VGA Illinois

08/31/2026

**Attention All VGA Members**
Reminder: all VGA memberships will renew on September 1, which starts our new 2026/27 season. Exception: for all new VGA members that joined after June 1st, you are automatically grand fathered into the new season. We want to wish all of our members best of luck on your upcoming season! 🫡🇺🇸🏌️‍♂️🇺🇸🏌️‍♀️

08/31/2026

**Attention All Members**

The wait is nearly over to register for the 2027 Member-Guest Invitational on January 17-20 in Orlando, Florida!

Set your alarm clocks: registration will open Wednesday, September 2nd at 10 a.m. EST to all VGA members with a current VGA membership. Only 70 team slots are available.

Registration is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE!
At least 1 VGA member must be on each team of 2 players. Teams can also be comprised of 2 x VGA members. Don’t miss this opportunity to sign up because the slots will go fast. Good luck!

🫡🇺🇸🏌️‍♂️🇺🇸🏌️‍♀️

08/30/2026

🏆 Announcing the 2026 VGA Illinois Member of the Year! 🏆

It is a true privilege to formally announce Glenn Daniel (ETCM, USN Ret.) as the 2026 Illinois VGA Member of the Year! ⚓️🎉 Throughout this season, Glenn has exemplified the heart of the Veteran Golfers Association. He has continuously enriched the lives of Veterans and their families through sportsmanship, leadership, and unwavering camaraderie.

On-Course Accomplishments 🏌️‍♂️🔥

• Tour Dedication: Glenn competed in 33 events across 6 different states, demonstrating incredible dedication to the tour! 🚗⛳️

• Top Illinois Competitor: He holds the #1 rank (non-leader) among players in the State of Illinois. 🥇

• Armed Forces Cup Leaderboard: He currently stands at 11th place in the Central Region Navy Armed Forces Cup (AFC) rankings! 📈⚓️ Notably, Glenn maintained this top-tier ranking despite taking well-deserved personal time off to take his son to the World Cup games. ⚽️✈️

• Championship Qualified: He punched his ticket to the Central Region Championship by qualifying at the Michigan State Championship. 🎟️👏

• Continuous Improvement: He set his personal best VGA score early in the season and has continued to refine and elevate his game with every round. 📉💪

Leadership, Stewardship & Mentorship 🤝🇺🇸

• Outreach & Representation: He volunteered his time to staff the VGA booth at the 2026 Chicago Golf Show, actively spreading the VGA mission and connecting with the local golf community. 🗣️🎪

• Steadying Influence: Recognized across the chapter for his calming patience and quiet leadership, Glenn is always our go-to teammate whenever leadership needs to pair a new player or someone who requires extra patience on the course. 🧘‍♂️🏌️‍♂️

• Growing the VGA Family: He actively brought new Veterans into the fold with 4 player referrals this season! 👥❤️

• Core Values in Action: Glenn carries the tradition of Navy leadership into every event, setting the standard for mentorship, sportsmanship, and brotherhood across Illinois. ⚓️🦅

🚨 Attention All VGA Illinois Members! 🚨

Get those clubs ready because the new season officially starts on September 1st! 🗓️🍁

We want you to know that you too can be recognized! 🌟 VGA Illinois volunteer leadership recognizes everyone's efforts and is here to support you every step of the way on and off the course. 💪 Let's make this upcoming season our best one yet! See you on the tee box! ⛳️🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️

08/30/2026

⛳️ THAT’S A WRAP ON 2026! 🚀 The Biggest VGA Illinois Season Yet! ⛳️

What a wild and incredible way to close out the year! While Jon Parker was teeing it up at a VGA event in Utah, Lowell & Eric were pretending to be outlaws playing VGA South Dakota's Black Hills events, and Michael Corcoran was climbing into VGA Colorado's events... we officially closed out the Illinois season back home at the beautiful Sanctuary Golf Course! 🏌️‍♂️🔥

📈 The Momentum is Real

We looked back at the raw numbers in Golf Genius, and the growth of this chapter is absolutely mind blowing. This momentum is happening for one reason: YOU. Thank you for showing up, growing the game, and building this community! Just look at how far we've come:

• 2021: 7 events (Avg. 27 players)
• 2022: 8 events (Avg. 23 players)
• 2023: 29 events (Avg. 28 players)
• 2024: 42 events (Avg. 26 players)
• 2025: 50 events (Avg. 31 players)
• 2026: 63 events (Avg. 36 players) 🤯👏

🏆 Post-Season Action Ahead!

The 2026 regular season may be behind us, but we aren't done yet! We have plenty of post-season action to cheer on:

• 🎒 Michael Ricketts & Tim Hernandez are busy packing and preparing for the Senior VGA Championship in just 2 weeks!

• 🗺️ Mike Mason, Lowell Crow, & Eric Kjerulf are making plans for the AFC qualifier in Oklahoma next month.

• 🥇 Dan Dexter, Mike Mason, & Raymond Calabrese are heading down to Mississippi in October to compete in the VGA National Championship!

