In the past several months, we featured Manuel Dukes, Ricky Sleeper, Tom Parks and Jesse Williamson, each a member of On Course Foundation. Here’s another amazing story about the organization and its impact on wounded, injured and sick military veterans through the sport and business of golf.
Martin Caraway is busy at work. Very busy.
He’s pumping up the U.S. team of wounded veterans that will vigorously compete against its U.K. counterparts in the annual Simpson Cup, September 24-27, at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in England. As captain, Caraway’s dedication to On Course Foundation’s pinnacle event is in high gear.
For background, the organization teaches wounded, sick and injured veterans golf playing and golf business skills for physical and mental rehabilitation. On Course Foundation then places its “members” in part- and full-time golf industry jobs with the likes of Dormie Network, Golf Pride, Invited, Landscapes Unlimited, Marriott Golf, TaylorMade Golf, Topgolf Callaway Brands, TPC Network and Troon, as well as at golf courses, country clubs and resorts coast to coast.
Indeed, golf career development and employment procurement are the differentiating tickets for On Course Foundation.
Back to Caraway: Under his captaincy in 2022, the U.S. team lost the 10th Simpson Cup edition in hard-fought, Ryder Cup-style matches. It’s time for revenge – er, the friendly type. However important winning is, it’s secondary to the undeniably positive attitudes of players overcoming life’s adversities.
“We have team members who are triple amputees and others who contemplated hurting themselves amid difficulties assimilating into society upon military discharge,” says Caraway. “Using golf as a therapeutic tool goes hand-in-glove with goal setting, one of them often being making the Simpson Cup team.”
Caraway’s Minnesota schooling was more of a social experiment than an academic pursuit. The alternative to university was the Marine Corps in 1999. After all, his dad was an infantryman and Vietnam veteran while mom was in lumber sales and owned a bar in St. Paul.
Boot camp and Camp Pendleton in California led Caraway to a specialty in motor transport. He staged military bases in Miramar and Kuwait. While his role was non-combat, Caraway dodged daily enemy attacks. Similar danger existed during Caraway’s 2004-2005 deployment to Iraq.
“Death knells were around you during every waking and sleeping moment,” he says, noting that while he was hit with an IED on the side of a road, his limbs were intact unlike fellow men and women at arms.
A heart issue led to Caraway’s medical discharge, but the rigors of military life overseas led to significant challenges upon his arrival home. Hidden wounds in the form of PTSD, notably anxiety and excessive alcohol, became a foe in hopes of subduing stress.
How to overcome the demons? First, it was support from wife Lindsey, whom he married days prior to his second overseas deployment. Second, it was the sport of golf.
Being one with nature, as well as the discipline of driving range practice, and nine- and 18-hole rounds, calmed Caraway and got him out of his mental funk.
In 2014, On Course Foundation entered Caraway’s world and accelerated his rehab. It triggered an appetite to compete while teaching the history, rules and etiquette of golf along the way.
“I turned from a world of rifles to a world of drivers, woods irons and putters, and golf learned through On Course Foundation helped give me the confidence to succeed. I regained the spirit I thought had long died.”
With purpose in life prompted in good part by a love and talent for golf, Caraway qualified for the 2018 Simpson Cup matches at Maidstone on eastern Long Island, New York.
“Scores matter a lot, but don’t matter a lot,” he says. “The camaraderie among the teams and representing our country is the real meaning of the Simpson Cup. Veterans helping veterans achieve greater enjoyment in life is what On Course Foundation is all about.”
Caraway works full time for the Veteran’s Administration in Washington, DC while also putting his best foot forward to On Course Foundation.
After all, he exclaims, “we improve and save lives through the powerful sport and business of golf. It’s amazing.”
