magazine reported.
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