It just became a little easier for mobility-impaired wounded warriors and veterans who play at the American Lake VA golf course to work on their putting skills.

Course officials dedicated a mini nine-hole putting green in a ceremony Sept. 17 aimed at honoring prisoners of war and soldiers who remain missing in action. The new green features a flagpole in the center of the course that will fly the POW/MIA flag.

Prior to the new clubhouse being built, the spot had been the location of a temporary trailer used to house course operations offices.

"This (area) just kind of fell into disrepair," said Course Manager Bruce McKenty. "The whole back of this was pretty much an eyesore. I thought, ‘We have this big beautiful building here and another one over here, and we have this ugliness in between ... . We need something different.'"

While pondering what to do with the area, McKenty and his wife went on vacation to Hawaii. During a stroll down a walkway near their hotel village, McKenty stumbled upon an 18-hole mini putting course built between hotels.

"I said, ‘Wow look at that. We're going to go back and build one of these,'" he said.

Designed and constructed completely by the course's all-volunteer staff, the flat green was set up with mobility-impaired golfers in mind.

The mini course gives those in specialized golf carts another option when it comes to warming up since the regular nearby practice putting green is more difficult to navigate.

Course volunteer Cindy Schuckenbrock and a host of others helped cultivate the area and pave the way for the groundskeepers to set up the layout.

"To me, it seemed overwhelming at first to look at it and think that it wasn't going to get done," said Schuckenbrock, who started volunteering at the course about two months ago. "It was just all grass and weeds. Some parts weren't even done until about a week ago."

However, the two months Schuckenbrock spent working on the course went by fast and has inspired her to spread the word about volunteering to help at the course.

"The more I come out here the more I really enjoy it," she said. "I like seeing the end result."