Announcement made during Trophee Hassan II and Lalla Meryem Cup Tournaments
Rabat, Morocco (April 27, 2019) – Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and First Tee announced today they are partnering to bring character-building programs to Morocco. First Tee of Morocco will become the fifth international First Tee and first on the continent of Africa. The announcement was made at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Morocco today by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and First Tee President Greg McLaughlin. McLaughlin joined Golf Channel’s Morning Drive this past Saturday for the announcement.
First Tee has been in existence for 22 years, primarily in the United States, and has grown to approximately 150 chapters and over 1,200 program locations including four international (Canada, Japan, Korea and Mexico) chapters.
“Through this partnership, we hope to introduce more young Moroccans to the game of golf while developing their confidence, life skills and values,” said His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid. “My desire is to enhance the sport’s public perception, encourage greater openness to the larger public, and ultimately create opportunities for the emergence of an elite golfer able to hoist our flag high in international competitions.”
“Morocco has become an important part of the global golf community and is an excellent place to introduce First Tee programs to children in Africa,” said McLaughlin. “I have been impressed by the commitment and passion for the game during my visit here, and trust this will be a longstanding partnership for the benefit for the Moroccan community.”
First Tee programs will be offered at the Royal Dar Es Salam and other locations. Coaches will be provided with formal training from First Tee’s well-established and highly regarded program.
About Royal Moroccan Golf Federation
Founded on March 12th of 1960 the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation’s role is to ensure, as an authority, the smooth running of the golf practice in Morocco.
Beyond the organization, administration, management and development of amateur and professional golf in Morocco, it has a representative role, for sports associations or affiliated clubs, both nationally and internationally.
Since January 2018, the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid.
One of the main strategy direction is to broaden the base by encouraging the golf clubs all around the Kingdom to an aggressive policy of integration of young people of all social categories with as a priority, the respect of their schooling.
About First Tee
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its beginning in 1997, First Tee has expanded to reach millions of young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and at other youth-serving locations. Its headquarters are in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, with programs in all 50 United States and select international locations.
Media Contacts:
Jane Fader, First Tee, [email protected], 904-940-4330 (U.S.)
Ghizlane Haloui, Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, +212 661 112 206
Four winners will attend the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C.
New Orleans – April 8, 2019 – Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and The First Tee today announced the 2019 winners of the Succeeding TogetherSM essay contest. Wells Fargo created the national contest specifically for the 30,000+ teenage participants of The First Tee®, a youth development organization dedicated to helping kids build character through the game of golf. The contest asked eligible participants of The First Tee to reflect on their personal journeys for success including their application of The First Tee’s Nine Core Values.
Kobe Narcisse, 14, from the First Tee of Greater New Orleans, was named the grand prize winner and will play in the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship Pro-Am with a PGA TOUR golfer on May 1, 2019. Narcisse has been involved in The First Tee for seven years. A freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School in Gretna, Narcisse plays on the school’s football team and has plans to pursue playing collegiate golf.
“We’re excited to have one of the winners of Wells Fargo’s Succeeding Together contest from here in New Orleans,” said Nick Carey, marketing manager at Wells Fargo. “It was heart-warming to hear all of the wonderful stories that the contest participants shared through their essays. Wells Fargo believes when our communities thrive, we are all successful. We should all take great pride in the achievements of these young people and the leadership they have shown — in the classroom, on the golf course, and in our communities.”
Narcisse was one of four winners selected by a panel of judges from Wells Fargo, The First Tee, and the Wells Fargo Championship tournament office from the written submissions. Nadia Kimbrough, 15, from The First Tee of Indiana; Bailey O’Donnell, 17, from The First Tee of Fort Worth; and Pierce Robinson, 18, from The First Tee of the Foothills (North Carolina) were named the first prize winners and will receive a four-day/three-night trip for two to Charlotte, N.C., to attend the Wells Fargo Championship and experience the excitement of a PGA TOUR event from inside the ropes.
In 2015, Wells Fargo deepened its relationship with The First Tee by becoming a national Trustee and further supporting the organization, its participants and volunteers – recognizing that little by little, we can join together to make a huge difference in the lives of so many kids.
