Month: August 2024

100-HOLE CHALLENGE TIME!

The 2024 100-Hole Challenge is underway. The following clubs are committed to play:

Floridian National
Tequesta Country Club
Loblolly
Harbour Ridge
Turtle Creek
Jonathan’s Landing at Old Trail

Our goal is for each player to play a minimum of 100 holes of golf on a single day. Support one of our players by making a per hole pledge! 10 cents per hole is only a $10 donation.

We also offer a chance to win a trip to play and stay Pebble Beach!

Please visit our website for more information and to donate.

Interested in playing at your club?  Please contact [email protected] for more information.

SEE YOU AT TURTLE CREEK?

Sure, it is only August, but our October tournament at Turtle Creek is almost sold out!  Interested in sponsoring?  Please contact Steven Andrade at [email protected] for more information.

WELCOME COACH CHRIS

Introducing our new Program Coordinator- Chris Lavin!  Chris is already in the saddle and coaching all around the Treasure Coast.

With a lifelong passion for golf, Chris brings an extensive experience in our sport with a commitment to youth development. He began his golfing journey at just eight years old, honing his skills through high school and college competitions. His dedication led him to compete in professional Long Drive events from 2010 to 2015, showcasing his talent on a national stage.  Yes, he hits it long!!

Chris is focused on developing the next generation of golfers and instilling important life skills through the game. Currently pursuing his PGA Class A certification, he is dedicated to continuous improvement and professional growth.  Outside of golf, Chris enjoys sharing his adventurous spirit through fishing, hunting, and relaxing on the beach. 

Sponsor Spotlight: COLLEGE OF GOLF AT KEISER UNIVERSITY

The College of Golf’s mission is to educate the future leaders of golf by providing a well-rounded golf education. Their faculty is comprised of PGA Master Professionals and Certified PGA Professionals who are invested in their students. At the College of Golf at Keiser University, students can earn an Associate of Science Degree in Golf Management online or on-campus in just 16 months or continue on and earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Golf Management.

The College of Golf is not a typical golf academy. At the College of Golf, they help students succeed by providing the professional and academic foundation that will allow them to meet their career goals and objectives. If you are serious about a career in the golf industry, this is the place to start.

Please visit the College of Golf’s website for more information.

The Power of Connection: Building the Coach-Participant Relationship

By Kristin Westberg, Senior Director of Curriculum and Education

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

At First Tee, coaching involves far more than just teaching golf skills and life skills in a class; it’s about cultivating relationships that foster growth, build confidence and demonstrate resilience. But how can coaches create a foundation of trust that cultivates legitimate relationships with participants? Empowering Youth, one of the First Tee Coach Building Blocks, focuses on this aspect of development and is one key to building relationships that create impact.

Trust is the foundation

Eighty-three percent of parents wish their child had more access to trustworthy coaches. Trust forms the bedrock of any enduring coach-athlete relationship. It’s the glue that holds everything together, facilitates effective communication, skill development and overall progress. All First Tee coaches are background checked and formally trained to connect with participants, whether they’re passionate golfers or just trying something new.  They prioritize building trust early on to establish a strong foundation that can lead to a lasting connection.

Positive role modeling

Ninety-two percent of parents say they hope their child has a coach who they would consider a role model. First Tee coaches serve as mentors and role models for participants. They lead by example and demonstrate the values they expect from participants. Kids are far more likely to do what you do, rather than what you say, and coaches recognize this as an opportunity to positively model both golf skills and life skills that can be applied on and off the course. Coaches are committed to Building Game Changers, work hard to embody the Key Commitments, set a positive example of pursuing goals, grow through challenge, collaborate with others, build positive self-identity and use good judgment. These behaviors help to build trust and foster connections with participants of all ages.

Continuous improvement

Fifty-three percent of parents say having a trustworthy sports coach or mentor would increase their likelihood to commit long-term to the activity. First Tee coaches understand that building meaningful connections with participants is an ongoing process, and the First Tee curriculum exists to support them through that. First Tee offers a variety of eLearning courses and supplemental resources, as well as HQ led trainings to deepen their knowledge and develop new skills, such as understanding the stages of youth development or tips and tricks for tackling skill disparities. These practices  improve the learning environment in a class and create opportunities to develop relationships and strengthen connections with participants.

