Staff Sgt. Andrew Pearce tees off after getting pointers from pro golfers at FOB Hammer Sept. 23.STAFF SGT. TONY M. LINDBACK
SGT. KEVIN STABINSKY
MND-C PAO
FOB HAMMER — Golfers from the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and Ladies Professional Golfers’Association shared some laughs,their equipment and experience with servicemembers at FOB Hammer and FOB Kalsu Sept. 23.
The visits were part of the Fairways 2 Greens Golf Tour that had four professional golfers touring 15 locations in Iraq in only six days. Golfers Carl Paulson, Jim Carter, Suzanne Strudwick and Mollie Fankhauser set up a small putting hole in the gym where they gave a little instruction before heading outside to help servicemembers with their swings at an impromptu driving range.
Sgt. Raymond Lemelin has not had much opportunity to work on his game since being deployed with the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, as an unmanned aerial vehicle operator. Originally from Miami, Lemelin said he loves playing golf and what it does for him. “I could sit out here and watch this all day,” Lemelin said. “Golf is probably the most relaxing thing for me.” Servicemembers took advantage of the professional help.
“There were a couple of things I was concerned with about my swing,” Lemelin said. “They pointed out what I was doing wrong and helped me square it away.”
Staff Sgt. Andrew Pearce, battle noncommissioned officer, 3rd HBCT, said he tries to play golf two or three times per week at home, but, like Lemelin,has not had a chance to work on his game in Iraq.
“Six or seven months out here will put a hurting on your game,” Pearce said. “I’ve almost hit two guys in the head out here. Mollie helped me on a couple things. She widened up my stance and got my stance squared up.”
Strudwick, originally from Stafford,England, who is semi-retired, has spent 13 years living in Knoxville, Tenn., and playing in the LPGA. Though Iraq is new to her, Strudwick said she knew what to expect for the most part. “I have played in Dubai three years in a row when I played the European tour,” Strudwick said. “I kind of knew the general area. I have seen sand and camels and things like that, but I have never been to a base camp or FOB.” The golf tour was able to reach out to the Soldiers in a way most morale tours cannot, Strudwick said.
“We’ve been to a lot of the smaller places that don’t get a lot of the entertainers or sports people visiting,” Strudwick said. “It’s a great way to interact with the Soldiers. We’ve really been able to interact with everybody.” “It’s amazing how passionate and young the Soldiers are,” she added about 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division troops during her visit to Kalsu. “To be so young and have a skill level so high ... is amazing.”
Smiles could be seen after every well-driven and poorly-smacked ball that left the tee. What seemed to get the most laughs, however, was the rash of club-breaking shots.
“You guys are so strong. We’ve lost clubs all the way around. Which is good, we want you to be strong,” Strudwick said after a third golf club’s head went flying off.
Carter said he joined this tour as his way to do something for the military. “I’m kind of a born-in-the-Army, Army brat. I was born in Fort Bragg (N.C.),” Carter said. “This tour was something I wanted to do. Everyone in my family has been in the service except for me. This was a nice chance for me to give something back.”
Sharing their knowledge of the game was beneficial to the servicemembers looking for a few less strokes on their scorecards, but it was beneficial to the golfers as well, Strudwick said. “What we get to take home with us is a much deeper appreciation for what you guys do here,” said Strudwick. “Not just because you’re away from your families, and that you’re sacrificing to be here — but it’s the little things like having to walk to the latrines, the lack of privacy you have all the time. We’ll be able to take that back and share it so everybody will know what’s going on.”
SGT. KEVIN STABINSKY
MND-C PAO
FOB HAMMER — Golfers from the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and Ladies Professional Golfers’Association shared some laughs,their equipment and experience with servicemembers at FOB Hammer and FOB Kalsu Sept. 23.
The visits were part of the Fairways 2 Greens Golf Tour that had four professional golfers touring 15 locations in Iraq in only six days. Golfers Carl Paulson, Jim Carter, Suzanne Strudwick and Mollie Fankhauser set up a small putting hole in the gym where they gave a little instruction before heading outside to help servicemembers with their swings at an impromptu driving range.
Sgt. Raymond Lemelin has not had much opportunity to work on his game since being deployed with the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, as an unmanned aerial vehicle operator. Originally from Miami, Lemelin said he loves playing golf and what it does for him. “I could sit out here and watch this all day,” Lemelin said. “Golf is probably the most relaxing thing for me.” Servicemembers took advantage of the professional help.
“There were a couple of things I was concerned with about my swing,” Lemelin said. “They pointed out what I was doing wrong and helped me square it away.”
Staff Sgt. Andrew Pearce, battle noncommissioned officer, 3rd HBCT, said he tries to play golf two or three times per week at home, but, like Lemelin,has not had a chance to work on his game in Iraq.
“Six or seven months out here will put a hurting on your game,” Pearce said. “I’ve almost hit two guys in the head out here. Mollie helped me on a couple things. She widened up my stance and got my stance squared up.”
Strudwick, originally from Stafford,England, who is semi-retired, has spent 13 years living in Knoxville, Tenn., and playing in the LPGA. Though Iraq is new to her, Strudwick said she knew what to expect for the most part. “I have played in Dubai three years in a row when I played the European tour,” Strudwick said. “I kind of knew the general area. I have seen sand and camels and things like that, but I have never been to a base camp or FOB.” The golf tour was able to reach out to the Soldiers in a way most morale tours cannot, Strudwick said.
“We’ve been to a lot of the smaller places that don’t get a lot of the entertainers or sports people visiting,” Strudwick said. “It’s a great way to interact with the Soldiers. We’ve really been able to interact with everybody.” “It’s amazing how passionate and young the Soldiers are,” she added about 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division troops during her visit to Kalsu. “To be so young and have a skill level so high ... is amazing.”
Smiles could be seen after every well-driven and poorly-smacked ball that left the tee. What seemed to get the most laughs, however, was the rash of club-breaking shots.
“You guys are so strong. We’ve lost clubs all the way around. Which is good, we want you to be strong,” Strudwick said after a third golf club’s head went flying off.
Carter said he joined this tour as his way to do something for the military. “I’m kind of a born-in-the-Army, Army brat. I was born in Fort Bragg (N.C.),” Carter said. “This tour was something I wanted to do. Everyone in my family has been in the service except for me. This was a nice chance for me to give something back.”
Sharing their knowledge of the game was beneficial to the servicemembers looking for a few less strokes on their scorecards, but it was beneficial to the golfers as well, Strudwick said. “What we get to take home with us is a much deeper appreciation for what you guys do here,” said Strudwick. “Not just because you’re away from your families, and that you’re sacrificing to be here — but it’s the little things like having to walk to the latrines, the lack of privacy you have all the time. We’ll be able to take that back and share it so everybody will know what’s going on.”
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