Springfield, Mass. – The New England PGA Section traveled to Springfield Country Club on Sept. 8 to compete in the fourth annual Northeast HOPE Invitational, a one-day tournament that celebrates the healing power of golf for military veterans. 

The event brought together 16 representatives from each of the three participating Sections, Connecticut, Northeastern New York, and New England, including graduates of the PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program and host PGA Professionals. The players competed in an 18-hole tournament focused on camaraderie and competition.

Sgt. Daniel M. Clark, known as “The Singing Trooper,” opened the day with patriotic renditions of American Solider, The National Anthem, and the fight songs of all military branches to energize the crowd before play. 

PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA arrived aboard a Humvee carrying the HOPE Cup and praised the program’s unique impact. 

“There’s a lot of recreational golf programs out there for veterans, and we love them all, but this one’s rehabilitative,”Rea said. “This one gets people out of the house. This one saves lives.”

The Northeast HOPE Invitational is a collaborative effort between the Connecticut Section, Northeastern New York Section and New England PGA of America Section, supported by the PGA of America. This tournament is part of PGA HOPE’s mission to introduce golf to veterans and active-duty military as a form of physical and mental rehabilitation.

The Northeastern New York Section claimed the 2025 Cup, marking their second victory after winning the inaugural competition in 2022. New England took home the trophy in 2023 at Tantuck Country Club.

Following the competition, players and supporters gathered for a dinner and awards ceremony, where several veterans shared powerful stories about how PGA HOPE has transformed their lives. 

“PGA HOPE actually cares,” Scott McAllister, 2024 Connecticut PGA HOPE Ambassador said. “Golf is the absolute Swiss Army knife for wellness. If I can be by myself and play a round and put some headphones in…I can think, I can process. You can be by yourself and actually figure something out.”

McAllister also opened up about his journey back into civilian life and the life-changing support he found through PGA HOPE.

“During my service, I faltered,” McAllister said. “I was very difficult. There were a lot of hard truths that I didn’t face. It’s something I buried for 15 years. But now, I’m surrounded by like-minded individuals. A bunch of us PGA HOPE Veterans are going on a golf trip to the Cape, and you process together. You heal as a group.”

Rea emphasized that the goal is to see this model replicated in more PGA Sections across the country. 

“I’m going to make sure this gets to the other districts because this is something that needs to continue,” Rea said.

This year’s event was presented by Eversource, thank you to them, Springfield Country Club, and its membership for hosting. The New England PGA Foundation looks forward to the 2026 competition.