73rd PGA Show Honors Veterans with Annual PGA HOPE Day Celebration

Thursday, January 22 Highlighted by PGA Show Winter Jam Concert

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 26: PGA HOPE lanyards at the PGA HOPE booth during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Friday, January 26, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)

PGA HOPE Day returns to the 73rd PGA Show on Thursday, January 22 to recognize and celebrate the flagship military program of the PGA of America REACH Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Association.

PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) introduces golf to Veterans and Active Duty Military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being through a 6-8 week developmental curriculum, led by PGA of America Golf Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency. PGA HOPE Day recognizes the PGA of America Golf Professionals who make PGA HOPE’s mission possible, as well as celebrate the program’s success within the golf industry.

In 2025, more than 15,000 Veterans were served with the help of more than 660 programs across all 50 states while also expanding internationally to Japan. Since the program’s inception in 2015, 65,000 Veterans have been positively impacted by PGA HOPE. To date, more than 5,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals are certified to lead PGA HOPE in their communities. All programs are provided at no cost to participating Veterans and Active Duty Military.

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE booth at the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 22: The 2024 PGA HOPE Certified Instructors wall during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 22: PGA of America Vice President Nathan Charnes, PGA, PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak, a PGA HOPE service dog, PGA HOPE Ambassadors, PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, and PGA of America Secretary Eric Eshleman, PGA, pose together with 2024 PGA Professional Champion Ben Polland on screen in the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE Ambassadors Waco Blakley, Colleen McBratney, Harold Hill, Chris Garner, and Amber Bogle pose together at the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE booth at the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 22: The 2024 PGA HOPE Certified Instructors wall during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 22: PGA of America Vice President Nathan Charnes, PGA, PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak, a PGA HOPE service dog, PGA HOPE Ambassadors, PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, and PGA of America Secretary Eric Eshleman, PGA, pose together with 2024 PGA Professional Champion Ben Polland on screen in the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE Ambassadors Waco Blakley, Colleen McBratney, Harold Hill, Chris Garner, and Amber Bogle pose together at the PGA Hub during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA

“We are beyond grateful for the commitment and dedication our PGA of America Golf Professionals provide to our nation’s Veterans and Active Duty Military through PGA HOPE,” said PGA of America President and Master Professional Don Rea. “I’m delighted to see PGA HOPE centerstage at the PGA Show and hope it inspires the golf industry to join our mission.”

A highlight of PGA HOPE Day will be the third-annual PGA Show Winter Jam, headlined by country music star Dustin Lynch. The after-hours concert experience, located on the Show Floor in Hall E of the Orange County Convention Center, is complimentary to PGA Show Attendees. PGA HOPE is the concert’s charitable partner; every $330 raised will support a Veteran or Active Duty service member through the program.

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, greet the crowd during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/PGA of America)
Scott Halleran/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, greet the crowd during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 23: PGA of America Military and Veteran Liaison Chris Nowak speaks on stage with fellow PGA HOPE Ambassadors and PGA of America President Don Rea, PGA, during the PGA Show Winter Jam at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Darren Carroll/PGA of America/PGA

The PGA Show, the world’s longest running and largest gathering of the global golf industry, will take place January 20-23, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. PGA Show attendees can visit the PGA HOPE booth featured in the PGA of America Hub directly inside the main entrance of the Show Floor. Four PGA HOPE Veteran Ambassadors will be onsite to engage with attendees, encourage support and thank the attending PGA of America Golf Professionals already certified to instruct HOPE programming.

To learn more and support PGA HOPE, visit www.pgahope.com.

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