Month: June 2020

Area golf courses are open again. Did you know that many of our local courses offer great rates for junior golfers? Get out there and tee it up soon! Please contact each course to confirm junior rules and rates and schedule a tee time. Palm Beach Par 3 561-547-0598 After 3:30 walking Mon-Thurs $16.90 After 3:30 walking Fri, Sat, Sun $18.90 North Palm Beach Country Club 561-691-3433 18 holes walking $18.00 9 holes walking $ 9.00 Boca Raton Golf Course (561) 367-7000 18 holes with cart adult $22.00 Juniors play free with adult Boca Raton-Executive GC (561) 367-7000 18 holes with cart before 11am $22.00 Juniors play free with adult 18 holes walking before 11am $18.00 Juniors play free with adult 18 holes with cart after 11am $13.00 Juniors play free with adult 18 holes walking after 11am $10.00 Juniors play free with adult Sandhill Crane Golf Course 561-630-1160 9 holes walking $10.00 18 holes walking $15.00 9 holes riding with paying adult $20.00 18 holes riding with paying adult $30.00 Forest Oaks (561) 967-6810 First Tee students play for free with paying adult.

Each summer, our chapter partners with the Seminole Region of the CMAA to raise funds to support our mission and programs. Marathon Golfers play 100 holes in one day and secure per hole pledges to support our chapter students from kindergarten to 12th grade, children with special needs and veterans. All donations stay in Palm Beach County to serve the thousands of children and veterans in our programs. Please CLICK HERE to make a secure online donation. Our students, staff and coaches are playing. Want to play 100 holes in one day? It is fun and a little crazy! Please email [email protected] for more information. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about creating your own fundraising web page and joining us for a day on the links.

Chapter Coaches offered free virtual classes to our students when programming was suspended due to Covid-19. A special thank you to General Manager Joe Gorman of the newly opened PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE on PGA Boulevard across from the Gardens Mall for hosting one of our sessions. Coach Dane Wiren took his Birdie class to the SUPERSTORE via Zoom to talk about the challenges of opening the store on time and to show off some of the awesome golf brands on display. Pictured above: Gorman with Coach Dane Wiren. Chapter students (pictured below) shared their putting stroke and how they dealt with school and home challenges during these difficult times using the life skills training learned at The First Tee.

“We now have two incredible SUPERSTORES in Palm Beach County in Delray and now Palm Beach Gardens,” said Carl Mistretta, Chapter Executive Director. “They are fantastic partners and supporters through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Stay tuned for many fun events and programs to be conducted at the new store.”

Please visit the new PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE location at 3198 PGA Boulevard Palm Beach Gardens, 33410 and tell them The First Tee sent you over for a visit!

Our chapter recently added David Trout, PGA as our newest staff member in the role of Associate Development Director to spearhead and coordinate our fundraising efforts. David spent the past 14 years as a Class “A” PGA Golf Professional holding the title of Director of Golf at Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter and the PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie (FL). “After having the privilege of learning and advancing my career by working at some of our country’s finest private clubs I felt that it was time to give back to the game that has shaped my life,” said David. “I am passionate about the game and this incredible opportunity for me to give back to golf and help children and veterans improve their lives.”David is a 2001 graduate of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL with a degree in Communications. He is a proud father of a son (Alexander) and two daughters (Madelyn and Caroline). David can be reached in his new position at (561) 248-3685 or [email protected]

South Florida resident and CEO of Pro Links Sports, Hollis Cavner, recently became our Chapter’s newest Trustee. Hollis oversees the operation of four PGA TOUR and three Champions Tour events and manages a wide variety of executive outings and corporate hospitality. Pro Links Sports has been involved for many years with tournament operations and hospitality services for the Pure Insurance Open Impacting The First Tee. Locally, Hollis and Pro Links Sports manage the Boca Raton Championship to be conducted October 26 to November 1 at The Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton. This year, the tournament will become the second tournament in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. The field will consist of 54 PGA Champions Tour players competing for the final 36 spots to advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. “It is a privilege and an honor to become a Trustee of First Tee,” said Hollis. “Tournaments conducted by Pro Links Sports enjoy supporting their local chapters. I look forward to helping promote First Tee as a Trustee across the country and close to home in South Florida.” Hollis started his career in the golf industry by working in bag rooms and at golf clubs. He even pulled cable for ESPN at tournaments in his early days. He was promoted to tournament operations director and began working U.S. Opens. Fast forward to Hollis’ many years of success of building an industry leading company. Pro Links Sports strives to deliver the absolute best experience for players, sponsors, volunteers, and fans.

• All Students and Coaches temperatures will be taken before each class. • Students are required to bring their own water. • Limited class sizes. • Students and Coaches will follow all social distancing guidelines.

Please CLICK HERE for our new programming protocols.

The wait if over! We are so excited to announce our summer program schedule. Summer camps will resume the week of June 15th. Saturday programming at the Finnegan Learning Center in Dyer Park will resume June 20th. Our other program locations in Palm Beach County will also soon be releasing their summer schedules.  Please CLICK HERE for all program location updates.  Class sizes will be limited. Please register ASAP. CLICK HERE to register for Saturday Dyer Park programming. Summer Camps offered at the following locations:

Dyer Park and the Palm Beach Par 3 costs are $150 per week. Ages 7-17.

CLICK HERE to register for summer camps.