Charlie Wilcox remembers the first time he went down the hill.
It was after one of his numerous therapy sessions at the Lyons VA Medical Center, where he was trying to work through issues stemming from the PTSD that came home with him after four tours in Iraq.
Wilcox wanted to take advantage of the Inspiration Golf Range that was made available to veterans. But, really, he was just looking for peace of mind, which — like so many veterans — he was struggling to find during his return to civilian life.
What Wilcox found there, changed his life.
“When I came down the hill here from PTSD unit, I was not in really good shape,” he said. “I was going through a lot of stuff.
“I was thinking maybe I could borrow a cheap set of clubs and hit a few, trying to find some sense of normalcy. I thought, ‘Maybe I could start playing again.’”
It was there that he met Glen Hockman for the first time.
Hockman was involved in the PGA Hope program, an effort to help veterans use golf to transition back into civilian society.
“He told me to come back tomorrow,” Wilcox recalled. “When I did, he had a set of clubs for me. That’s how it all started for me.”
That was back in 2014.
Wilcox started using the range on a regular basis. And after he completed his PTSD treatment program, he kept coming back.
Now he’s the person greeting veterans who make the trip down the hill — helping out in any way he can.
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Golf can be therapy for veterans. It’s outdoors. It’s quiet. And if you’re playing with other veterans, you’re around those who may be facing similar challenges.
PGA Hope was created to serve veterans in this way. Whether it’s the driving range at Lyons — or on a course around the state — it is there for them however they need it.
“It gives veterans a safe area to be together,” Wilcox said. “It creates the camaraderie that we used to have in the military.
“When a lot of veterans come back from serving, they’re very cautious about what they do, and sometimes not comfortable being around people. This gives them a place where they can relax a little bit and try to adjust to get back into society, which is difficult for a lot of them.”
PGA HOPE is operated by the New Jersey Golf Foundation, the charitable arm of the New Jersey PGA Section. Sessions are offered at no cost to veterans.
And here’s the biggest part: You don’t have to play golf — or have any desire to swing a club — to take advantage of the services.
Wilcox said he invites veterans to come down if they just need to talk with someone —someone who can personally relate to what they are going through.
“I’ve been where they are,” he said. “That’s important. It can be hard for veterans to open up, especially to a doctor who hasn’t experienced what they’ve experienced.”
Wilcox said he’ll make the time to just sit and talk — and listen. He said he’ll tell veterans to bring their families to the range on the weekend, when they can play or take advantage of the barbeque facilities.
“We’re looking for a way to connect,” he said.
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PGA Hope offers opportunities to play — and to get lessons — at clubs around the state.
Veterans can sign up for six- to eight-week programs, free of charge.
Wilcox works with PGA professionals to understand the unique challenges veterans may face.
“My job as an ambassador for PGA Hope is to serve as liaison between the pros and the veterans, make them aware of what goes on with veterans and how they might react differently,” he said. “It’s the wounds you can see that they need to be aware of.”
For those who want to compete, there are numerous competitions, events where four veterans and a pro compete against similar groups.
The issue: Not many people know about it.
At the Ryder Cup last weekend at Bethpage in Farmingdale, New York, Wilcox and other members of PGA Hope were invited to be standard bearers for the opening day (that means they carried the signs with the players scores).
Wilcox said it was a thrill to be inside the ropes and see the action up close, but the event was more about raising awareness of PGA Hope and all that does for veterans.
“PGA Hope offers veterans a way to engage in the game of golf,” he said. “It gives them an outlet where they can go that’s safe and provides the camaraderie we used to have in the military.
“PGA Hope can have a powerful impact on their life. I know it did for me.”
