08/25/2026
It was the summer of 1991 when Golfmaster’s Driving Range opened for its first season.
Elmer and Carole Abbas turned part of their property, which had been a cornfield, into a driving range.
What began as a way for Elmer to fill his summers off from his role as a special education teacher, became an extension of his classroom and, in many ways, his ministry.
Elmer taught people about golf, but he also taught them about life and Jesus. Sometimes the most meaningful moments at Golfmaster’s had very little to do with golf at all. For nearly three decades, a picnic table sat out on the range. It became a sacred space for conversation, encouragement, rest, and prayer. At Elmer’s funeral, several people shared stories of hours spent at that table, being counseled through difficult seasons of life or discipled in their walk with God.
As Elmer spent countless hours mowing the land and picking up golf balls, he prayed over the property and for the people who would come there. Over the years, we have heard many people say, “There is just something peaceful about this place.” We believe that peace is evidence of years of prayer and the presence of God.
Golfmaster’s has also been a place where we have experienced the incredible support of the Buffalo community. When Elmer and Carole’s home burned down in January 2014, the community rallied around them. And when Elmer passed away in June 2024, people once again stepped in, this time helping keep the driving range running.
For the past two seasons, Carole has carried Golfmaster’s forward. She put her own fingerprints on the place, painting the old corn crib, investing in a new ball dispenser, and finding ways to bring new technology and efficiency to a business that had been run much the same way for decades. Elmer would be incredibly proud of everything Carole has done to continue his legacy and keep the range open for the community.
For some, Golfmaster’s has been a place to learn the game. For others, a place to gather with friends and family. And for others, it has simply been a place of solace, a quiet place to step away from the busyness of life and hit a bucket of balls.
As one of the kids who grew up at the driving range, I learned math by counting back change to customers, painted crosses on golf balls, and learned to drive by picking up balls. Most importantly, I watched my parents use the business to bless others and glorify God.
Now, after 35 summers with the Abbas family, Golfmaster’s is entering a new season. It is bittersweet to see this chapter close.
A new family will be taking ownership of Golfmaster’s Driving Range, and they have the opportunity to steward this land, carry forward its legacy, and continue creating a place for the community to gather. We are excited to see what the Bullock family does with this special place.
To every person who has hit a bucket of balls, sat at that picnic table, helped during a difficult season, shared a story, offered a prayer, or simply supported Golfmaster’s over these past 35 years:
Thank you for being part of the story.
Here’s to the next chapter of Golfmaster’s Driving Range. ❤️⛳
