IT'S BEEN a decade since Jeff Julian, the pride of the Upper Valley, marched courageously down the PGA Tour's fairways for the last time.

The Vermont pro, who often played at Hanover Country Club, had been diagnosed in October 2001 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the fatal neurodegenerative disorder better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Starting at Pebble Beach the following February, Julian played in seven PGA Tour events on sponsor exemptions, raising ALS awareness and cultivating legions of admirers.

During the 2003 Masters, the Golf Writers Association of America recognized Julian with its Ben Hogan Award, given annually to an individual who has continued to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. A little more than a year later, Julian died at 42.

Julian provided formidable inspiration in the fight against ALS, even after his passing. Driving 4 Life, the ALS research fund-raising initiative he helped launch at the 2003 U.S. Open, raised about $9 million in four years.

Julian's wife, Kim, was instrumental in that effort, working in Cambridge, Mass., as a Driving 4 Life director for a little more than two years after Jeff's death. Since then, she has continued seeking to bring about good from tragedy, most notably by penning a memoir intended to help caregivers facing circumstances similar to those she confronted.

Married to Jeff for only eight months when he was diagnosed, Kim writes about their journey together in “Golf Widow,” which she self-published last summer. Although golf features prominently in the couple's story, the game takes a back seat to real life in the memoir, a compelling read that's available at Amazon.com.

A first-time author, Kim recounts how in 2000 she met Jeff at a tournament in her native Missouri, fell in love with him and as a newlywed caddied for him during the 2001 PGA Tour season. But she devotes most of her writing to Jeff's ALS battle, candidly describing her emotions during the ordeal and sparing few ugly details of her husband's diagnosis and demise.

“The whole purpose for writing the memoir was to tell the story, be honest about it and really give people an idea of what it's like to not only care for someone with ALS, but as with any terminal illness, what you go through and the feelings that you have,” Kim said in a recent interview. “So many people just can't be honest about those feelings.”

Writing the book helped Kim process her loss, but she had another important objective.

“I wanted to make a difference for someone else,” she said.

While giving readers insight into Jeff's fun-loving personality, impetuous ways and the happiness the couple shared during their whirlwind courtship and early months of marriage, the book reveals the golfer's essential humanity, warts and all. Without diminishing Jeff's bravery and good humor as he faced his mortality, Kim paints a realistic portrait that doesn't gloss over times he was selfish or inconsiderate.

During Jeff's illness, Kim struck up a friendship with Marsha Edwards, the wife of Bruce Edwards, Tom Watson's longtime caddie who also had ALS (and would perish just a few months before Julian). Recalling in the book how much she valued the relationship, Kim poignantly reveals the conflicting emotions Jeff's plight conjured within her. “I could tell her how much I loved Jeff and, at times, how much I hated him,” she wrote.

Nearly eight years after his death, Jeff's legacy continues to make an impact. Motivated by her experiences during his illness, Kim went back to school and earned a psychology degree. Having recently returned to Missouri, the 42-year-old eventually hopes to become a bereavement counselor.

And here in New Hampshire, the 2012 Julian Cup tournament will celebrate Jeff's essence. A one-day, Ryder Cup-style event between teams of 12 top male and female high-school golfers representing New Hampshire and Vermont, the Julian Cup will stage its 14th annual renewal on June 28 at the Country Club of New Hampshire.

While offering young golfers a chance to compete — something Julian always relished — the tournament also seeks to educate them through related activities such as its annual screening of “Courage on the Fairways,” an hourlong TV special highlighting the lives of Julian and Edwards.

“There's a strong emphasis on Jeff and who he is,” said Scott Peters, who runs the tournament in memory of Julian, his longtime friend. “Although the golf is important, we try to put it in perspective of the big picture.”

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THROUGH THE GREEN: Hanover's Peter Williamson, a Dartmouth senior, won the individual crown at the Princeton Invitational last Sunday, shooting 71-70-67. The Big Green finished sixth in the 14-team field. ... Keene's Chelso Barrett, 17, finished tied for sixth last Sunday at the Terra Cotta Invitational, a prestigious amateur tournament in Naples, Fla. Barrett shot 75-72-70 and finished five strokes behind winner Donald Constable of Deephaven, Minn. ... The NHGA opens its season with back-to-back tournaments at Kingswood — the Tournament of Club Champions on May 12 and the Spring Four-Ball on May 13. Entries for the former event, open to current male club champions or senior club champions at NHGA member clubs, close May 6, and entries for the latter close May 7. ... The Golf Club of New England is seeking volunteers for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. New Hampshire's first U.S. Golf Association national championship will visit the Stratham club July 16-21. Information is available at golfclubne.com.

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Mike Cullity's column on New Hampshire golf appears weekly during the golf season in the New Hampshire Sunday News. E-mail him at mcullity@unionleader.com.