The Dream Weekend
The U.S. Open means something different for everyone, but one thing is for sure – it stands for patriotism. This year’s U.S. Open will be no different; in fact it’s become a very special event for eight Marines from the Warrior Hope and Care Center at Camp Lejeune.
On Friday June 12th, eight Marines made the ride from Camp Lejeune to Hope Valley Country Club in Durham, NC for the ultimate golf weekend. Upon arrival they were greeted to a warm welcome by representatives from the Hope for the Warriors, GlobalGolf.com, and Hope Valley Country Club. After introductions, a presentation took place, thanking the Marines for their service. This special golf weekend included a golf clinic, round of golf, and the ultimate gift of passes for the third round of the U.S. Open. Each Marine was also presented with a special tee gift; a new Sun Mountain golf bag, filled with golf accessories, from GlobalGolf.com.
Once the presentation wrapped up, the guests of honor honed their golf games with help from A.J. Bonar. Mr. Bonar is the head teaching professional at Morgan Run Club and Resort in San Diego, CA and is known world-wide for his “Truth about Golf” series that breaks golf down to its simplest form making it easy for all to understand and play.
After a nice lunch, and a chance to refresh from the hot and humid morning, the Marines took to the course, putting their new found golf knowledge to the test. Each and every one of the Marines enjoyed the challenging Donald Ross layout of Hope Valley Country Club.
After a long day, a good night’s rest was in order, but sleeping was the last thing on their minds as a dream filled trip to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open was only hours away. Bright and early the next day, all eight Marines made the quick ride to the tournament. The van was full of excitement and the smiles became bigger and brighter as the day went along.
To learn more about the Hope for the Warriors, click here.
Alan Unruh
Alan Unruh is a Class “A” member of the PGA of America, and holds PGA Certifications in General Management, Golf Operations and Player Development. With these certifications, he is among the 1% of PGA members that hold multiple PGA Certifications. He has a profound passion for the game of golf along with extensive experience and knowledge regarding planning and strategy for golf operations, rules of golf, tournament operations and golf swing fundamentals. Alan has also played a crucial role helping manage multiple high profile tournaments throughout his career including the USGA Women’s U.S. Open, PGA and LPGA Tour events, and multiple NCAA and AJGA events.