Veterans Card Four-Under 32 to Win Veterans on Course at Rose Park Scramble

Military veterans Shane Brooks, Kelvin Houston, Shayn Jolly and Douglas Ware took home the nine-hole scramble title after carding four-under-par 32 at Veterans on Course at Rose Park Golf Course. The group remained bogey-free throughout the round, winning the scorecard playoff by making birdie on Nos. 1, 5, 6 and 9.

All three par-3s on Rose Park’s front nine, the old back nine, contained closest-to-the-hole proximity markers for a friendly competition. Hayden Draper won the contest on No. 2, Kent Bringhurst stopped his shot approximately two feet away from the hole on No. 4 to take the W, and Glen Tomboc nearly holed out on No. 8 to claim the third and final closest-to award.

Prior to the scramble, the veterans participated in an hour of lessons with PGA Professionals Stacey Camacho, Mike Nickas, Sean Pressey and Rose Park Head Professional Derek Schmehl. The pros taught at three different stations: putting, chipping and full swing on the driving range. The sixty veterans were divided into three groups and rotated every 20 minutes.

The veterans turned in their scramble scorecards, once their rounds were completed, and met at the Rose Park Café to eat dinner and listen to Chief Master Sergeant Rodney Koonce speak. The following biography can be found on the Hill Air Force Base website:

Chief Master Sergeant Rodney Koonce is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill Aire Force Base, Utah. He represents the nearly 2,500 personnel providing base support for the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, three wings and more than 50 tenant organizations. He advises the commander on mission effectiveness, combat readiness, professional development, training, utilization, health, morale and welfare of all assigned personal as well as quality of life issues for the 22,000 total force warriors and family members that comprise Team Hill.

Chief Koonce entered the Air Force in April 1991. He graduated from the Non-Destructive Inspection course at Chanute AFB, Illinois, In September 1991. He served in a variety of aircraft maintenance positions sustaining combat and training air operations, as well as a myriad of other roles including First Sergeant. His assignments include duty in throughout Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Pacific Air Forces. He was also involved in Operations Desert Shield, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The Utah Golf Foundation would like to thank Chief Koonce for taking the time to come out to Rose Park to speak to the participating veterans and for his service to our great country.

We would also like to thank Salt Lake City Golf’s Rose Park Golf Course for hosting another wonderful Veterans on Course event. The UGF truly appreciates your support.

The next Veterans on Course event is Saturday, August 11th at Soldier Hollow Golf Course in Midway, Utah. The event filled up in two days! Contact Megan Huntsman at megan@uga.org if you would like to be added to the waitlist.