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Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City recently hosted one of the most competitive match play events that deserves your attention.
While the golf world fixates on who will represent their side at this year's Presidents or Solheim Cup, something much more patriotic is hearing on July 4th. The best golfers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard will be competing for the Liberty Cup hosted by the Veteran’s Golf Association (VGA) from 3-5 p.m. in a made-for-TV event on Golf Channel.
Representing the Air Force is Captain Casey Lindo, a Force Development Analyst and former Division I golfer stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Lindo began his enthusiasm for golf the same way many do, as a young tag-a-long to a golf-obsessed parent. He took his first swings at 4 years old with his dad, but it was not until he was 12, following a disappointing outcome at a basketball try-out, that he seriously took up golf.
Casey Lindo improved his scoring average by nearly six strokes from his first year to his final season as a walk-on at North Carolina A&T.
Lindo found the First Tee of Charlotte, an organization he says was hugely impactful in growing his roots in competitive golf through access to tournaments, new equipment and a network of lifelong colleagues. In fact, Lindo credited Ian Bollinger at the First Tee of Greater Charlotte specifically for giving him his first Scotty Cameron putter, one he used for almost a decade.
Battling adversity was nothing new to Lindo. He passed on multiple Division II offers before successfully walking onto the golf team at North Carolina A&T University. Work ethic and drive are “two of the most important lessons” Lindo attributes to playing golf at a young age. Starting with used clubs and without country club access taught Lindo to play with a chip on his shoulder. That would pay off in rapid improvements throughout his career, ending his fourth season earning a scholarship as the top performer on his team.
Casey Lindo became a top performer for North Carolina AT&T before his senior year was cut short due to covid.
RELATED: John Smoltz on the hardest part about tournament golf and what golf should steal from baseball
Like so many, however, Captain Lindo describes his relationship with golf as a “rollercoaster.” His senior season was abruptly cut short due to COVID-19. Left unable to practice or socialize at the golf course, Lindo says life, not just his golf game, took a big hit.
After graduating with a degree in computer science in 2021, Lindo joined the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was soon commissioned and moved to Washington, D.C., where he lives now. It was during this post-undergraduate period when his golf game took off to new levels, thanks in part to the VGA.
The VGA hosts over 2,000 tournaments each year across the country for active duty, retirees, and honorably discharged members of the armed services. One of the association’s most prestigious national events is the Liberty Cup. The annual tournament is set up as a two-day Ryder Cup-style match-play event among the branches of the armed forces. Lindo calls the event one of the most exhilarating moments of his life. Sinking a long par putt to all but close out his second-day match, Lindo enthusiastically recounted the “atmosphere of playing in front of camera crews and decorated generals” as outdoing any pressure he faced in collegiate golf.
Casey Lindo seen representing the Air Force at the Liberty Cup at Liberty National.
RELATED: Golf talk with Urban Meyer, Niemann-Gate and should pro golf ditch Long Island?
Beyond its prestigious national titles like the Liberty Cup, the VGA is committed to improving the lives of its members through golf. Based on 2025 statistics, more than 80 percent of members reported improved mental health, and 87 percent recommended the VGA to other service members. The association also encourages families of service members to participate in events, creating a nationwide network of over 40,000 members.
Through the VGA, Lindo has had the opportunity to play local and nationwide tournaments with his father. They play in different handicap flights, but Lindo says this creates a true full circle moment as he spends his rounds “nervously checking” his father’s live scoring while he hits his own shots just a few holes away. Underlying each of Lindo’s anecdotes is a compassionate appreciation for his family. He credits his mother with introducing the game to his dad, who then taught it to him. He also has a profound adulation for his sister who he credits for his on-course competitiveness.
Casey Lindo teeing off during the PGA Works Collegiate Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Now one of the best players in the VGA network, Lindo credits his newfound confidence to his wife, Tashi. Lindo wins almost every event she comes to, he says. Tashi is one of his main motivators, often pushing him to practice and work hard even when he might not want to. It’s a good thing that she does, because Lindo says his ultimate dream in golf is to play in a professional event. The Air Force captain certainly has the drive, motivation and skillset to make it, and one thing we know for certain is not to bet against him, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the VGA.
Listen to podcast interviews we recorded with Smoltz and Meyer after their participation in the Liberty Cup pro-am here:Our chat with John SmoltzOur chat with Urban Meyer
Continue reading...
