Veteran Golfers Association's Alabama chapter recorded 2,234 event registrations, welcomed more than 100 new members and sent qualifiers toward the national championship after a 116-player state championship at Auburn University Golf Club.
ALABAMA | The Veteran Golfers Association's Alabama chapter closed its latest season with record participation, expanding membership and a statewide tournament schedule that continues to establish golf as a gathering point for veterans and their families.
VGA Alabama held 52 events, including its state championship, during the past year, while its total membership climbed to approximately 890, putting the organization within striking distance of its goal of surpassing 1,000.
Those numbers tell only part of the story.
For an organization built around veterans, camaraderie and competition, Alabama's growth reflects something larger than golf scores and trophies. It represents a community that has expanded dramatically from the 12 members the state program had in 2017.
Peninsula Draws Season's Largest Regular Event
The biggest regular-season turnout came in February at Peninsula Golf and Tennis Club, where 84 VGA members participated.
That success has already prompted organizers to encourage players interested in returning next February to register early, with space limited across all four days of the upcoming event.
Participation remained strong throughout the schedule. VGA Alabama reported having players in its “No Handicap” flight at every event, an important indicator of continued recruitment because new members compete there while completing the three events required to establish a VGA handicap.
More than 100 new members joined the VGA during the season.
VGA Alabama reported 337 active members out of 891 total members at the conclusion of the season and is encouraging inactive members to return while asking current players to introduce eligible veterans and family members to the organization.
116 Golfers Battle for Alabama State Championship
The season reached another level at the VGA Alabama State Championship, where 116 competitors took on Auburn University Golf Club.
The championship served as more than the culmination of Alabama's schedule.
Qualifying players advanced to the VGA Regional Championships in Kissimmee, Florida, and several Alabama golfers subsequently earned opportunities to represent the state at the VGA National Championships at Fallen Oak in Biloxi, Mississippi.
For Alabama's qualifiers, the objective now is straightforward: bring championship hardware home.
James Hopper's Remarkable Season Highlights Alabama Standouts
Among the players recognized by VGA Alabama was James Hopper, who competes in the Wounded Veteran C division.
Hopper participated in 94 VGA events during the past year, according to VGA Alabama. The organization also credited him with winning six state championships and the Southeast Regional, while highlighting his willingness to compete throughout the Southeast and beyond.
That level of participation underscores one of the VGA's distinctive elements: Members aren't restricted to a handful of local tournaments. The organization's broader schedule provides opportunities for competitors willing to travel throughout the region and country.
Phillip Inman also received special recognition after participating in 90 events during the season.
VGA Alabama praised Inman not simply for the number of tournaments he played but for his ability to encourage other members, particularly when a round — or life outside golf — becomes difficult.
The organization also offered its support to Inman as he deals with a health situation and asked members to keep him and his family in their thoughts and prayers.
Christie England Departs After Four Years of Service
The end of the season also brought a leadership transition in northern Alabama.
Christie England is stepping away from her staff responsibilities after helping grow the VGA's presence in the northern portion of the state for the past four years.
VGA Alabama thanked England for her work and emphasized that she remains part of the community even as she leaves her staff position.
Replacing her in northern Alabama will be Anthony “Tony” Miller, who joins the Alabama leadership team while also serving as an assistant in Southeast Tennessee.
Miller will work with Alabama leadership to coordinate schedules and, whenever possible, avoid conflicts between responsibilities in the two areas.
VGA Alabama Looks Toward 1,000 Members and 2027
The organization isn't slowing down after its successful season.
VGA Alabama officials plan to spend the next several months developing the spring portion of the 2027 schedule, with a goal of maintaining at least a six-month planning window for tournaments.
The immediate numerical target is equally clear: 1,000 members.
With more than 100 new members joining during the past season and total membership approaching 900, that milestone is increasingly within reach.
But VGA Alabama's season-ending message wasn't centered solely on numbers.
It was about participation.
The organization credited its members with supporting tournament staff, traveling to events, welcoming newcomers, and helping build a program that has grown from a dozen members less than a decade ago into a statewide veterans golf community approaching four figures.
The next chapter begins with the 2027 schedule.
And if the trajectory of the past season continues, VGA Alabama may need considerably more tee times.
VGA Alabama Leadership
The Alabama staff includes Derrick Percival, state director; Robert J. Taylor, assistant director; and Anthony “Tony” Miller, assistant director.
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-- By James W. Thomas
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