Thompson Tees Off writes about the inaugural Patriot Shootout of Alabama

I’m sure Russell Redford wouldn’t mind me saying that he turns 70 this year and could be enjoying retirement after a successful career as a golf professional, both on the club side (private and public) and golf facility management.

He was the Head Golf Professional at New Orleans C.C. from 1978-88, worked for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail from 1992 to 2004, ran the First Tee of Alabama Birmingham Chapter, formed his own golf course management group, Redford Golf Group, and has done consulting work for Troon Golf. Yes, he’s had a full career, but won’t be slowing down any time soon.

Redford isn’t the retiring type and has thrown himself into the establishing the Patriot Shootout of Alabama, which benefits the Folds of Honor, and will be March 26-27 at Greystone Golf & Country Club, with the golf over their Founders Course.

“I didn’t need another job, I needed a new purpose. I wanted to give back,” Redford told me when I met with him recently. It was the first time we had seen each other since 2005...way too long.

He shared that his father, a World War II vet, was in ailing health some years ago and Redford desired to spend more time with him. “It was 2005. Dad lived in Houston and I was doing management contract work. I was tired of traveling for work and decided to slow things down. I made many trips to Houston to be with my father.”

On one such visit he reconnected, on his way back home, with Frank Gumpert, the Director of Sales at the LSU University Club in Baton Rouge and former Director of Golf at the Country Club of Louisiana.

“Frank had called me and told me he wanted to show me an event in Baton Rouge he was involved in. It was at the LSU University Club and raised money for the Folds of Honor. That was my first introduction to the Folds of Honor.”

“I was intrigued and knew I wanted to learn more. I asked who the best fundraiser (within Folds of Honor). They all told me Alex McIntosh at Champions Club in Houston. It was like it was meant to be as I arranged to meet Alex (who has raised over $600,000 for Folds of Honor) on a subsequent visit to see my Dad.

“His son Scott died in Afghanistan and he was doing this to honor Scott.”

Ideas started to percolate in Redford’s mind and he knew he wanted to get a Folds of Honor event off the ground in his home state. He’s been working on it for pushing two years and the concept has evolved over time.

“The central theme of the Folds of Honor is to support the families of those who have fallen serving their country. The inaugural Patriot Shootout of Alabama will do so and will include the Patriot’s Dinner the night before.”

The dinner will feature guest speakers Major Ed Pulido, Senior Vice President, the Folds of Honor, and U.S. Army (retired), who lost his right leg to an IED, and is very well regarded within the Folds of Honor as a dynamic speaker and advocate, and Sarah White who is the daughter of Captain Dennis Michael White of the U.S. Air Force.

On April 18, 1995, Captain Dennis White went out for a routine flight check off the coast of North Carolina. It was that day God decided to call Captain White home. At the time, he left behind a loving wife, a six year old daughter, and a four year old son.

Many years after the accident, Sarah enjoys speaking for the Folds of Honor Foundation and keeping the memory of her father and his sacrifice alive. She graduated from Auburn University in 2011 and now lives in Dallas, Texas working full-time for the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Redford is delighted to have a Military Advisory Committee including Elmer B. Harris, Brig. General in the U.S. Air Force (retired) and former Chairman & CEO of Alabama Power, along with A.C. Blalock, Major General in the U.S. Army (retired).

Plus a Tournament Committee featuring Mark Davis, Chairman of Vettes-4-Vets; Al Wood, Central Alabama Regional Director of Still Serving Veterans; and Brig. General Paul Pocopanni of the U.S. Air Force (retired).

They have helped him take his dream to a concept to an impending reality with significant sponsors involved, but he needs more golfers, with 18 teams his max, and attendees for the very special dinner.

He noted he needs to walk before he can run, but envisions four major fundraising events in Alabama for the Folds of Honor over the coming years, starting with the Patriot Shootout of Alabama.

“Part of the challenge to touch more Alabama families was the lack of a local presence driving the Folds of Honor initiatives throughout the state. We are establishing a Folds of Honor “Beachhead” beginning in Birmingham with the long-term goal of hosting events in Huntsville, Montgomery, and Mobile, finishing on the deck of the USS Alabama.”

Folds of Honor is a national non-profit organization established in 2006 to provide scholarships for children and spouses of military service members who have fallen or were disabled while serving. About 200 scholarships for Alabama students, with White an early recipient, have been provided by Folds of Honor.