John's GC in Eureka, Mont., is a place where all golfers, including children and the disabled, are welcome and free to play at their own pace. Just remember the course's motto: "We do it with no money."

2001 Leo Feser award candidate

On a snowy day in spring 1999 a man came to my shop. He was seeking help after recently plunging headfirst into the golf industry. This gentleman is a player, architect, engineer, manager, director, owner, laborer, organizer, businessman, student, mechanic and, especially, a great dad. This man, Steve Espinoza, built a golf course at his home for his son, John, after John expressed an interest in playing golf. Usually I cringe when a person talks about building a backyard green, let alone an entire golf course, but I am excited for Steve and John. I offered them my help. After hearing the Espinozas' story, you may do the same.

Like most people attacking a backyard golf project, Steve did not understand the process or cost associated with producing and maintaining a golf course, but his standards were not high. He simply wanted a place where John could play. Originally he built a single green, which eventually ballooned to nine greens on a 10-hole layout (one green is used more than once). John's Golf Course in Eureka, Mont., now covers 10 acres with the longest hole at 320 yards and the shortest at 143.

Unlike other golf courses, John's GC charges no green fees. Because the golf course generates no income, it has no operating budget and ties up Steve's land, time, money and energy. John's GC is operated and maintained by a staff of two: Steve and John.

You might wonder if this guy is nuts. Why would he voluntarily subject himself to the effort of building and maintaining a golf course just so his son can play golf? The natural response is to say, "Take the kid to a real golf course; green fees are cheaper and easier." However, Steve built this golf course as an effort of love for his son. John has Down syndrome.

When John, a Special Olympian, expressed his interest in golf a few years ago, Steve thought, why not? He had John hitting balls in the yard but had strong reservations about driving John 60 miles to the Flathead Valley's nearest courses. Would these busy golf courses give John a poor reception? Steve knows that golfers are impatient with slow play, and he wanted John to have somewhere to play golf and enjoy the experience on his own terms.

After the death of their oldest son, Mike, Juana and Steve Espinoza (center and right) encouraged their son John's (left) enthusiasm for golf, which Mike had also enjoyed. By 1999, Steve had built a 10-hole course on the family's property as John's love for the game grew.

Remembering Mike
Steve recalls the fateful day John announced his interest in golf. Steve and his wife, Juana, were outside when John approached them with his older brother's golf bag. He wanted to play. John's brother Mike was a golfer, and John idolized him. The golf bag, easily found in Mike's otherwise undisturbed room, was taken without permission. Mike, a local star athlete and regular all-American boy, had recently died at the age of 20 in a car accident, and the dispirited Espinozas were still mourning their loss. Their older son's death had rocked their faith, and they were still coming to terms with the tragedy.

Even the Espinozas' dog, Zing, does his part for the family effort by retrieving errant golf shots. Here John and Zing are on one of the fairways on the course that bears John's name.

With Mike's clubs, Steve, Juana and John started hitting balls in the yard. Steve says, "the hole in our hearts was there," but hitting balls in their yard "brought the three of us together." John's newfound interest gave the family a positive direction in which to channel their emotions. Building John's GC has helped the Espinoza family heal in their own way.

Steve still mourns his older son, but is now able to speak about Mike's death by celebrating his life. Describing Mike, Steve says, "he was what every old man wishes they were in their own youth." John, knowing his dad's pride in Mike, often asks if he is as good as Mike. Responding with equal pride in John, Steve tells him, "You are as good in your own way and are in so many ways better."

A love for the game
John's parents decided it was fine if he learned to play golf, but had no idea where it would lead the family. Golf was in John's blood the first time he swung a club. He was hitting balls in the yard nonstop, but that was not playing golf. The wooded yard was an unfavorable driving range, and John needed a bigger outlet.

Make no mistake, John is an enthusiastic golfer. We all know a golfer permanently fixed on the fairways, but compared to John, that person is a once-a-year hacker. He plays golf from sunup to sundown. "I like golf," John says. When asked about his first round this year, John says, "I got par on the first hole."

