Former professional golfer and Wilton resident Greg “Jake” Jacobson recently teamed up with the Salem Golf Club to host The Jake 2014, a golf tournament to benefit the fight against multiple sclerosis, a disabling illness Jacobson has been battling since 2007. The Jake 2014 was held Sept. 29, at the Salem Golf Club, in North Salem, NY.
Recently, Jacobson and tournament chair for “The Jake 2014,” Mike Reilly, presented a check for $22,265 to the president of the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, Lisa Gerrol.
Jacobson served as captain of the golf team while attending Williams College in Williamstown, MA. From 1982 to 1984 Jacobson earned a spot as a professional tour player on the Space Coast Mini-Tour. After regaining his amateur status, he was a fixture for more than 20 years at the Ridgefield Golf Club. He won numerous RGC championships and, in 1995, shot a course record of 67. A regular competitor in Connecticut State Golf Association (CSGA) tournaments, Jacobson played in many Connecticut opens, amateur and mid-amateur competitions. In 1981, he was named an NCAA Golf All-American.
However, in 2011 Jacobson’s golf career came to an abrupt halt when, after years of baffling symptoms that increasingly limited his physical capabilities, he was officially diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis, a debilitating form of the disease in which individuals lose more and more motor function over time.
Next year’s golf tournament, “The Jake 2015”, will be held on September 29 at Salem Golf Club in North Salem, NY.
The Jake golf fundraising franchise exclusively raises money to support the effort to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis as well as fund vital services for MS sufferers in Connecticut. Golf fundraisers organized and managed by The Jake include the annual marquee golf tournament “The Jake” as well as the “Jake For Jake Golf Marathon” for high school golfers at Mahopac Golf Club, and “Jake’s Summer Shootout & Barbeque” at Ridgefield Golf Club.