Veterans from across the country will be golfing at several area courses during the National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament this week.

Disabled veterans will be instructed golf on Tuesday and Thursday at the Washington Golf & Country Club, Kalona Golf Club, and Blue Top Ridge in Riverside. There was large support for an all-women’s team this year, according to event Director Kirt Sickels, “This is the first time we’ve done that, this year. We’ve been trying to boost our numbers, to get our lady veterans there and out and be a part of the event, and we finally had enough that we got a team we’re putting together and they’ll be out there at Washington this year.”

TEE stands for training, exposure, and experience, not only in golf but in many activities, as Sickels describes, “We’ve got a lot of alternative activities this year. We’ve got bowling, we’ve got frisbee golf, we’ve got adaptive kayaking, adaptive biking. We’ve got horseback riding, we’ve got fishing. There’s a Wednesday night wellness that has some other activities that we’re going to highlight, some sitting volleyball, sitting tennis, and some other activities as well that evening.”

What started as a local event is now national, with 260 participants this year, out of over 400 applications the organization received. The TEE Tournament serves veterans with a range of disabilities, including amputees and those with post-traumatic stress disorder.