More information about Wells Fargo’s Succeeding Together community program and the contest is located at: http://www.succeedingtogether.org.
About Wells Fargo
Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,800 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com). Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. With approximately 259,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In 2018, Wells Fargo donated more than $444 million to nearly 11,000 nonprofits in support of affordable housing, small business growth, financial education, and sustainability, among other community needs. For 10 consecutive years, Wells Fargo has held the honor of No. 1 in workplace giving by United Way Worldwide. Wells Fargo team members also make a difference by donating more than 2 million hours of volunteer time in the last year. News, insights and more information on the company’s corporate responsibility are available at Wells Fargo Stories.
About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. With its home office at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, The First Tee reaches young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and at other youth-serving locations.
Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has grown its network to deliver programs in all 50 United States. Each year, The First Tee brings character education through the game of golf to more than 5 million young people. The First Tee’s Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Southern Company is its Education Patron. Former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair. The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501c3.
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At The First Tee, we strive to provide kids with opportunities that will not only improve their skills in golf but also put them on a path to succeed in life. Like many alumni of The First Tee, these type of opportunities have impacted 22-year-old Elsa Diaz in a big way. An alumna from The First Tee of Greater San Antonio, Elsa joined the program at the age of nine and quickly found a golf family who prepared her for the experience she is about to begin.
Currently playing college golf at the University of Richmond, Elsa recently received an exemption to play in the Kingsmill Championship, a LPGA Tour event. We asked her to tell us about her time at The First Tee and how she is preparing for this unforgettable opportunity.
Elsa Diaz, alumna from The First Tee of Greater San Antonio, chaperoning at the 2017 Joe Louis Barrow Jr. Life Skills & Leadership Academy
Tell us about your time in The First Tee
I started at The First Tee of Greater San Antonio when I was nine years old and it became a second home for me and my two older siblings, Sara and Adolfo, until we graduated from the program. When I think about my time at The First Tee, I remember it as a place of opportunity, friendships, a playground and where we could dream big.
The First Tee gave my family and me opportunities that we could’ve never imagined experiencing anywhere else. Both my sister and I played alongside PGA TOUR Champions players at PURE Insurance Open at Pebble Beach on separate occasions. I never thought I would, but I got a chance to meet my golfing idols: Annika Sörenstam and Lorena Ochoa.
With all these opportunities my siblings and I had the chance to explore so many different parts of life and learned more about ourselves and who we wanted to be in the future. The First Tee was a place where I loved to be because it was a place where I could be myself but also grow as a person while having fun. We learned life lessons through the game of golf and formed new friendships through every session, even during the two-hand touch football games we would play after classes. The First Tee was a place that let me be a kid full of joy a laughter and I will forever be grateful that this program is part of my life.
How did The First Tee prepare you for your time in college and in playing college golf?
The national opportunities The First Tee offers, like going to leadership academies and player forums, are the experiences that better prepared me for college and college golf. Having the chance to travel somewhere new without your parents and meet participants from across the country made me a more open-minded individual and I always felt a sense of growth after I came home. When I came to college, I found it easy to make new friends and the challenge of being so far away from home did not seem as hard because of those core principles I had been taught through my parents and the program.
The national opportunities also taught me that when we have a dream, a goal, or an opportunity presented to us we should chase after it. I remember the day my program director told me about The First Tee Speed Golf Championship and told me that I should attempt it. I trained for the event as much as I could and was flown to Richmond, Virginia to compete in the championship. Little did I know I would end up winning the event, have a college coach watch me win it and later offer me a full four-year golf scholarship to the University of Richmond! I accepted it and have spent the last four years earning my business marketing degree, and have been having the time of my life.
Going into the Kingsmill Championship, what do you hope to gain and experience from this opportunity?
During the Kingsmill Championship, I hope to gain experience and knowledge on how it feels to play next to the best women golfers in the world. I can’t wait to know what that adrenaline and excitement will feel like and to finally be competing in the dream that I so long ago envisioned when I was 15 years old. Playing in this event will let me know where my strengths and weaknesses are so that I can compete, join them on tour, and play against the best in the world. I am very excited because it’s going to be a test of my character and mental game. I know its going to be hard to keep the excitement and nerves down, but hopefully, as soon I hit that first shot I’ll remember all those lessons from The First Tee I learned so long ago.