Ninety percent of parents believe that coaches are the unsung heroes of youth development. A coach’s influence extends beyond the course and long after the round ends. Genuine connection matters when building the coach-participant relationship and even more when building game changers. At First Tee, we recognize that when participants know you care, they’ll care what you know and that’s when true learning and growth happens.

The statistics used throughout this story are from a new study between First Tee and Harris Poll. Visit the Character Gap research to learn more.

Q&A with a Coach

Sterling Simmons III is a First Tee alumnus and the player development instructor at First Tee – Greater Richmond. In that role, Sterling leads First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Player Development Academy, First Tee matches and oversees the organizations PGA Jr. League teams.   

How did you get involved with First Tee?

My father took me to the First Tee Greater Richmond driving range when I was younger, and I met my first golf coach Craig Wood. I’ve stayed involved ever since.

Why do you continue to coach?

I enjoy being able to be a part of the development process for our participants, both on and off the golf course.

What have you learned from coaching at First Tee?

First Tee has taught me that each participant is unique in their own way and as a coach, you have to be able to adapt how you teach to match the participant.

What do you think new First Tee students should know?

The course of life and the golf course are very similar. You will be presented with obstacles and challenges along the way, but the ability to navigate and overcome adversity will help you in the future on both of these “courses.”

What do you think new/inquiring coaches should know?

You don’t have to be a great golfer to make an impact on a participant’s life.

New Study from The Harris Poll and First Tee: Coaches are the unsung heroes of youth development

Parents rely on sports – and trained coaches – to help their children build character and learn life skills, including working with others.  

CHICAGO, Ill. & PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2024) – While 93% of parents agree that kids can learn important life skills from playing sports, four out of five parents also believe there is a shortage of high-caliber coaches today.  

That is from a new survey by global consulting and market research firm, The Harris Poll, and youth development organization, First Tee. The U.S.-based survey was conducted online in April 2024 with feedback from 2,049 adults.​ 

The survey captured data on youth involvement in extracurricular activities and sports. The data was also analyzed by gender, age, race, education, and income, among other characteristics.​ 

“Since our mission is centered on positive youth development, we think it is important to seek parents’ perspectives as the world around them continues to change and their kids face new challenges,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “It helps us better understand and serve youth, and in the case of this study, it reinforces the importance of our investment in training our coaches.” 

First Tee’s network of 150 chapters engages more than 5,000 active, trained coaches who deliver a curriculum designed with input from youth development experts using golf as the platform. The training system is built on research-proven methods of positive youth development, providing coaches with the tools to make kids feel safe, included and empowered. As part of First Tee’s onboarding, each coach is background-checked and completes training from the U.S. Center for SafeSport. 

The key findings from the survey include: 

  • 89% of parents feel character is a lost value that should be more emphasized in today’s society – an increase of +4 percentage points from the 2023 survey. Today’s kids and teens are facing new challenges, and strength of character is essential for overcoming obstacles. Parents understand that need, as nine out of 10 parents seek opportunities for their kids to build character. 
  • Parents believe sports can help close the character gap. Parents put their kids in extracurricular activities – with sports being most popular – for socialization and to build confidence. According to 93% of parents, children learn important life skills from playing sports.  
  • Parents believe coaches are essential to youth development. Parents turn to coaches to help teach their kids character, self-confidence, determination and leadership. 91% of parents agree that sports coaching should inspire children to excel both on and off the field. 
  • Safety is critically important to parents. They prefer coaches who have been background checked, with 94% of parents citing it as a priority in today’s world and 83% wishing their child had more access to well-trained coaches. 

“While every generation confronts their own unique challenges, kids are facing new barriers to character development,” said Harris Poll CEO Will Johnson. “Our research findings make it clear: Parents, when registering your kids for the upcoming school year, don’t forget the critical development that comes outside the classroom.” 

