Indiana Professional Golfers Association, Franklin, IN.
September 12, 2026
For the Veterans gathered at Hillview Country Club on Saturday, the third annual PGA HOPE Cup was about much more than the scores on the card.
The event brought together 90 Veterans and 15 PGA Professionals, with 15 teams of five Veterans and one PGA Professional competing for the PGA HOPE Cup. Now in its third year, the event has quickly become a special part of the PGA HOPE Indiana calendar, giving Veterans from across the state an opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new friends and enjoy a day centered around golf, camaraderie and community.
For Indiana PGA HOPE Ambassador Tim Hubbard, the enthusiasm surrounding the event is evident before anyone ever reaches the first tee. Interest has grown enough that there is now a waiting list of Veterans hoping for an opportunity to participate.
“It means a lot to the Veterans that actually come out here and participate,” Hubbard said. “There’s always a waiting list to get on the roster to play. It means a lot to get guys back out talking to other Veterans and having that camaraderie.”
Hubbard and fellow Indiana PGA HOPE Ambassador Frank Poynter have watched the HOPE Cup grow during its first three years. While the number of participants and excitement surrounding the event have increased, Poynter believes what happens between the Veterans themselves remains the most meaningful part of the day.
“It’s really rewarding to see how the PGA HOPE Cup has grown in the three years that we’ve been able to provide this to our fellow Veterans, and to be able to see new faces and old friends out here to enjoy the camaraderie and the game of golf,” Poynter said. “It’s all about being together and lending a hand to each other and encouraging each other on the golf course as well as in life.”
Throughout the day at Hillview, that camaraderie was easy to find. Teams weren’t necessarily made up of longtime friends, and in many cases Veterans began the morning playing alongside people they had only just met. By the time the final putts dropped, those introductions had often turned into friendships.
“You start with people you may or may not know—usually don’t know—but by the end of the round, it’s like you’ve been friends for years,” Veteran Cliff Madison said.
That experience is part of what makes the HOPE Cup welcoming to both returning participants and Veterans experiencing the event for the first time. Madison was playing in his third HOPE Cup, while his playing partner Chip was participating for the first time. It didn’t take long for the group to settle in.
“All six of us were joking around,” they shared. “We were enjoying it. Very positive, encourage each other, make fun of each other. Just good life.”
There was competition, of course, but the score was never a requirement for belonging. As the Veterans described their experience, the common themes weren’t birdies or pars. They were laughter, encouragement and spending time around others with shared experiences.
“It’s always fun to be around people with like experiences, and just the support we get from PGA HOPE is amazing,” one Veteran shared. “It’s good to see players come together, and your talent doesn’t matter. We’re just having fun.”
When the final groups returned to the clubhouse, PGA Professional Chris Clemens and Veterans Jeremiah Runser, Vincent Delaney, Kevin Bennett, Bonnie Tenpest and Larry Krak finished atop the field to capture the third annual PGA HOPE Cup. Members of the winning team each received a PING golf bag. PGA Professional Seth Sheriff and Veterans John Solie, Mitch Allard, Michael Kinkor, John Roark and William Putnam finished second, with each receiving Oakley glasses.
The day would not have been possible without the PGA Professionals, Indiana Golf staff and volunteers who helped create the experience at Hillview, or the partners whose support allowed the event to provide something special for the Veterans who participated. Indiana Golf is especially grateful to PING, Oakley, USIC, Taft Law, Alicia Boyd and lululemon for their generous support and gifts for the Veterans.
Most importantly, Indiana Golf thanks the 90 Veterans who joined us at Hillview. Their willingness to participate, welcome one another, share their experiences and continue building the PGA HOPE community is what gives the event its meaning.
The PGA HOPE Cup may have ended Saturday with a winning team and prizes handed out, but its impact is better measured in the conversations shared in golf carts, the encouragement offered after a difficult shot, the laughter between teammates and the friendships that began with a simple introduction on the first tee.
As Poynter said, it is about “encouraging each other on the golf course as well as in life.” Three years into the PGA HOPE Cup, that continues to be the greatest victory of all.