PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is a Rehabilitative Golf Program that is Changing & Saving the Lives of Veterans Locally & Nationwide, Helping America’s Heroes Assimilate Back into Their Communities
Stafford, Va. – The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America (MAPGA), which is celebrating its 100th Anniversary since being founded in 1925, has named Army Veteran Tony Kovacic as the Program Director for PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), a successful rehabilitative golf program that is changing and saving the lives of Veterans locally and nationwide.
Kovacic, who also serves as the MAPGA’s Director of Business Affairs, will oversee one of the PGA of America’s largest PGA HOPE initiatives, featuring over 60 programs across 31 golf facilities throughout the region, including DC, Maryland and Virginia, that connect the game of golf with over 1,100 unique military Veterans annually. PGA HOPE is operated by PGA REACH Middle Atlantic, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and philanthropic arm of the MAPGA whose mission is to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections, and the game of golf.
PGA HOPE, the flagship military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, is a national program that introduces golf to Veterans and active-duty military to enhance their physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being through a six week developmental curriculum taught by PGA of America Golf Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency.
“We are excited to have Tony lead our PGA HOPE program throughout the Middle Atlantic region, and work with our PGA of America Golf Professionals to utilize golf as a means of rehabilitation and fun for Veterans, while providing a lasting, meaningful experience and community for these American heroes,” said Jon Guhl, Executive Director, Middle Atlantic PGA. “Tony is a champion of the game and business of golf, and his military background will be a tremendous asset in our mission to improve the lives of Veterans through this amazing PGA HOPE program.”
A resident of Fairfax, Va., where he lives with his wife Marlene, their daughter Bria and son Brayden, Kovacic joined the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Analyst right out of high school and served for 7 years, before becoming a defense contractor for another 14 years. After two decades working for the government, and backed by a Business Management & Administration degree, he transitioned to a more business-focused career in the private sector, joining a marketing firm out of St. Petersburg, Fla., as a Senior Program Manager and Commercialization Manager. During this time, Kovacic fell in love with the game of golf and eventually decided to combine this passion with his military and business backgrounds and focus on a career in the golf industry.
In his new position, Kovacic will oversee all aspects of PGA HOPE, including the development and implementation of Veterans clinics, training, golf outings and other experiences. PGA HOPE Programs will take place under the direction of PGA of America Golf Professionals at golf facilities throughout the Middle Atlantic region. Among the facilities that have enjoyed strong success with PGA HOPE include Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD., The Courses at Andrews at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Eaglewood Golf Course at Langley AFB, Va., Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., Reston National Golf Course in Reston, Va., Bide-a-Wee Golf Course in Portsmouth, Va., among others.
Today, PGA HOPE is the only adaptive golf program that has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs, which enables medical staff to refer Veterans to PGA HOPE as a form of therapy. All programs are funded by donations to PGA REACH and supplemented by PGA of America Section foundations, with no cost to all Veterans.
On a national scale PGA HOPE is currently being offered at more than 550 locations in the U.S., across all 50 States and 41 PGA of America Sections. In 2024, the program positively impacted over 17,000 Veterans, and since its inception in 2015 more than 50,000 Veterans have participated in the program. Today, more than 4,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals have received specialized training in using adaptive equipment and instructing Veterans, including 232 MAPGA Members that will service the program throughout the Middle Atlantic Region in 2025. In fact, the MAPGA now operates one of the largest PGA HOPE programs in the nation.
Veterans interested in participating in the PGA HOPE program, and finding a local facility in the Middle Atlantic region, can visit: https://mapga.com/pga-reach-2/military. Individuals and companies interested in donating and supporting PGA HOPE and PGA REACH Middle Atlantic can visit Support PGA REACH Middle Atlantic | PledgeIt for Charities.
About the Middle Atlantic PGA Section
The Middle Atlantic PGA Section (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The MAPGA has been a part of The PGA since 1925 and consists of over 1,200 members and associates in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. There are over 900,000 golfers playing more than 16.5 million rounds of golf a season in the Middle Atlantic region. As player development remains a driving force in the golf industry, the MAPGA provides a wide variety of programs and assistance to support its members who teach the game, promote goodwill and share the game’s values to their golfing customers and their communities in general. Locally, MAPGA Professionals assist in raising over $6 million annually for charities.