This is the second annual research collaboration between The Harris Poll and First Tee.  

Download the full 2024 Report. 

For the results of the 2023 parent survey, click here.  

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About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”)    
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. Its 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 1997, First Tee has expanded to reach millions of kids annually through its network of 150 chapters, 11,000 schools and 1,900 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.   

About The Harris Poll 
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. 

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MEDIA CONTACTS:     
Annika Mayers, First Tee     
[email protected]  
904-273-3513  

3 PEAT AT CHAPTER CHAMPIONSHIP

Our 3rd annual Chapter Championship took place at BallenIsles Country Club, featuring teams of high school students from our three chapters: Broward, Palm Beaches, and Treasure Coast and an Alumni Division.

First Tee – Palm Beaches, the defending champions for the past two years, faced stiff competition. The championship came down to the final hole, with Palm Beaches securing a one-shot victory over Broward on hole #18. Jordan Reyes, Zoe Shamy, Morgan Rodriguez, and Keala Richichi delivered a winning best-ball score of 68 for the 3 Peat (pictured above left with Executive Director Carl Mistretta and Palm Beaches Program Director Zack Anderton).

In the alumni division, Felipe Obando, Trevor Tarashuk, and Nyla Sims competed, with Trevor Tarashuk, an alumnus of the Treasure Coast Chapter, scoring the win with a round of 77 (pictured above right with Treasure Coast Program Director Steven Andrade).

Giant SHOUT OUT to BallenIsles Country Club for hosting the event and to our generous sponsors.  They each made this event very special for all the high school players.

PAL TAKES OVER DYER PARK

On June 28th and July 19th, Dyer Park hosted the Lake Worth, Cabana Colony, Westgate, and San Castle PAL Clubs for a Day of Golf.  A total of 75 kids and teens came out to play golf games and improve their putting, chipping, pitching, and full swings. They were treated to lunch on our deck and ended the day with an ice cream truck coming to help them beat the heat. Everyone had an amazing time, and we are looking forward to our next PAL program!

FIRST TEE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Valentina Guertin and Zoey Shamy represented our chapter at the First Tee National Championship at the Walker Course at Clemson University. Zoe shot 221, +5, for the three-day event including a first round 68 to finish tied 4th. Valentina shot 227, +11, to finish in 13th place.

The First Tee National Championship brings together First Tee’s top players for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play under pressure at the collegiate and/or next level. The tournament is played at acclaimed college campuses, including Clemson University, Notre Dame and Stanford University, and is the only First Tee national event that is purely tournament golf.

DAVID AND MELVIN HEAD TO MINNESOTA

Chapter student Melvin Watson and Broward student David Sandino were selected for the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

The First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., presented by Amazon Web Services, Mayo Clinic and Topgolf Callaway Brands, is a five-day learning and empowerment academy. Participants selected to attend participate in important conversations embracing topics of self-awareness, inclusivity, and community building. First Tee invites its partner, RISE, a national leader in the sports community championing social justice, to facilitate engaging and interactive workshops paired with introspective activities and reflections led by our nationally trained First Tee coaches. 

The experience is designed to enlighten, inspire, encourage, and position our teens to be Game Changers in their current and future communities. The academy is the ultimate tribute to Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., a fearless champion of change.

About the trip, Melvin said, “Thank you to First Tee – Palm Beaches for nominating me and believing in me. I was nervous to meet new people, but when I arrived, there were so many genuine First Tee students and coaches. I met four of my new best friends Lily McGowan (First Tee – Greater Sacramento), Jules Mahan, (First Tee – Greater San Antonio) Isabella Herrera (First Tee – Silicon Valley), and Benjamin Wade (First Tee – Tennessee). Also, my chaperone Matthew was a great mentor throughout the trip. I had loads of fun and great conversations with them. I appreciate them for letting me be myself and being themselves around me as well. I am just getting started but I have more things I want to achieve in my life. This opportunity inspired me to keep going.”

Check out the academy recap video.