Session Three

Bandon Dunes - May/June 2026

Session Three is here! From May 26th to June 9th, five veterans will make their way to Bandon Dunes to start their caddie training journey together. Over the 14 day session, these veterans will learn the art of caddying while also having time to connect as a family and build a brotherhood similar to their time in the military.

The group will start their training at Bandon Crossings before moving over to Bandon Trails, Sheep Ranch & Old Mac at the world famous Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Introducing Our Session Three Class

Adam Sides

Adam Sides enlisted in the North Carolina National Guard in 1999 as a Field Artilleryman. After several years in the traditional guard, Adam transitioned into the Active Guard and Reserve program, serving on full time active duty. Over the course of his career he served in field artillery, communications, and combat engineering. Leading soldiers thought complex missions at home and abroad. Adam retired from active duty in 2024 after more than two decades of service.

Golf had been part of Adam’s life since he was young, though a 25 year military career pushed the game aside. Once retirement was approaching, Adam’s wife Dawn mentioned she might want to give golf a try. It became something they could start together, and Adam quickly rediscovered how much he loved the focus and patience the game demanded.

Today, Adam is the founder of 29 Sides, a consulting and coaching practice based in Hickory, North Carolina. Adam also volunteers his time supporting the veteran community and believes the transition out of military service is not an ending, but a clarification of purpose.

Adam currently lives in Conover, North Carolina with his wife Dawn, where they continue building the next chapter together.

Daniel Sutton

Daniel Sutton joined the United States Navy in 1996. Originally, Daniel was stationed in Hawaii with VP-9 as an airframer, where he completed three West Pacific deployments covering areas from the Middle East to Japan. Once complete with that, Daniel was then stationed at AIMD North Island in California. Following his active duty service, Daniel served for 8 years as a Seabee in the Navy Reserve where he did a deployment to Iraq.

Like many veterans, Daniel took to golf as a way to help cope with the difficulties of being home post deployment. Golf provided a sense of peace and purpose. Being on the course was never just about score, it was about being outdoors in nature and connecting with other veterans. Daniel quickly learned that he wasn’t the only one going through the struggles he was. Being able to share experience with other vets during a round of golf gave Daniel some comfort and reminded him he wasn’t alone. Daniel credits golf for creating opportunities to talk, support others and heal from the struggles he was going through.

Daniel is looking forward to his time with Loops Fore Troops, where he hopes to grow his love and understanding of the game of golf while connecting with fellow veterans along the way. Once home, his goal is to use golf as a way to support other veterans and help them find the same peace and sense of purpose the game has brought into his life.

Mark Tregarthen

Mark Tregarthen served in the U.S. Army from 2000–2004 as an Engineer, completing two tours in Korea and one in Iraq. During Mark’s second tour in Korea, he met his wife Jen, and the two married just before deploying in 2003. Mark originally planned to reenlist, but after Jen was injured during deployment and returned home for rehabilitation, Mark decided to shift his focus toward family and building their future together. After his service, Mark earned his degree in Environmental Engineering and carried with him the lessons and experiences from his time in the military.

Mark was first introduced to golf while deployed in Iraq, where fellow soldiers would hit golf balls near the airfield between missions. At the time, Mark didn’t fully understand the game’s appeal, but over the years golf became a major part of his life and an important outlet after service. The game provided peace, focus, and a way to quiet the weight many veterans carry after war. Today, Mark remains heavily involved in the golf community and serves as a Veteran Ambassador for Tee It Up for the Troops, where he first connected with Loops Fore Troops.

Mark and Jen eventually settled in Minnesota, where they are raising their two daughters, Terra and Alli. Alongside supporting fellow veterans, Mark has spent years coaching youth, high school, and American Legion baseball. For him, Loops Fore Troops represents another opportunity to give back, build community, and support others through the same game that has had such a meaningful impact on his own life.

Shawn Chaufty

Growing up in a family with a strong military background, Shawn always knew he wanted to follow in those footsteps. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1992 and completed recruit training at MCRD San Diego before beginning his career as a Heavy Equipment Operator in the engineering field. Over the course of his military career, Shawn served at multiple duty stations and took on leadership roles such as Training Center Color Sergeant and Engineer Chief at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center. Shawn later volunteered for recruiting duty, where he served in several leadership positions before joining the Wyoming Army National Guard in 2009 as a Counterintelligence Agent. After more than 20 years of military service, Shawn retired in 2015.

After retirement, Shawn turned his passion for golf into a career. Over the years, Shawn has worked throughout the golf industry as an Assistant Golf Professional, Head Golf Professional, Director of Instruction, and Master Club Fitter for Titleist, while also representing brands such as Mizuno Golf and Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO. Golf has given Shawn the opportunity to stay connected to community, competition, and the game he loves while spending time on some of the most beautiful courses in the world.

Shawn and his wife Sheri have been married for 30 years and together have raised two daughters, now 24 and 21. The family currently lives in Carmel, California, where they continue to enjoy life, family, and the game of golf together.

Taylor Johnson

Taylor Johnson enlisted in the United States Army in 2005 after an unexpected conversation with two police officers while working at a local QuikTrip. From 2005–2009, Taylor served as a 13 Bravo, Cannon Crewmember, in Field Artillery. During his time in the Army, Taylor completed two combat deployments to Iraq, including operations in southern Iraq and outside the Green Zone in Baghdad.

After returning home to Dallas, Taylor pursued a degree in Aviation Science and built a career in aviation maintenance and avionics engineering before transitioning into quality control within the aviation industry. As Taylor worked through post-combat anxiety and PTSD, he began exploring new hobbies and eventually found golf through a neighbor who encouraged him to give the game a try. One memorable shot was all it took for Taylor to fall in love with golf, and over the past few years the game has become both a passion and an important outlet in his life. Taylor now enjoys being part of the golf community across the DFW area and helping others discover the game for themselves.

Today, Taylor and his wife Ellie are building a life together in Mesquite, Texas, where they enjoy creating homemade wines, candles, and custom wood and resin furniture. Taylor is excited for the opportunity to join Loops Fore Troops, learn the art of caddying, and continue giving back through the game and community that have meant so much to him.

Session Sponsors

From all of us at Loops Fore Troops, we want to thank our session title sponsors: Storm King, Tee It Up for the Troops and Lockton. From day one, Storm King has been a believer in our mission and we can’t thank them enough for all their support! After the success of our first session, Tee It Up for the Troops and Lockton have both graciously stepped in to help make sure our second and third sessions would be as successful as the first.

Session Location

We would like to also thank our host locations: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort & Bandon Crossings Golf Course who have graciously opened up their tee sheet and facilities to help further our mission. Our veterans will have the chance to play each course before they tackle it with a golfer. The Bandon Dunes caddies have showed an overwhelming interest in volunteering to be the players for our veterans. Their local knowledge and caddie experience will play a vital role as they will give valuable feedback to our veterans during and after the round.

Yardage Book Sponsor
StrackaLine

StrackaLine, The #1 Book (Yardage Books and Greens Guides) in golf since 2007 has graciously donated yardage books for each course that our veterans will navigate. To further their support for our mission, StrackaLine is offering all our followers and supporters a 20% discount if you use our code “LOOPSFORETROOPS” at checkout.

Clothing Sponsor
Travis Mathew

All of our veterans will hit the course in style with a full kit from Travis Mathew. We can’t thank Travis Mathew enough for stepping in to help make sure we’re all looking good on and off the course!

Other Brands Helping Us Out

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Loops Fore Troops is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

Tax ID 93-2779516