Inside the Niagara Gospel Mission in New York is one of the most unlikely golf stories: a country club. Society's forgotten get a second shot.
The Niagara Gospel Mission, a homeless shelter in Western New York, operates the Niagara Gospel Country Club as part of its rehabilitation program. Created by executive director John Cooper, the club introduces residents to golf to promote mental focus, discipline, and community. Cooper was inspired to establish the initiative after participating in a PGA Hope program for military veterans.
Local teaching professional Frank Garcia volunteers to coach shelter residents using donated equipment at nearby facilities, including Hyde Park, Audubon, and the Paddock golf dome. Seventy-year-old resident Tom serves as the club's inaugural president and won its first Mission Masters tournament.
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