CGCSA honors Espinoza family
of Eureka, Montana for course for the handicapped

TravelGolf.com Staff Report

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Dec. 4, 2003) -- Steve Espinoza and his son, John, were honored Nov. 19 at the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association's (CGCSA) 37th Annual Conference and Trade Show held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

The father and son team were presented with a special plaque for the design and development of "John's Course." They also were named honorary members of the CGCSA and were presented with a $5,000 donation to the golf course. John's Course is located at their home in Eureka, Montana and is designed for the exclusive use of handicapped children.

The idea for John's Course originated in the mid 1990s, following the tragic death of John's older brother, Mike. John, who has Cornelia DeLange Syndrome, a form of Down Syndrome, discovered his late brother's golf clubs and began to express an interest in the game. The fast pace of area golf courses intimidated him, so his father Steve began construction on what turned into a great success for handicapped golfers in the Eureka area.

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John's Course took shape with no budget, yet received recognition in an article written by Jim Peacock and published in Golf Course Management magazine in the May 2001 issue. The piece drew attention from a number of local, as well as national, businesses.

Last year, Burroughs & Chapin donated several pieces of equipment to John's Course, including cart mowers and a large fairway mower. The contributions of such companies have allowed John Espinoza to learn the game of golf within a safe, non-threatening environment. In fact, he has perfected his game with extended amounts of practice and recently competed in the PGA of America Special Olympics World Games in Ireland, where he won the bronze medal.

"Randy Allen, director of golf course maintenance for Burroughs & Chapin Company, has been very instrumental in the success of John's Course," said Steve Espinoza. "After reading the article in Golf Course Management, Randy called us to see how B&C could help. B&C is very committed to the sport, and we are very thankful to people like Randy who appreciate what we are doing for the handicapped golf segment. The company has been a huge supporter in our endeavor. Their contributions have helped John achieve one of his many goals and will play a very instrumental part in helping other handicap individuals who want to learn the game of golf and someday win medals."

The honor was presented during the general education session of the conference and trade show. Afterwards, John was introduced to the group while "2001 Space Odyssey" music played in the background. He graciously thanked the superintendents for all of their help with the success of John's Course.

About Burroughs & Chapin

Burroughs & Chapin Golf Management, created in 2001 to provide operations and marketing services to golf course properties, has quickly emerged as a Grand Strand leader. Burroughs & Chapin Golf Management currently manages four Burroughs & Chapin Company golf courses and three other courses. It is one of the largest golf management entities along the Grand Strand.

Burroughs & Chapin Company has been an active member of the Myrtle Beach golf community for more than 30 years as the owner of Myrtlewood Golf Club, a 36-hole complex that opened in 1966. The company built and developed Grande Dunes Golf Course, which is on Golf Magazine's list of the top 10 new courses, and owns Pine Lakes International Country Club, Myrtle Beach's first course.