Staff Sgt. Bradley Wells, instructor, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, practices on the driving range during the 7th Annual Heritage Palms Marine Day for food, fun and golf in Indio, Calif., April 2. The Marines integrated into four-man scramble teams with members of the club in a tournament.

Photo by Cpl. Ali Azimi

Veterans, Marines come together on the green

3 Apr 2014 | Cpl. Ali Azimi Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- The lush green grass of Heritage Palms Golf club and cool air of the morning were a refreshing change of pace from the desert environment in Twentynine Palms. The sun was out and the sky was clear, a perfect day for a game of golf.

Thirty-six Combat Center Marines were invited for a free day of golf at Heritage Palms’ 7th Annual Marine Day, April 3, 2014.

“We came up with this seven years ago,” said Bob Bold, a former Marine and the creator of Marine Day. “Each year we add something to it. It’s so good having the Marines here.”

The day started with a breakfast buffet. The Marines and community members sat down together and began to get to know each other better. Some Palms residents previously served in the military, talked about the Corps past and present and the different branches.

Golf began after breakfast. The Marines were integrated into teams with the members of Heritage Palms for a four-player scramble. They traversed the course in golf carts, driving the ball down the greens, hole after hole. The traditional golf flags on the greens were replaced with American flags to commemorate the Marine presence at the course.

After a long day of golf, the Marines and club members once again sat down together for a meal, this time joined by Maj. Gen. David H. Berger, Combat Center Commanding General.

“What [the people of Heritage Palms] do, [they] do out of the selflessness of their hearts,” Berger said.

During lunch, a ceremony featured the Desert Hot Springs High School ROTC Color Guard and the Heritage Palms Choir, which sand the national anthem. At the end of the day’s events, the winners were announced. Chief Warrant Officer 3 David Fernandez, utilities offer, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, and his team won first place by one point.

“This is the second time I've won,” Fernandez said. “It’s great. The golf course is awesome, the people are awesome, I couldn't ask for anything better.”