What are your future career and golf goals?
My future career and golf goals is to play full time on the LPGA Tour. Now that I have completed my education at the University of Richmond, I have my mind set on becoming a full time golfer, grow the game, especially women golf, and serve as a representative of brands and organizations.
If you could give one piece of advice to participants at The First Tee hoping to pursue a college golf, what would it be?
One piece of advice that I would give a The First Tee participant who is pursuing college golf would be to dream big and in the pursuit of doing it try everything the program has to offer. I think The First Tee does a great job of focusing on making us well-rounded individuals, not just golfers. They teach us that giving back is actually a benefit to ourselves, to excel in academics, choosing healthy habits, improving our social skills and most importantly how to dream and set goals. Even if it’s not golf-related, there is so much the program can give you that you can later apply to your own golf game. It seems to me that even though I am a golfer and I am playing golf, it was all the life lessons I learned while not playing golf that got me where I am headed to today.
JOIN THE FAMILY
Are you an alumnus of The First Tee? Join our Alumni Network to stay up to date on career opportunities, The First Tee events and chances to share your story, like Elsa.
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GET INVOLVED
With more than 1,200 locations, The First Tee offers programs to youth from all backgrounds—no golf experience needed! If you know a young person who has an interest in golf, visit our location map to find a local chapter!
FIND A LOCATION
It’s an opportunity many only ever dream about: playing Augusta National Golf Club. Five of The First Tee participants have realized that dream, earning invitations to compete in the fifth annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, held at the famed golf course. This year’s competition will take place on Sunday, April 1, prior to the start of the Masters Tournament.
The First Tee is represented by all females at the 2018 Drive, Chip, & Putt finals:
Participant
Chapter
Division
Raylee Bosley
The First Tee of Greater Houston
Girls 7-9
Danica Lundgren
The First Tee of Greater Austin
Girls 10-11
Allyn Stephens
The First Tee of Greater Houston
Girls 12-13
Elise Deschaine
The First Tee of Greater Portland
Girls 14-15
Megha Ganne
The First Tee of Metropolitan New York
Girls 14-15
Elise Deschaine qualifies for the Drive, Chip, & Putt finals – Watch her story on Golf Channel
A joint initiative by the Masters Tournament, the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the PGA of America, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is a free, nationwide youth golf development initiative open to girls and boys ages 7-15 – competing in separate divisions in four age categories. The competition focuses on the three fundamental skills employed in golf and taps the creative and competitive spirit of young golfers.
Competing in the National Championship is no easy task. The road to Augusta began with local qualifying in May, June, and July, held at more than 260 sites throughout the United States. The top three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys and girls divisions, advanced to 50 subregional qualifiers in July and August. Two juniors in each age and gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October.
The top finisher from each regional site’s age/gender divisions – a total of 80 finalists – earned a place in the National Finals, which will be broadcast live on Golf Channel.
Junior Golf Programs Through The First Tee
Founded by golf’s governing bodies—the LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA—The First Tee has been changing the sport of golf for more than 20 years. By making the game fun, inclusive and affordable, The First Tee has introduced golf to more than 15 million kids since 1997, changing their lives along the way. More than 1,000 PGA & LPGA teaching professionals and 25,000 volunteers work together to empower and teach kids The First Tee’s Nine Core Values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy and Judgment.
Find a location near you
Alumnus Kyle DiGiacobbe from The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia
For many alumni of The First Tee, golf is more than a game. It’s an opporunity to meet new people and experience new things. Alumnus Kyle DiGiacobbe tells us firsthand how the sport has impacted his life, from his career to his friends.
