James Winslow, CCAS BA ’87, MBA ’91 (left) with former GW golf teammate Chris Flynn, CCAS BA ’87.

These days, James Winslow, BA ’87, MBA ’91, doesn’t play golf nearly as much as he used to about two decades ago when he was on the GW golf team. But when he hits the course now, he plays with a new purpose.

Winslow is one of the founders of Salute Military Golf Association, a non-profit organization that aids the rehabilitation of wounded war veterans through the game of golf. Winslow started the group with his childhood golfing buddy, Jim Estes, a former golf pro who now works at Olney Golf Park in Maryland.

A few years ago, Estes invited some war veterans he met at a restaurant to the golf course for some free instruction. When they showed up the next day and continued coming, he began to notice the rehabilitative value of playing golf. He decided to raise some money to buy the group some clubs, and then thought of the idea of starting his own non-profit.

“When he came to the decision, he called me,” said Winslow, who was a natural choice to help found the organization because he has an MBA, serves on the board of another local non-profit organization, and is a golfer.

Years later, SMGA is improving the mental and physical condition of wounded veterans by providing them with equipment, free instruction, clinics, and other events. Since 2004, the group has provided free lessons to more than 300 combat-wounded veterans.

“It’s incorporating golf into their rehabilitation both physically and mentally,” said Winslow, who works in government relations for the Japanese trading company Sumitomo. “Golf is a perfect outlet for assisting their rehabilitation.”

He should know. Winslow spent plenty of time playing the game while on GW’s golf team, a group of five men that he still considers a big part of his life. Winslow still keeps in frequent contact with three of them and was a best man at two of their weddings.

But when Winslow was serving in wedding parties, he was already older than many of the returning soldiers he now works with at SMGA.

“When you think of a soldier, you think of a mature man. But a lot of the soldiers are only kids. I brought my 13-year-old son with me once because he wanted to see what we were doing and I realized that he was closer in age to the veterans than I was.”

Winslow said working with the non-profit is like having another job, but he doesn’t mind the commitment.

“When you work day-to-day, especially in a political field, you don’t always feel like you are making a difference to people. But working with this organization, especially with young people, it’s very rewarding.”