Let’s wish our guys the best of luck as they represent Illinois on the road! Thank you all for an unforgettable 2026 season. 🇺🇸⛳️

Which course was your absolute favorite to play with us this year? Let us know in the comments! 👇

Gross Flight Winners 🦅

• Veteran A Flight: 🥇 Alex Walter took the top spot, +1 | gross 73
• Veteran B Flight: 🥇 Aaron Rigozzi secured the win, +3 | gross 75
• Veteran C Flight: 🥇 Danny Chang claimed victory, +10 | gross 82
• No Handicap Flight: 🥇 David Sinkus shooting +47 | gross 119

Net Flight Winners 🎯

• Veteran D Flight: 🥇 Andrew Monroe crushed it, -3 | net 69
• Wounded Veteran B Flight: 🥇 Mike Mason played a great round, +2 | net 74
• Wounded Veteran C Flight: 🥇 Eden Puente was right on the money, E | net 72
• Female Veteran D Flight: 🥇 SHASTA BELL +50 | net 122
• Family C Flight: 🥇 Lester Arceo +8 | net 80
• Senior B Flight: 🥇 Toriano Griggs finished strong, +3 | net 75
• Senior C Flight: 🥇 Donald M Smith finishing -2 | net 70

Thank you to our incredible sponsors ! Your constant support truly makes a difference in our members' lives, and we couldn't do this without you!

08/29/2026

🚨 SWINGING INTO THE SUNSET: THE 2026 SEASON FINALE! 🚨

Welcome back to Sanctuary GC! ⛳️ Our originally scheduled event may have been cancelled due to the back nine being completely underwater 💦, but we are back and ready to close out the year in style!

Today, we have 40 of you about to walk the fairways. Thank you for an absolutely incredible season! Your turnout and participation today show that we, as a state, are doing something right. Let’s keep this massive momentum rolling right into next season, which officially kicks off next Sunday at ThunderHawk GC! 🔥

We’ve got a packed house today, and we are thrilled to welcome our brothers and sisters from , , , and ! 🤝

Live Leaderboard: https://tinyurl.com/Sanctuary2VGA

Let’s hear it for some incredible milestones and shoutouts today:

• 🔰 Tyler Atkinson: Welcome to the family! Playing in his very 1st VGA event!

• ⏱️ John Choboy: Better late than never! Teeing it up for his 1st event of the season at our very last event of the season!

• 🏅 Glenn Daniel: Our 2026 Member of the Year is officially playing in his 50th event today!

• 🔥 Alfonso Patlan: Hitting a massive milestone with his 75th event! He and Tim Huber are fresh back from battling it out at the Liberty Cup qualifier!

• 💯 Mike Mason: Celebrating his 100th event (officially crossed on Day 2 of the Central Region Championship)!

• 🎯 Skyler Evans & Alex Walter: Teeing off today hoping to follow in those footsteps and secure an invite to next year's Liberty Cup qualifier. Go get 'em!

🏆 CHAMPIONSHIP SHOUTOUT! 🏆 Congratulations to our 2026 Central Region Wounded Vet B Flight Champion!🥇 Mike Mason! He is off to Mississippi for Nationals in October. Bring it home! 🇺🇸

Hit 'em straight today, everyone. Let’s finish 2026 strong! 💪

08/26/2026

One spot open for Saturday’s event at The Sanctuary. Please email [email protected] if you can play.

08/25/2026

⛳️🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️CDGA Two-Person Veterans Cup Series #3 @ Aurora Country Club

🗓Tuesday, September 15, 2026 9:00 a.m. shotgun start

Full details https://tinyurl.com/CDGA-VGA-2-Person

ENTRIES FOR QUALIFIER #3: CLOSE ON 9/08/2026 @ 11:59PM cst.

❓Need a partner for the Two-Person Veterans Cup Series? Don't miss out! Comment here or shoot an email to [email protected]. We’ll make sure you’re paired up and ready to play!

2026 Schedule Highlights:
• Championship Final: Monday, October 5th at Bull Valley Golf Club

✅IMPORTANT: All players must be active CDGA members with a current Handicap Index.

Don't miss out on this fantastic social competition!

08/25/2026

08/24/2026

VGA Illinois Family – What a Weekend! ⛳️🇺🇸

We had the fortunate advantage of hosting the 2026 Central Region Championship right here in our home state at Eagle Ridge Resort. It was an unforgettable weekend of golf, grit, and incredible camaraderie!

By the Numbers:

• 31 Qualified 🎟️

• 30 Stepped onto the 1st tee box with a chance to advance to Nationals 🏌️‍♂️

• 3 Reached their goal and qualified for the 2026 VGA National Championship! 🏆

Day 1, VGA Illinois as a collective took a beating. A few players stood out, but most of us took a hit on the foreboding course. However, what we can be incredibly proud of is how we finished as a state. 20 out of 30 competitors improved their position on the leaderboard! 📈 You did not give up, you did not give in, and none of you quit.

Congratulations to our 3 that earned their way to Mississippi in October! 🎉

• Dan Dexter – 2026 Central Region Veteran A Flight Champion 🥇

• Mike Mason – 2026 Central Region Wounded Veteran B Flight Champion 🥇

• Raymond Calabrese – Veteran C Flight Runner-Up 🥈

Our momentum as a state continues to grow. What made this year extra special was all the love and support from our families. ❤️ As all of you know, these can be some long days and lonely nights when our competitors are on the course or on the road to an event chasing individual and team goals. Getting to meet several family members was a highlight, and we hope they understand our mission and purpose.
We here in Illinois want to continue to foster this movement and connect more of our families together. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the VGA Illinois house on Friday night! 🏡 We hope competitors and family members alike enjoyed this experience and are motivated to make another run next year. Spread the word! 🗣️

In the coming days, we will reflect on 2026 and encourage those still in the fight for the Senior National Championship, Armed Forces qualification, and last of all, The National Championship! 🦅

👇 If you were a part of this weekend, please share your experience below!

08/24/2026

Eyes now turn to the West! ⛳🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️🏆🇺🇸🫡