In His Words:
“I was always involved in golf as a kid, playing at the club with my dad on afternoons, and caddying on weekends. When caddying for him, John MacDonald, now retired executive director of The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, asked me to come down and check out his new facility and The First Tee. I quickly became involved after my first visit, seeing the learning center as a great place to hit balls and practice in the winter, plus meet new kids who were my age and who played golf.Through The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, I not only met numerous golfers, lifelong friends who I still communicate with, but also had my eyes opened to the golf industry as more than just the PGA TOUR on TV. I was selected to attend two golf and leadership academies hosted by The First Tee, chosen to play in The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, and selected to attend the Future Leaders Forum.Kyle and Beau Zastrow at his wedding
making lifelong friends
I have friends who I met at these events who I still talk to today, almost 10 years later, and have seen them be successful in golf and life. Beau Zastrow, who I roomed with at one of the academies, asked me to be a groomsman in his wedding. We also get together once a year, from across the country, when he can get time off from being a police officer. Kelsey Berg, who I met and keep in touch with, is a Marketing Director with FootJoy and I see yearly at the PGA Show. AJ Newell and I played a practice round at Pebble Beach and still keep in touch with via social media. She just earned status on the LPGA Tour.
Working in the Golf Industry
After these experiences in high school, I knew I wanted a life and career in golf. I moved to Florida for college and tried to walk on to the golf team, but it did not work out. So instead, I got a job at the course next to my university Gand worked there for four years. During college, I was able to secure a USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Internship with the Pennsylvania Golf Association for the summers of 2012 and 2013, and loved the tournament administration side of the golf business. Following the internship, I was hired in July 2013 by the Florida State Golf Association(FSGA). Now in my fifth season with the FSGA, I am the Director of Men’s Golf, charged with conducting state championship, junior tournaments, USGA qualifiers and numerous other events.I never thought caddying at 12 and 13 years old would lead to a life where I spend every day surrounded by golf, get to be on a golf course 3 to 5 days a week, and have lifelong friends that I made through this great sport.”
GIVE BACK AND GET INVOLVED
Looking for ways to stay involved with The First Tee after you leave the program? Join The First Tee Alumni Network for a variety of opportunities to network and build your career.
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At The First Tee, core values like perseverance and confidence are key in not only teaching golf but the life skills that come with it. These two values are no stranger to nineteen-year-old Norman Xiong. An alumnus of The First Tee of San Diego, Norman joined the program at the age of five when his family moved to the states from Guam to pursue Norman’s passion for the game. Norman’s hard work paid off as he recently played in the Farmers Insurance Open after being granted an exemption to play in the PGA TOUR event.
Participants of The First Tee of San Diego wish Norman luck before The Farmers Insurance Open
We asked Norman, who is currently playing college golf at the University of Oregon, to tell us about his time at The First Tee and what it was like to play in the PGA tournament.
1) Tell us about your time at The First Tee.
I started at the First Tee at the age of 6. The program became a second home for me as I grew through elementary school. It was a place I could go and learn about myself, others, do my homework, and learn many life skills early in life. It’s also a place I’ve met some of my best friends. For example, I met Donald Kay in Par class when I was 6 years old. Now 13 years later, Donald and I are roommates and play together at Oregon. I can say without a doubt that my life has been greatly improved because of The First Tee program.
2) Did Your experience at The First Tee influence your decision to play college golf?
Growing up at The First Tee, college was always something I knew I would do. There was talk with people around golf that I may just turn pro after high school. But I always knew college was something I wanted to experience.
My situation starting at Oregon was unique. I graduated high school early and began at Oregon mid-school year. It was a tough transition to begin something as new as college when all the other freshmen were already in the rhythm of things. During these challenges, I relied even more on the life skills I learned at The First Tee. Skills like meeting someone new, goal setting, and time management were all key in making the transition as smooth as possible.
I absolutely love being a Duck and going to school at Oregon. Going there was the perfect decision for me and I’m still not done learning.
Norman Xiong, student and college golfer, University of Oregon
3) What were your thoughts going into the Farmers Insurance Open and playing at such a professional level?
My family had a goal for me to play in one PGA TOUR event before I considered turning pro. Hearing that I got into the Farmers Insurance Open and my first PGA TOUR event would be in my hometown was something I still can’t believe happened. Especially with the ties with charitable giving from the Farmers and The First Tee of San Diego.
