Golf Academy of America ®

Feb 2, 2007

Venture to say you don't hear often from too many alumni in Iraq or Afghanistan. Your January 07 newsletter and your message made it to Kabul

I am Bill Olds and a 1995 graduate of the San Diego Golf Academy at Whispering Palms.

After graduating, I moved to Las Vegas where I helped found the Inner-City Youth Golf program; became Caddie Chair for the Las Vegas Invitational in 1996 when Tiger won his first Pro Tournament at the LVI; and then went on to manage a country club in Rancho Mirage, Ca.

Obviously, the guidance, mentoring, training, and curriculum, as well as cross fertilization with student colleagues from various backgrounds, contributed to my successes with youth and in the golf industry.

Prior to attending the SDGA, I spent 30 years in the Army retiring as a Colonel. Swear by the GI bill and strongly encourage your staff to recruit former service people and retirees, ---lots of them in Hawaii and Las Vegas.

For the past 36 months I have been working as a private contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Golf related, no,----but after 30 months in Iraq, ----I have serious plans, a location, and some financial backers to build the first golf course in Baghdad when the situation stabilizes. The city offers so many natural and man made resources to support a high end country club.

As a side line, I have continued to manage the caddies (100 plus) for the LVI from Iraq and Afghanistan come tournament time. Have a great committee that keeps me informed and takes care of the caddies.

And again, Aloha (I'm from Hawaii) from Afghanistan.

Bill Olds