Lakewood’s American Lake Veterans Golf Course helps veterans find purpose

American Lake Veterans Golf Course offers more than a round of golf. It offers veterans a place to find purpose and connect with others who understand their experiences.

“It’s a safe haven. It’s a safe place, and we really take care of each other,” general manager Sam Williams said in an interview on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio.

The Lakewood course operates with about 230 volunteers whose average age is about 70, Williams said. With no federal or state funding, the nonprofit relies on donations and volunteer labor to keep golf accessible and affordable for military families.

The course was built in 1950, Williams said. When the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stopped overseeing golf courses around 1995, veterans and other volunteers stepped forward to keep it operating.

They signed an agreement with the VA hospital in Lakewood, committing to run the course with volunteers.

“We call it the all-volunteer force, just like your military all-volunteer force,” Williams said.

Adaptive carts and lessons help veterans get on the course

Accessibility is central to the course’s mission. Specialized golf carts allow players with physical disabilities to reach areas that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to navigate.

Williams pointed to Jim Martinson, a Sumner veteran who lost both legs and a finger while serving in Vietnam. Martinson had never played golf before returning home, Williams said.

Using a single-rider adaptive cart, Martinson can access bunkers, sand traps and greens throughout the course.

“He can go anywhere on that golf course and play golf,” Williams said.

The program also helps veterans learn or adapt their swings. A training room and about a dozen instructors, including some PGA instructors, provide lessons tailored to players’ abilities and physical limitations.

That combination of equipment and instruction can help veterans discover a new interest or return to an activity they enjoy.

For Williams, who served 33 years on active duty, the value extends beyond the game itself. Leaving military service can mean adjusting to a slower pace and searching for a sense of direction, he said.

“I really believe it gives a person a task and a purpose, and it’s just a safe place to be,” Williams said.

Community support keeps golf affordable for veterans

On the course, veterans can discuss deployments, share personal challenges, and spend time with people who have similar experiences. Williams said golf also reinforces respect and decorum while encouraging activity and social connection.

“You go up to the first tee, you leave your problems in the vehicle, and you get out there and play golf,” he said.

Keeping that opportunity affordable requires community support. Williams credited Ferguson, Home Comfort Alliance, and Carrier with recently replacing the clubhouse’s heating and cooling system.

The installation included six units, he said, freeing money the course otherwise would have spent on the project for other operating needs. Those donations help the organization keep costs down as expenses rise, Williams said.

How veterans and families can join or support the course

An annual membership for a veteran and family members costs $500, he said. Members can play throughout the week, subject to tee-time availability and tournaments. A guest who has not served can play for $35.

Williams said eligible players include veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard members, reservists, and their families. They can also bring guests.

For Williams, the goal is to keep veterans active, socializing, and supporting one another.

He said he would rather see them spending time together on the course than pursuing activities that could harm them.

People interested in playing, volunteering, or supporting the course can find information at VeteranGolf.org or call 253-722-8605.

The mission, Williams said, is to give veterans somewhere they can feel comfortable, stay connected, and keep moving forward.

Manda Factor is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X and email her here. 

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