July 2024 - Page 2 of 3 - First Tee

JOIN US ON FRIDAYS IN STUART

GOLDEN GATE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM

Summer camp is in full swing in Treasure Coast. Recently, the students at Golden Gate Alternative Afterschool Program (GAAP) attended a field trip to Sailfish Sands Indoor Hitting Bays. For many of the campers, this was their first experience at a golf course. The students embraced it with boundless energy and enthusiasm.

The campers honed their golf skills and learned valuable lessons in perseverance, collaborating with others, and sportsmanship. They cheered each other on, offered encouragement, and celebrated every small victory.

SAMUEL GAINES ACADEMY

Congratulations to these middle school graduates. Samuel Gaines Academy spent their last day of school with us at our Westside Learning Facility. These soon-to-be high schoolers spent the morning learning how to swing a golf club and realized just how much fun golf is to play. Every student who attended gave their best effort and persevered through the heat.

ALUMNA TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION

Chapter alumna Annery Abreu is teaching the next generation of First Tee students at Fairwinds Golf Course. She taught 28 students during summer camps recently and had a blast. The students were able to learn the game of golf while also enjoying summer activities like a water day!

Check out Coach Annery’s program schedule on our website.

SUMMER FUN AT INFINITY CAMPUS

Summer camps are rolling at the Boys and Girls Club’s Infinity Campus. Coach David, Coach Savannah, and Coach Gabbie, LPGA, were very impressed by the children’s enthusiasm. The Coaches are thrilled to mentor such eager students. These camps not only provide golf fun but also teach valuable skills such as sportsmanship and perseverance.

As the summer continues, our Coaches look forward to guiding these young athletes further through our golf and life skills curriculum. Our Coaches’ dedication ensures every child at the Infinity Campus can grow and succeed.

TEENS THRIVE ON THE GREENS

Our Westside Learning Center is bustling this summer with teens perfecting their golf skills. Recently, teens joined Coach Gabbie, LPGA, and Coach Dave to learn about putting and refine their full-swing techniques. The atmosphere was filled with camaraderie and laughter as they embraced the challenges of the sport.

Coach Gabbie noticed the teens’ enthusiasm and progress. The students are gaining more than just golf skills. It’s a place where community bonds are forged and personal growth is nurtured, making every visit a meaningful experience for these young athletes.

SUPPORT THE ROSIE

Floridian National recently hosted the inaugural Rosie Pro-Am. The event benefitted The “Rosie” Scholarship Fund and ultimately the students of First Tee – Florida Gold Coast. The event will fund an endowed Evans Caddie Scholarship and impact the lives of many of our students through The “Rosie” Scholarship.

We are also hosting an online auction with the following items:

Foursome to play Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter.
Greg Maddux Autographed Atlanta Braves Game Jersey
One (1) hour lesson with Jim McLean, PGA Master Professional
USGA Experience & World Golf Hall of Fame
Foursome to play Stonebridge Country Club
Play, Stay, and Improve Package at Trump National Doral & Rick Smith Golf Performance Center
PNC Championship event package. Two (2) tickets with hospitality for each day of the event at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando

Please support The Rosie by visiting our silent auction site.

Sponsor Spotlight: THE ROY A HUNT FOUNDATION

The Roy A. Hunt Foundation helped found our Chapter and is recognized as our Founding Partner. For the last 12 years, the Hunt Foundation has provided generous funding for our children and veterans.

The Hunt Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that strive to improve the quality of life through the Foundation’s four main special initiatives: community development, environment, international development, and youth violence prevention. The foundation formed in 1966 in honor of Roy Arthur Hunt, with his descendants still active in the foundation today.

Our Chapter President Andrew Hunt continues to serve on his family’s foundation board. We are very thankful for their continued support.

Mackenzie Mack talks about the lasting impact of First Tee

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without First Tee.”

For Mackenzie Mack, the impact of First Tee goes beyond the golf course. The skills, access and values she learned play an integral part in her life to this day.

With her mom looking for opportunities to help her gain college scholarships, Mackenzie began taking golf lessons. Little did she know she’d end up working in the industry.

The golf course became a safe place where she would hang out, create a family atmosphere and build a community while growing up, as an alumna of former chapter First Tee – Southern Nevada.

First Tee gave Mackenzie her first job, the opportunity to play different courses and her current network and friends, crediting a lot of her achievements and her impact to the program.

“Had I not had such a good program director and such a good program, I would not have felt inclined to pass it forward,” she said. “All of that came from my experience and time with First Tee.”

Through her current role as the director of DE&I and engagement at Topgolf Callaway Brands, Mackenzie follows her passions by working with employees – an aspect of her job that comes naturally after years coaching with First Tee, she said – as well as the larger golf community.

Topgolf Callaway Brand has become a major supporter of First Tee, and when talking about the relationship between her employer and First Tee she said, “I am happy and lucky to be at a company that is just as passionate about the program as I am.”

Now as a First Tee alumna representing her company as a Trustee of First Tee, she provides unique insights based on her own experience.

Inclusivity is baked into First Tee’s DNA, and First Tee and Topgolf Callaway Brands are partnering on the Game Changers Academy this July. The weeklong event brings together 72 First Tee teens from across the country to facilitate important conversations around issues of identity, diversity and equity. Mackenzie sat on the opening night panel with NFL legends John Randle and Eric Enron, Dr. Shelby Johnson of Mayo Clinic and Ebony Taylor or AWS.

“The world is changing,” said Mackenzie. “We are a leader in changing with it, especially in the golf industry, and as the global leader in modern golf we strive to make golf more welcoming and providing options so that everyone can enjoy the game in the way they choose to enjoy it.”

She included that there is much more to golf than the competition. This sport gives individuals valuable networking opportunities, physical and health benefits, and can help you navigate career paths in the future.

Mackenzie will be a panelist at the Game Changers Academy. Learn more about the event.