While the golf world fixates on who will represent their side at this year's Presidents or Solheim Cup, something much more patriotic is hearing on July 4th. The best golfers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard will be competing for the Liberty Cup hosted by the Veteran’s Golf Association (VGA) from 3-5 p.m. in a made-for-TV event on Golf Channel.
Representing the Air Force is Captain Casey Lindo, a Force Development Analyst and former Division I golfer stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Lindo began his enthusiasm for golf the same way many do, as a young tag-a-long to a golf-obsessed parent. He took his first swings at 4 years old with his dad, but it was not until he was 12, following a disappointing outcome at a basketball try-out, that he seriously took up golf.
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Casey Lindo improved his scoring average by nearly six strokes from his first year to his final season as a walk-on at North Carolina A&T.
Lindo found the First Tee of Charlotte, an organization he says was hugely impactful in growing his roots in competitive golf through access to tournaments, new equipment and a network of lifelong colleagues. In fact, Lindo credited Ian Bollinger at the First Tee of Greater Charlotte specifically for giving him his first Scotty Cameron putter, one he used for almost a decade.
Battling adversity was nothing new to Lindo. He passed on multiple Division II offers before successfully walking onto the golf team at North Carolina A&T University. Work ethic and drive are “two of the most important lessons” Lindo attributes to playing golf at a young age. Starting with used clubs and without country club access taught Lindo to play with a chip on his shoulder. That would pay off in rapid improvements throughout his career, ending his fourth season earning a scholarship as the top performer on his team.
You must be registered for see images attach
Casey Lindo became a top performer for North Carolina AT&T before his senior year was cut short due to covid.
RELATED: John Smoltz on the hardest part about tournament golf and what golf should steal from baseball
Like so many, however, Captain Lindo describes his relationship with golf as a “rollercoaster.” His senior season was abruptly cut short due to COVID-19. Left unable to practice or socialize at the golf course, Lindo says life, not just his golf game, took a big hit.
After graduating with a degree in computer science in 2021, Lindo joined the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was soon commissioned and moved to Washington, D.C., where he lives now. It was during this post-undergraduate period when his golf game took off to new levels, thanks in part to the VGA.
The VGA hosts over 2,000 tournaments each year across the country for active duty, retirees, and honorably discharged members of the armed services. One of the association’s most prestigious national events is the Liberty Cup. The annual tournament is set up as a two-day Ryder Cup-style match-play event among the branches of the armed forces. Lindo calls the event one of the most exhilarating moments of his life. Sinking a long par putt to all but close out his second-day match, Lindo enthusiastically recounted the “atmosphere of playing in front of camera crews and decorated generals” as outdoing any pressure he faced in collegiate golf.
You must be registered for see images attach
Casey Lindo seen representing the Air Force at the Liberty Cup at Liberty National.
RELATED: Golf talk with Urban Meyer, Niemann-Gate and should pro golf ditch Long Island?
Beyond its prestigious national titles like the Liberty Cup, the VGA is committed to improving the lives of its members through golf. Based on 2025 statistics, more than 80 percent of members reported improved mental health, and 87 percent recommended the VGA to other service members. The association also encourages families of service members to participate in events, creating a nationwide network of over 40,000 members.
Through the VGA, Lindo has had the opportunity to play local and nationwide tournaments with his father. They play in different handicap flights, but Lindo says this creates a true full circle moment as he spends his rounds “nervously checking” his father’s live scoring while he hits his own shots just a few holes away. Underlying each of Lindo’s anecdotes is a compassionate appreciation for his family. He credits his mother with introducing the game to his dad, who then taught it to him. He also has a profound adulation for his sister who he credits for his on-course competitiveness.
You must be registered for see images attach
Casey Lindo teeing off during the PGA Works Collegiate Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Now one of the best players in the VGA network, Lindo credits his newfound confidence to his wife, Tashi. Lindo wins almost every event she comes to, he says. Tashi is one of his main motivators, often pushing him to practice and work hard even when he might not want to. It’s a good thing that she does, because Lindo says his ultimate dream in golf is to play in a professional event. The Air Force captain certainly has the drive, motivation and skillset to make it, and one thing we know for certain is not to bet against him, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the VGA.
Listen to podcast interviews we recorded with Smoltz and Meyer after their participation in the Liberty Cup pro-am here:Our chat with John SmoltzOur chat with Urban Meyer
Continue reading...