My biggest goals for the event were to have fun, gain experience, and see where I needed to improve my game to be eventually ready for the PGA TOUR. Just like I prepared for college well ahead of time, preparing for the PGA TOUR is something I want to equally be ready for. The Farmers in a sense was like visiting colleges in high school. To see how it looked and felt so I could become comfortable early.
4) Do you have any advice for participants at The First Tee who want to pursue college golf and/or play at the professional level?
The biggest bit of advice I would have for anyone who wants to pursue college golf is the importance of school. I was around a lot of talented golfers who thought their golf game would make it so their grades were not as important. Unfortunately, they learned the hard way that what you do in the classroom is equally weighted as what you do on the golf course. Those golfers, unfortunately, didn’t get to go to their dream schools.
For their golf game, I would always stress to enjoy the game, not the rewards. At the end of the day it’s a game, and you’ll never be your best if you don’t love it.
Join the Family
Are you an alumni of The First Tee? Join our Alumni Network to stay up to date on career opportunities, The First Tee events and chances to share your story, like Norman.
Get Involved
With more than 1,200 locations, The First Tee offers programs to youth from all backgrounds—no golf experience needed! If you know a young person who has an interest in golf, visit our location map to find a local chapter!
Find a Location
How do youth at The First Tee grow up to be leaders and positive influences in their community? It starts with positive youth development. Developing leaders requires recognizing and enhancing young people’s strengths. That’s what The First Tee is all about. We use golf a way to create supportive and positive environments needed to build on those strengths. Through opportunities and positive mentoring relationships, youth today become leaders of tomorrow.
Alumni, like 21-year-old Luke Shrestha from The First Tee of Fresno, amaze us with their talents and accomplishments. Luke shares in his own way how his chapter helped him become the person he is today.
Luke’s Leadership Journey
Luke Shrestha, alumnus, The First Tee of Fresno
When I first joined The First Tee of Fresno around the age of 10, I was a super shy kid that would be more likely to look at the ground than look someone in the eyes. I didn’t know how to introduce myself to another person properly and I hardly talked at all. I remember being skeptical of having to learn life values along with golf since I just wanted to learn about golf, but my mom signed me up anyway. After that day, every class that I went to I started to open up more and more and the shyness started to go away. After a year in the program, I could easily go up to someone and introduce myself with no problem.
Growing in Confidence
As a kid, I struggled with confidence, but The First Tee classes helped me become more confident as well. After many years in the program, I started applying to go to national academies that The First Tee offered. I got accepted to go to Kansas one year for a Life Skills & Leadership Academy, and to Virginia the next year for the College Golf Prep Academy. In both of those experiences, I met people that I still keep in contact with today and play some of the best golf courses in the country. I will always treasure those memories. Without The First Tee of Fresno, none of those life-changing experiences would have happened.
Giving Back to the Community
For a couple years during college, I coached for The First Tee. This was such a rewarding and educational experience for me to not only be able to help kids that may have been in the same situation I was in at their age, but I also learned how to teach and give back. I had to learn how create a lesson plan, deal with rambunctious children, and how to be a leader. Learning life skills, especially leadership skills, in The First Tee helped me many times and even got me a job organizing and partly leading a company.
Pursuing a Career with Courage
Today, I am in Los Angeles working fulltime as a music producer and songwriter. Through the things I learned in The First Tee, I have been able to work on platinum selling records and billboard number ones. I have been able to be in the studio with some of the biggest artists of today, and I have the confidence to know my skills and creativity are valuable. I know for a fact that without The First Tee, I would not be down in LA making music like I am now.
The First Tee of Fresno not only instilled confidence in me, it also made me more driven, showed me how to go after my goals and dreams, and how to approach stressful situations. All the life lessons that I was taught as a kid, I still use today. Every session I walk into, I walk into with the same mindset I used to walk onto the golf course with. A mindset of leadership, confidence, courage, patience, perseverance and every single Nine Core Value.
Thank you so much to all my Fresno coaches for the guidance and support throughout the years. I would not be the person I am today without that guidance.
WHY CHOOSE THE FIRST TEE?
Research shows our youth development program has a lasting impact, creating better citizens and lifelong golfers in the process. Our program aims to get young people ready for life’s challenges and pursue their goals. Find a chapter in your area to get started!
