VGA Battles Alabama Heat at RTJ Capitol Hill’s Senator Course as Flight Winners Rise to the Challenge

58 competitors take on one of Alabama’s toughest layouts as Hopkins, Gladfelter, Salter, Thomas and other flight champions emerge at Veterans Golfers Association event

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (08 July 2026) —  Before sunrise broke over Alabama, the competition was already stirring at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill.

At 5:30 a.m., darkness still covered the Senator Course, but Veterans Golfers Association competitors were arriving with clubs in hand and a challenging day ahead. By 7 a.m., 58 players were in position for opening ceremonies before taking on one of the RTJ Golf Trail’s most demanding layouts.

The combination of the Senator’s unforgiving design and Alabama summer weather turned the tournament into a test of golf, endurance and determination.

Temperatures climbed to approximately 95 degrees, with the heat index reaching roughly 103. Water, shade and any opportunity to cool down became nearly as important as finding fairways and greens.

Yet when the final scorecards came in, the competition produced standout performances across the VGA’s veteran, wounded veteran, senior, female and family divisions.

Hopkins Leads Veteran A With 77

Shayne Hopkins, a U.S. Air Force veteran from Summerville, South Carolina, turned in one of the day's strongest rounds, firing a 77 to capture the Veteran A Flight.

Norman Gladfelter, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, claimed Veteran B with an 80, while Benjamin Salter, a U.S. Air Force veteran from Evergreen, Alabama, won Veteran C after posting an 84.

In Veteran D, U.S. Air Force veteran Dylan Earnest of Alabaster, Alabama, recorded an 88 with a net 72 to take the flight.

Toni Aila, a U.S. Army veteran from Ozark, Alabama, won Female Veteran B with a 92.

The No Handicap division belonged to U.S. Marine Corps veteran James Douglas of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, who carded an 83.

Wounded Veterans Battle the Senator

The competition was equally strong in the wounded veteran divisions.

Matthew Brannon, a U.S. Army veteran from Boaz, Alabama, captured Wounded Veteran B with a 92 and net 83.

James Hopper, a U.S. Army veteran from Leeds, Alabama, claimed Wounded Veteran C, finishing with a 95 and net 82.

In Female Veteran D, U.S. Air Force veteran Kari Bittinger of Crestview, Florida, posted a 111 with a net 82 to earn the flight victory.

Thomas Takes Senior C With Net 71

The senior divisions delivered some of the tournament's most competitive scoring.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kody Christianson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, won Senior A, shooting a 78 with a net 76.

U.S. Navy veteran Walter “Butch” Picou of Orange Beach, Alabama, took Senior B with an 80 and net 74.

In Senior C, U.S. Marine Corps veteran James Thomas of Montgomery, Alabama, battled through the heat and demanding Senator layout to post a 96 with a net 71, earning the flight victory.

Dawn Rushing, a U.S. Navy family member from Madison, Mississippi, won the Female Senior division with a 92 and net 78.

Amanda Bevis captured the Female Family flight after recording a 93 and net 79.

VGA Flight Winners — RTJ Capitol Hill Senator

• Veteran A: Shayne Hopkins (USAF), Summerville, SC — 77
• Veteran B: Norman Gladfelter (USCG), New Smyrna Beach, FL — 80
• Veteran C: Benjamin Salter (USAF), Evergreen, AL — 84
• Veteran D: Dylan Earnest (USAF), Alabaster, AL — 88/72
• Female Veteran B: Toni Aila (USA), Ozark, AL — 92
• Female Veteran D: Kari Bittinger (USAF), Crestview, FL — 111/82
• No Handicap: James Douglas (USMC), Vestavia Hills, AL — 83
• Wounded Veteran B: Matthew Brannon (USA), Boaz, AL — 92/83
• Wounded Veteran C: James Hopper (USA), Leeds, AL — 95/82
• Senior A: Kody Christianson (USMC), Sioux Falls, SD — 78/76
• Senior B: Walter Picou (USN), Orange Beach, AL — 80/74
• Senior C: James Thomas (USMC), Montgomery, AL — 96/71
• Female Senior: Dawn Rushing (USN Family), Madison, MS — 92/78
• Female Family: Amanda Bevis — 93/79

Proximity Winners

Accuracy was also rewarded on four of the Senator Course's par-3 holes.

• Hole No. 2: Daniel Logan (USMC), Helena, AL
• Hole No. 7: Walter “Butch” Picou (USN), Orange Beach, AL
• Hole No. 13: Jason Marsh (USAF), Athens, AL
• Hole No. 16: Dawn Rushing (USN Family), Madison, MS

More Than a Round of Golf

The Senator can punish an errant shot with deep rough, difficult lies and strategically placed hazards. Add triple-digit heat-index conditions, and the tournament became as much a physical challenge as a competitive one.

By the time players returned to the clubhouse, the air conditioning and a cold drink offered welcome relief. Missed putts, balls in the rough and shots finding water quickly gave way to laughter and stories about the round.

That camaraderie remains central to the Veterans Golfers Association experience.

VGA tournaments bring veterans, wounded veterans, active-duty service members and military families together through competition while preserving the bonds and fellowship associated with military service.

The Capitol Hill event demonstrated that mission in full: 58 competitors, multiple branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and players traveling from several states came together for a demanding day of golf in Alabama.

Organizers also thanked Will and the staff at RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill for their support before, during and after the tournament and for helping make the event a success.

For the flight champions, there was hardware and bragging rights. For everyone who endured the Senator and Alabama summer heat, there was something else worth taking home — another day of competition, camaraderie and stories from the course.

It was more than just a game.

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-- By James W. Thomas

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