New initiative hopes to remember, unite through golf

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Trevor Immelman is one of several TOUR players involved in Golf 9-12.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Where were you on 9/11/2001?

It's a question most everyone can answer in an instant. But the question Johan Immelman and Rich Davies are asking is, "Where were you on 9/12?"

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That, in essence, is the idea behind Golf 9/12 (golf912.org), an initiative announced Tuesday at Lake Nona that was created in an effort to capture the collective spirit of unity that swept through the country the day after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.

"Golf 9/12 wants to bring people together, to unite people, to recall how we all felt that day," said Immelman, a former commissioner of the South African Tour who now lives in Charlotte, N.C., and the father of the PGA TOUR's Trevor Immelman, who is also involved in the project.

"I think that's the one thing that binds us all together, pent up enthusiasm to connect with one another. We should always remember the tragic events of 9/11, but perhaps more importantly we should remember how we felt on 9/12, connected and engaged. That is what makes this country so great."

The goal is also great in terms of scale with the hope to ultimately have 10,000 golf clubs involved. That's roughly 60 percent of the courses in the country.

"You have to have a big, hairy, audacious goal," said Johan Immelman, who added they expect about 220 courses and clubs to participate next year. "We thought, what can we do to unite people when they seem more divided than ever?"

The idea came to Immelman and Davies, the chairman of the project, when their friend, Skipper Beck, died in plane crash the morning of Sept. 11, 2009, at approximately 8:45 a.m. -- nearly the same time the first plane hit the World Trade Center -- as he was flying to New York.

For others like former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Jim Stuckey, becoming involved was no less an emotional experience.

Nine years ago, Stuckey was standing on a dock in his backyard in South Carolina with his 4-year-old daughter Mary Frances trying to make sense of the terrorist attack that had taken place the day before. That's when a military cargo plane flew overhead and Stuckey and his young daughter saluted the aircraft.

"He tipped his wings," said Stuckey, his eyes welling up with tears. "He knew that we were with him. That's what it's all about for me."

Added Col. Ray Horoho, a member of the Golf 9-12 board whose military wife survived the attack on the Pentagon: "What carried us through that time was a national sense of unity. We want to recapture how we all felt on 9/12."

That's what inspired Trevor Immelman and Lucas Glover, too.

"It's such an incredible initiative because it's so emotional for all of us," Immelman said. "I'm standing here as a South African, a proud South African who thoroughly enjoys living in the United States, and there's so many people that have been affected all over the world that remember where they were and what they were doing on that terrible day.

"This is such a perfect way for us to look forward to something every year. We can have a date where we can get together and unite and stand together for something that's such a fantastic cause."

No one had to twist the arm of Glover, either. Before Davies even finished explaining the initiative to Glover, the former U.S. Open champ said, "I'm in."

"It's a chance for everyone to unite for a common goal and that's to remember, unite and engage and make a difference," Glover added. "I'm not fortunate enough to represent our country other than to wear our colors, hopefully once a year. But this is another way I feel like I could help and hopefully make a difference, as small as it may be."

Other players involved include Davis Love III, Larry Mize, David Frost, D.A. Points, Gary Woodland and Ty Tryon; along with Dan Marino, Steve Beuerlein, Wesley Walls, Johnny Damon and David Leadbetter.

While the project is about remembering and promoting unity, it's also about raising money for those impacted by the events of that day.

On top of the fee each participant pays, each club, for example, will host a barbecue or dinner where donations can be made. Those proceeds will then be distributed to fund educational programs at the Pentagon Memorial, the 9/11 Memorial and the Flight 93 Memorial.

Money will also go to local chapters to benefit first responders and donations will be made to the Armed Forces Foundation to benefit returning soldiers and their families.

Immelman and Davies additionally plan to use technology such as live leaderboards, video feeds, Twitter and Facebook, to bring participating sites together.

The day, and the idea, however, may have been best summed up by Tim Lang, an amputee golfer and former Marine who was injured by an improvised explosion device and has since undergone 48 surgeries over four years.

"The guys I served with they were my brothers, and when you golf those guys are your brothers," Lang said. "Golf is the tool for us to spread our message.

"All I would ask is we don't forget about this. If we can take one day and look back and let those lives that were lost maybe re-unify us, then it wouldn't all be for naught. If we can't take one day aside, Sept. 12, to look back and remember these people and what their sacrifice was, we shouldn't be Americans, because that's what we're all about is freedom."