Not every memorable moment in a golfer’s journey takes place on the course. Some of the most special memories come from time spent with family and friends off the green. Even more meaningful are the bonds forged through giving back. Golf legends Gary Player and his wife embodied this through The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation, which supports underprivileged children by focusing on education, health, and housing. Similarly, Jordan Spieth and his wife have established the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation to support four philanthropic causes close to their hearts. Following their lead, American professional golfer Joel Isaac Dahmen recently launched a heartfelt initiative of his own.

Joel Dahmen announced the creation of the Dahmen Family Foundation, sharing the news by reposting the foundation’s first Instagram announcement on his story. He wrote, “Something close to Lona and I, and excited to kick it off after a few years of growth and giving to what matters.”

The announcement featured the first post from the Dahmen Family Foundation’s official Instagram account. The post included a heartwarming image of Joel Dahmen, his wife Lona, their son Riggs, and their pet dog. Overlaid on the image was the text, “This is us. Joel, Lona, Riggs, and Baby.” Joel and Lona are expecting their second child soon. The caption read, “On behalf of Joel and Lona (Riggs too, of course), we are excited to start this journey of helping families and kids across the country achieve things they didn’t think they could. Thanks for joining us along the way and we can’t wait to share what goes on behind the scenes at the DFF.”

According to Dahmen’s website, the foundation focuses on two primary areas: supporting cancer patients and their families, and nurturing small-town golf communities. This mission is deeply personal for Joel Dahmen, as cancer has touched his life profoundly.

Joel himself battled testicular cancer in 2011, a diagnosis he recognized quickly since his brother Zach had faced the same illness two years prior. Writing in The Players’ Tribune, Joel shared, “I knew right away what it was. My brother, Zach, was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years earlier, and I remember he had a similar experience.” Adding to this, Joel’s mother suffered and ultimately passed away from pancreatic cancer. These profound experiences played a significant role in inspiring the creation of the Dahmen Family Foundation.

While Joel Dahmen is committed to giving back, his golf career faced significant challenges. In 2025, he competed in 26 PGA Tour events but did not secure a win. He came close at the Corales Puntacana Championship, finishing T2 with rounds of 62-66-71-76. He also earned top-10 finishes at the Mexico Open and the Farmers Insurance Open. However, overall, his performance has fallen short of expectations so far.

The American golfer missed the cut in 15 events throughout the year. This included six consecutive missed cuts from the Zurich Classic in April through the Rocket Classic in June. His results in tournaments where he did make the cut also failed to produce top-10 finishes. Well, these constant missed cuts made Joel Dahmen make a change.

Top Stories

Brandel Chamblee Calls Out Special Treatment of Jordan Spieth & Rickie Fowler During PGA Tour Events

Charlie Woods Matches 34-Year-Old Tiger Woods Record Despite Turbulent Year

Amanda Balionis Opens Up as Her Golf Initiative Nears 5-Year Milestone

LIV Golf Signs a Deal With PGA Tour’s 20-Year-Long Partner in Another Shocking Move

Tiger Woods’ Treatment of Caddies Set Him Apart from PGA Tour Rivals, Confesses Steve Williams

Joel Dahmen changed his caddie in the hope of improving his game

Joel Dahmen announced his split from longtime caddie Geno Bonnalie in July 2025. The duo had worked together for over a decade, spanning Dahmen’s Korn Ferry Tour days and his rise on the PGA Tour. Dahmen has described the split as a difficult but necessary personal decision focused on his mindset and taking ownership of his performance. “I needed to take ownership of what I was doing,” Dahmen explained. “It was my mentality. So a way for me to do it was as simple as just playing golf on my own a little bit.”

After parting ways with Bonnalie, Dahmen’s longtime swing coach Rob Rashell stepped in as his temporary caddie. Rashell has been involved with Dahmen’s career in a coaching role for about nine years. This caddie change came at a crucial time as Dahmen fights to retain his PGA Tour card during a highly competitive season with challenging cuts. Meanwhile, Geno Bonnalie has moved on to work for Isaiah Salinda and continues to be a well-known figure on Tour, partly due to his popularity from Netflix’s “Full Swing” series.

Through the Dahmen Family Foundation, Joel and Lona Dahmen are focusing their energy on causes that matter deeply to them. Despite the ups and downs in his playing career, Joel’s commitment to helping families and children ensures his legacy extends well beyond the leaderboard.