Our Program
When you think of golf, you may see it as just a game. You go out on the course, swing a few clubs, play a few holes and tally up your score.
Noor Ahmed, PGA TOUR player Billy Hurley III, Adam Zakaria
How can a game like golf make a positive impact on lives? Just how can golf make a difference?
On April 26th we celebrated National Golf Day and why golf is much more than a game. Industry and political leaders came together on Capitol Hill to discuss golf’s benefits to the economy, charity, fitness and the environment. PGA TOUR player Billy Hurley III, along with U.S. Representatives, Senators and invited guests also heard touching stories about golf’s personal impact from two participants of The First Tee.
excerpts from their stories:
Noor Ahmed, The First Tee of Greater Sacramento
Noor Ahmed, The First Tee of Greater Sacramento
“In my very first moment with The First Tee, Coach Angie taught me how to goal set. I learned whilst standing on the first tee box how to shake hands with my playing partners, look them in the eye, say my name loudly and clearly and to tell them it was nice to meet them. I know that it sounds so silly but that was a huge accomplishment for me. Coach Angie noticed me—the shy, introverted girl in the corner that no one saw before—and through her small action she told me that I was a part of a group and that I was wanted. My journey with The First Tee began there. I made friends with other golfers my age, that would mold me in ways that I would never have imagined.My friends at The First Tee of Greater Sacramento helped me indirectly in other ways. I am an American Muslim, but for a long time I struggled with that aspect of my identity. When I chose to begin wearing the hijab, or headscarf, in 7th grade, I lost a lot of friends. They couldn’t see past the way I dressed or my faith, which made me question whether being American and Muslim were antithetical. I remember the first time I went to my chapter after beginning to wear the hijab and nobody even noticed, or if they did they didn’t seem to care. I was still Noor to them. I was a part of our chapter’s family and that was all that mattered to them and that is what I learned they mean to me.”Adam Zakaria, alumnus, The First Tee of the Central Coast
Adam Zakaria, The First Tee of the Central Coast
“In addition to the guidance I received as a participant of The First Tee, the lessons I learned have helped me succeed off the golf course. By embodying the core values of responsibility and confidence, I graduated as the Salutatorian of my high school and was admitted to the University of California, Berkeley as a Regents’ and Chancellor’s scholar, a distinction awarded to the top 2% of the incoming class. However, the academic rigor that I encountered at UC Berkeley was much greater than what I was accustomed to in high school. Rather than panic or allow myself to become stressed out, I decided to implement The First Tee strategy STAR, which stands for Stop, Think, Anticipate, Respond. After analyzing the situation, I realized that what I was missing in Berkeley was a Go-to Team, and therefore I began branching out to those around me for support. I got to know my classmates, attended my professor’s office hours, and spoke with major advisers. By forming support networks with those around me and putting a great deal of time into my studies, I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA as a graduating senior in the competitive major of Molecular and Cell Biology, and will be moving on to medical school this upcoming fall.”
MORE THAN A GAME
Offered are more than 1,200 locations, The First Tee golf and life skills program was developed by experts in the field of positive youth development and is delivered by trained coaches . Our mission is to help prepare kids and teens from all backgrounds for success in all areas of life. Chapters offer full scholarship or reduced fee programming for those with financial need. No one is ever turned away for inability to pay.
Find The First Tee Location in Your Community
During the 2016 Ryder Cup held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., The First Tee of the Twin Cities located in St. Paul hosted a private luncheon with special guest Tim Finchem, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR. One of the chapter’s outstanding participants, Parker Reddig, was given the opportunity to speak to the guests about his how The First Tee taught him perseverance and how that core value has shaped his life.
I started playing golf from the time I could walk.
“Rain, shine, cold or snow, I found a way to hit balls. My parents knew at an early age I had a unique passion for a game, that, quite frankly, they knew very little about.
Being a young Midwestern kid in a state that lives and breathes hockey and other sports like baseball or football, I was quickly out on an island in terms of having friends to enjoy, play and practice golf with. It actually got to the point that I was being teased about what I loved to do as early as kindergarten.My friends did not understand my love for the game.
