Golf Pro Dave Stockton to Visit Kodiak for Fundraiser

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

An award-winning golfer turned golf instructor is coming to Kodiak.

Dave Stockton has won multiple PGA Tour tournaments and, at 75, is now imparting the tricks of the trade to other golfers.

Stockton also throws a fundraiser into the mix every once in a while.

While in Alaska, he’ll drop by both Homer and Kodiak to do fundraising events.

One of the causes is nonprofit Kodiak Teen Court, which forms a peer-to-peer justice system and teaches students to fulfill courtroom roles.

Stockton says he learned about the local need from the sister of Teen Court’s Executive Director. He explains they met on a cruise a few years back and became good friends.

“She knew that I love to hunt and fish, and so we started talking about it, and my wife has relatives that live in Homer, Alaska. And we’ve been there before, coming off dall sheep hunts and stopped in Homer and everything, so this just gave us a chance to add Kodiak, which I’ve never seen.”

Stockton says he’s “fired up” to visit the island and help a local cause, especially one for kids.

Teen Court executive director Darlene Turner is equally happy about Stockton’s visit.

“And these really famous golfers now he’s their coach for short game. The short game is like shifting and putting and sand traps and those kinds of things. That’s his specialty. He’s like the guru of the short game of golf, which is those kinds of things and I’m so excited to have him here, it’s just gonna be a blast.”

Turner says the funds they raise will mainly go toward training and travel costs.

The event, called the Short Game Golf Clinic will be July 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Bear Valley Golf Course. It’ll include dinner and a meet and greet.