Helping Hands In Time Of Need

HGA Members Donate Equipment To Ball High Golfers Affected By Ike


November 20, 2008

By David Shefter, USGA

Far Hills, N.J. - Like many Texans living along the Gulf Coast region, Glen McWhorter felt the brunt of Hurricane Ike. The category-2 storm, which blasted the southeastern portion of the state on Sept. 13, left an estimated $27 billion in damages in its wake, especially in Galveston and surrounding communities.

McWhorter, who lives northeast of Galveston, lost his home and other valuables. Two months removed from one of the worst hurricane disasters in American history, he remains displaced in an apartment.

At least one of his prized possessions was spared.

"I had my golf clubs in my car," said McWhorter with a chuckle.

Golf clubs might seem insignificant compared to lost property and businesses, but to members of Galveston's Ball High golf team, they are almost as vital to their education as books.

So when McWhorter, the golf coach at district rival Clear Creek High in League City (35 miles northeast of Galveston), witnessed Ball High golfers playing with as little as three clubs at the first tournament since the hurricane, he recognized it was time to be a good Samaritan.

As a member of the Houston Golf Association, which conducts the annual PGA Tour Shell Houston Open at Redstone Golf Club and operates The First Tee of Houston/Redstone, McWhorter understood the role golf can play with young people. So he contacted Dianne Overstreet at the HGA about getting a club-donation drive going to assist Ball High.

"That's just what a coach does," said McWhorter, whose Clear Creek team members were unaffected by the hurricane in terms of property loss. "I'm a member of the HGA and that's what [we] do - help kids out. It's not so much what I did, but what the HGA and all of its members really did.

"When you give them something like that when they are not expecting something, it makes your heart just feel good that at least somebody cares about them."

Overstreet immediately sent out e-mails to all 250 HGA members. Even non-HGA members who heard about the drive got involved. Within 48 hours another hurricane of sorts found its way to the HGA's headquarters. A once serene lobby suddenly became awash with clubs, bags, shirts and shoes.

One individual donated a new set of irons he had won at a tournament because his company wouldn't allow him to keep them. Instead of collecting dust in the garage, those clubs now are being put to good use.

"It was pretty incredible as far as how quick the response was," said Overstreet, who sent out the e-mail on Oct. 24. Five days later the items were delivered. "Everyone, particularly those living in the immediate community, really understood the devastation."

Members of McWhorter's team helped bring the donations to Galveston, and some were envious at the quality of the items.

"They were saying they've got better equipment than what we've got," said McWhorter. "[The Ball High players] deserve it. These kids lost their homes and everything. It was kind of sad."

According to The Daily News of Galveston County, more than half of the Ball High team was displaced due to Ike. Two seniors - Dillon Millender and J.W. McCartney - lost everything they owned except for their golf clubs. Just like McWhorter, they had kept the clubs in their car during the evacuation.

Once golf did resume following a one-month hiatus, the disabled Ball High team scraped together whatever clubs they had to play a tournament on Oct. 21. One golfer, Parker Montalbano, used a 3-wood to putt and still managed to shoot a 93. Most of the players resorted to using borrowed equipment. Some played with as few as three clubs.

Eight days after that tournament, Christmas came two months early, courtesy of the HGA's benevolence.

"You should have seen the kids' eyes when I gave them the stuff," Ball High coach Gary Key told The Daily News. "I think once everyone finds out what the HGA did, they will be impressed."

Once the equipment arrived, Key let the players who lost clubs have the first selections. Kyle Tramonte, a huge Texas A&M fan, spotted a golf bag with the school's name on it and wasted no time claiming it.

"I was all over that bag," the Aggie fan told The Daily News. "I didn't know what to say about all that new stuff. It was really gracious of everyone to donate it."

But for the Ball High team members, just returning to the golf course provided therapeutic relief from the everyday post-hurricane trauma facing the region's inhabitants. The community is still facing myriad issues, from housing to district funding.

"It's hard to find words to express our emotions," golf team member Nicole Benjamin told The Daily News . "What really makes it amazing is it was one of our rivals (Clear Creek) that was helping us get back out there. That was really cool of them."

Prior to the hurricane, McWhorter, Overstreet and other HGA members were making inroads to bring The First Tee's National School Program to the Galveston Independent School District. Discussions had taken place with community leaders Buddy Hertz, Gean Leonard and Bill Ross.

The First Tee, whose largest benefactor is the USGA, uses golf to teach nine core values - honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, courtesy, judgment and perseverance.

Because most of the region's demographics feature low-income and economically-disadvantaged families, The First Tee program would be an ideal educational tool for students. McWhorter and Overstreet remain optimistic that the program will eventually find its way to Galveston, even if the hurricane put those plans in a holding pattern.

As the HGA club donation proved, anything is possible.

"If that happens, this driving range [at Moody Gardens Golf Course] will be full every day with kids playing golf," said Key. "That would be a great thing for this community."

David Shefter is a staff writer for the USGA's Digital Media Department. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.