Considering John's passion for golf, Steve decided to build a green in the yard. With help from friends, advice from a local superintendent and seed donated from a local company, he made a start. "You know, that green is still my best green," Steve says. After the green was built, Steve thought it might be nice to have a fairway so John could hit longer shots to the green. A friend volunteered his bulldozer to clear trees and do the shaping. Then Steve started to have bigger thoughts.

Contestants gather for the premier event at John's GC, an annual benefit tournament to send John, a Special Olympian, on a golf trip. The Espinoza home, which has yet to lose a window to a wild shot, is the center of the action on the 10-acre layout.

'We do it with no money'
Steve began contacting courses around the country. On his fourth call, he found what he was looking for and then some. He spoke with a club in Las Vegas that had just purchased a fleet of equipment. They had a lot of old machinery, and Steve was willing to drive 1,500 miles to haul equipment back to Eureka. They gave the Espinozas a Greens Master 3000, a Toro walk-behind mower, a golf car and parts. They even took the time to sharpen and repair everything before Steve came. This gift equipped Steve with some of the essentials.

There seems to be no end to people's generosity. A country club in Los Angeles donated a large-deck mower, which is John's favorite machine (John proudly boasts the ability to mow all the roughs in four hours). Another course gave an LF-100 and extra reels. One facility gave him 100 sprinklers. A country club in Oregon contributed irrigation controllers. Steve could not afford solenoids for his new irrigation system, but after hearing his story, an irrigation company supplied solenoids for free. Irrigation pipe has been salvaged from many courses' demolition piles. Parts and equipment have come from all over.

Many local Montana and Idaho courses have provided time, labor and materials as well. In all, Steve estimates he and John have received donations of time, labor, equipment and materials exceeding $100,000. When talking about everyone who has helped, Steve says, "There are so many people, I can't name them all. I have gotten some real positive feedback. It's a good feeling. People visit our house and say, 'Wow, you really do have a golf course.'" Steve occasionally needs to remind people that the first rule at the golf course is "We do it with no money!"

An all-inclusive club
Steve and John welcome everyone to John's GC. It is a place where kids and disabled people can play. This course exists without the formalities of the golf world, so you can play at any pace. You may hit as many shots as you want, and you might even enlist the Espinozas' dog, a yellow retriever named Zing, to retrieve poor shots. The Espinozas welcome help from visitors, and if you come, you will have no problem finding a golf partner. John is always ready to play, but good luck beating him: He's a ringer.

John plays the bulk of the course's annual rounds, but speaks of several community friends who golf with him. These friends are quick to help with maintenance projects as well. They have assisted with construction of tees, clearing brush and timber, installing irrigation and countless other tasks. Next season, they plan to add bunkers.

The Espinozas play host to one event every season, a benefit tourney that raises money to take John on a golf trip. Locals and friends enter, and it is the only time anyone pays to play the course. Promotional hats, shirts and jackets collected from businesses and dealers make up tee prizes given to every entrant. Individuals winning putting contests or hole prizes receive gift certificates for restaurants or golf passes to courses in the Flathead Valley area.

With donations from superintendents, suppliers and golf courses across the country, Steve has gathered equipment as well as a basic knowledge of how to maintain a golf course in his own backyard.

Steve does a lot of footwork to amass tournament prizes, and many businesses are extremely supportive. The tournament is not the U.S. Open, but it's just as important to the Espinozas. This event is one of the year's highlights for John, and his competitive nature comes out. Everyone is out to win, but John takes a special pride in defending his home course territory. But it's no home course advantage that allows John to walk away with prizes -- it's John's talent with a golf club. By the end of the tournament, he's sure to have several prizes in his possession.

Unique design
After talking to Steve and John, I visited John's course. Eureka is a typical small Montana town of 1,100. Located in the northwest corner of the state, it is about 10 miles from the Canadian border and 52 miles from the nearest golden-arched burger joint. The tall peaks of the Rocky Mountains surround this fine town that most people would enjoy calling home. I cannot think of a nicer place to build a golf course -- as long as revenue is unimportant.