My parents came across The First Tee chapter in St. Paul and signed me up for the summer classes. Little did I know, at the young age of 6, that this would have such a major impact on my life.
Fast forward to today.
Looking back and being able to understand life lessons, I want to share what The First Tee has really meant to me.
Sure, the program and my instructors taught me about putting, chipping and hitting balls, but the real value I will take with me for the rest of my life are the Nine Core Values and the opportunities The First Tee has provided me through the years.
Of the Nine Core Values I was taught, I feel that perseverance has, and will continue have, the greatest impact for me into my adult life. Perseverance is having the ability to persist and succeed in the face of obstacles and adversity. To do this, you need to have confidence and believe in yourself. Not only are these the situations we all face in every round of golf we play, it is experienced everyday of our lives.
How i use PERSEVERANCE in my life
Growing up in a snow-covered state loving a game that you can only play four months a year was the beginning of my lesson in perseverance. Now I use it:
Doing my nightly homework
Learning challenging subjects in school
Helping friends and family when in need
And, most recently, writing and giving my senior speech (on perseverance) in front of 400 students and faculty
OPPORTUNITIES
Through The First Tee, I was fortunate enough to have been a junior on-course reporter for my chapter at the 3M Championship, a PGA TOUR Champions event. I also attended the 2013 The First Tee Life Skills & Leadership Academy in San Diego where we not only worked on our game but also learned even more about how to apply the Nine Core Values to everyday life.
Lastly, I need to share the most important and lasting memory The First Tee has given me.
I was selected to play in the 2013 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach where junior golfers were paired with a PGA TOUR Champions player. My main goal was to have fun, but I also really wanted to make the cut.
Only the top 23 teams of 81 would tee off on Sunday. After Day 1, my partner, Jeff Sluman, and I sat pretty far outside that cut line at 1 under par. I could feel that goal and dream slipping away and knew we needed a strong Day 2. By the end of day two we climbed the leaderboard and found ourselves shooting 11 under par as a team that day and sitting in 2nd place.I found myself being announced on the first tee box, in front of a large crowd of spectators in the final round of a professional event at Pebble Beach on Sunday. This was another lesson in confidence and perseverance. I achieved my goal, which in turn created a dream come true.
What DOEs this all add up to?
On November 9, 2016, I will sign my official national letter of intent to attend and play college golf atFlorida State University.
Thanks to The First Tee and a long road of perseverance, this life goal has been achieved.”
Golf Channel host Damon Hack with interns (L-R): Lauren Conder, Drake Mosley and Kayla Jackson
By Chris Hybl
Golf Channel, The First Tee’s proud media partner, has given threealumni of The First Tee a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this summer–a 12-week summer internship at the Golf Channel studios in Orlando! The program allows these junior golfers to gain first-hand experience in their respective areas, while developing work samples for their personal portfolio. Continue reading “Golf Channel Gives Three Alumni Chance of a Lifetime”
Going into the Kingsmill Championship, what do you hope to gain and experience from this opportunity?
It’s an opportunity many only ever dream about: playing Augusta National Golf Club. Five of The First Tee participants have realized that dream, earning invitations to compete in the fifth annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, held at the famed golf course. This year’s competition will take place on Sunday, April 1, prior to the start of the Masters Tournament.
Lastly, I need to share the most important and lasting memory The First Tee has given me.
I was selected to play in the 2013 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach where junior golfers were paired with a PGA TOUR Champions player. My main goal was to have fun, but I also really wanted to make the cut.
Only the top 23 teams of 81 would tee off on Sunday. After Day 1, my partner, Jeff Sluman, and I sat pretty far outside that cut line at 1 under par. I could feel that goal and dream slipping away and knew we needed a strong Day 2. By the end of day two we climbed the leaderboard and found ourselves shooting 11 under par as a team that day and sitting in 2nd place.
I found myself being announced on the first tee box, in front of a large crowd of spectators in the final round of a professional event at Pebble Beach on Sunday. This was another lesson in confidence and perseverance. I achieved my goal, which in turn created a dream come true.
I started playing golf from the time I could walk.