John's GC impressed me with its simplicity. The Espinozas' house, built in the center of the 10 acres, is completely surrounded by the layout. The property is not wall-to-wall turf. Most of the course is cut native grasses, but Steve and John plan to continue establishing turf as they get more seed. Turfgrass, where planted, is healthy, and every year the course grows and develops a little more.

Making use of every available space, the intersecting fairways are reminiscent of Scotland's original golf courses. You do not necessarily have to play the holes in order; the architect, Steve, designed the course with the flexibility to play to different greens from any tee whenever a change of scenery or new challenge is desired. The fairways lack clear definition, which lends to playing the course a different way each round. Steve and John often bomb shots cross-country to whatever green tickles their fancy.

Unique hazards grace John's GC. You need confidence when attempting to strike a tee shot over the Espinozas' log home to reach one hole's green in regulation. Steve says the metal roof is hit frequently, but they have not lost any windows É yet. When I expressed my surprise that Juana lets them hit over the house, Steve flashed a funny grin that spoke volumes. He and John were both quick to point out that the only broken glass so far came from a street light behind the house struck by an errant ball Juana hit. A nearby basketball hoop attached to a tree had several holes blasted through it, attesting to other wild shots by unnamed players.

One-man show
Daily maintenance at John's GC is mostly a one-person job. John mows three times a week and enjoys his time operating the equipment. When he is not mowing, he is playing golf. The golf course would not exist without John's personal interest and commitment. Aside from simply grooming the course, John also makes some executive decisions regarding playing conditions. For this summer's tournament John decided to challenge golfers. He grew the collars long around the greens but mowed the rough short outside the collars. He said he wanted people to chip over the shaggy collars to hit greens. Because John is not fixed on traditional golf course management, expect the unexpected. If you don't like it, play somewhere else. I think John has the best job in the golf industry, and few find their work more rewarding than John finds his.

Steve makes the agronomic decisions at the course and is learning how to grow grass in his unique situation. His challenges differ from prototypical golf course undertakings. He has a couple of greens that are beautiful and in perfect shape, while other greens pose tests for both golfer and turf manager alike. Rutting deer chose one of his best greens as an arena for settling fights for herd dominance. The neighbor's grazing cattle created very rough areas in some putting surfaces, and a couple of greens have severe weed invasion where turf never established well. However, everything is playable and acceptable at a course with laid-back members and no rules.

This spring Steve is attempting to level and seed damaged areas and rebuild one of the greens. There is no pressure for perfect play, so Steve works at his own pace. When he has an idea, time or help, he goes to work. Resources are put to use when they become available. Working with no money, he does what he can.

How can you help the Espinozas? Frankly, Steve needs the same things superintendents need for their daily operations but on a smaller scale, and his membership does not care if it is new. Steve's biggest needs are seed and fertilizer. He would like to establish more turf and fill in thin areas. Most of Steve's turf is undernourished. Besides seed and fertilizer, he needs many other materials, supplies and management tools. If you inventory your facility, I am sure you will find resources for John's GC. Steve has done a wonderful thing for his son and local community, and I hope the individual courses and members represented in GCSAA will find a way to help them. Adding a twist to Steve's situation, he has received many items that he may never use that some of you might need. He has numerous LF-100 reels as well as various other parts. He generously wants materials he cannot use to go to someone who can. I caution people to avoid making Steve a collector and dealer of used junk; however, one man's junk is often another man's needed treasure.

Every time I have spoken with Steve, he is boiling over with excitement. Steve's pride in John and the enthusiasm this father and son share over John's GC is overwhelming and contagious. Every donation to the Espinoza family will more than pay for itself with the feeling you get from helping. Steve and John are inspirational. Steve's title in the golf industry has to fall under the category of "Great Dad." If you can help these remarkable people, call Steve's home at (406) 889-3685. Please try to remember the first rule at John's GC, "We do it with no money." However, I can assure you that your help is priceless.

James Peacock is superintendent at Meadow Lake Golf Resort in Columbia Falls, Mont., and a two-year GCSAA member. This article originally appeared in the Peaks and Prairies GCSA publication The Perfect Lie.