Seniors from the Edna Runner Tutorial Center had a wonderful day with us! Their event was filled with laughter, camaraderie, and skill-building. With guidance from Coach Devin and Coach Nyla, they honed their putting and chipping skills and made memories on the greens together.
Some call it a magical place that transforms lives, others credit this place as a safe haven, and all agree that The Edna W. Runner Education Center has built a quality program that reaches people in our community.
Chapter supporter Leta Lindley won the 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Open by shooting a tournament-record final round 7-under 64 at Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh. Leta had finished second in the previous two U.S. Women’s Senior Opens.
Leta visited with the Jupiter High School Girls Golf team and discussed what it takes to play golf at the next level. She even brought her beautiful U.S. Senior Women’s Open trophy for the girls to see.
No Boundaries, a veteran organization coordinating special trips for combat-wounded veterans, conducted their annual No Boundaries Veteran Golf Tournament at Jupiter Country Club. 14 veterans who have never played golf were paired with club members and local golfers for a golf scramble event. After a short clinic in the morning, the tournament was underway. All contest prizes won by the golfers were awarded to their veterans in the group, and the biggest prize was the opportunity to spend a few hours with our country’s heroes.
Program Director Zack Anderton was invited to play in the event, and our Chapter provided a Stand Up and Play ParaGolfer for a double amputee veteran. The veteran was able to use this specialized wheelchair to stand vertically and play golf. His straight ball was the anchor of the team, and after he learned how to control his putter speeds, and helped lead his team to multiple birdies for the day.
Chapter alumni Nathan Vertes is working hard at college in the spirit of First Tee. He attends the University of Florida in a Pre-Pharmacy Program. Nathan was also one of our inaugural First Tee Scholars, which afforded him a college scholarship from First Tee HQ. HQ has even provided Nathan with a mentor who oversees Pharmacy at the Mayo Clinic.
“The University of Florida is a great fit for my college career. I will continue to work hard on my studies. I am so thankful for everyone at First Tee – Palm Beaches and First Tee HQ for the help and support.”
We had a fabulous time at our annual tournament at The Bear’s Club. The course was re-designed by Jack Nicklaus last summer, so it was the first time for many of our guests to experience the new course.
“Our 100 Friends tournament is one of our largest fundraising events each year,” said Chapter President Bobby Hendel. “We are very appreciative of the support from this group of sponsors and players.”
The BallenIsles team of Ron Grodsky, Chapter Director Ed Slotnick, Alan Robinovitz and Ron Getlan won the Net Division with a score of 54 (pictured above left).
The team of Chapter CEO Carl Mistretta Jr., Founding Partner Bradley Finnegan, Chapter Director Jon Centofanti and Jason Trout won the Gross Division with a score of 66 (pictured above right).
Longtime Chapter supporter Jim Mostad from the Breakers Hotel scored his first hole-in-one on #2 and he also won closest to the hole on #7. Big day for Jim!
Thank you sponsors:
Help us support the thousands of children and veterans we serve each year. Our Pebble Beach Raffle features a chance to win a trip to play Pebble Beach! For every $100 donated, you will be entered to win a 3-night stay at the Lodge at Pebble Beach (includes two Garden View rooms) and a foursome to play one round at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. The prize package also includes $1,500 towards airfare, trip expenses, etc.
Certain restrictions apply. Drawing to be held March 3, 2025. Please scan the QR code or visit our website to donate and for more information.
The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches is one of Palm Beach County’s marquee sports events. This PGA Tour event attracts the world’s best golfers, consisting of over 100 pro golfers competing over 72 holes at PGA National’s Champion Course. The Cognizant Classic attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators and features some of the best professional golfers in the world.
Volunteer opportunities are available. Please scan the QR code or visit our website to learn more and register to volunteer!
Men Giving Back of South Palm Beach County’s mission is to leverage the power of men doing good by collectively funding grants to non-profit initiatives that positively influence South Palm Beach County.
The organization began during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and grew from their 2021 Golden Grants Evening donating almost $100,000 to six deserving area charities to the 2022 Golden Grants Evening at which over $400,000 was awarded to 14 exceptional organizations. In 2023 they expanded the number of charities they support to 24, with more than $500,000 dollars in grants.
Our Chapter made it as one of the 24 semi-finalists in 2024 and we were given a golden ball with our name on it (pictured above). At their annual gala, our golden ball was randomly drawn as a finalist and we “spun the wheel” and were ultimately selected to receive an incredibly generous grant of $18,000.
Young people have lots to navigate – not just school and career development, but they’re also building confidence, overcoming challenges and taking on their first leadership roles. These are all areas where a mentor can help.
For many participants, First Tee coaches serve as early mentors, with parents seeing the benefits. According to research from First Tee and Harris Poll, parents turn to coaches to help teach their kids character, perseverance and leadership skills.
Three-quarters of adults who were mentored in their youth say their mentor “contributed significantly to their success later in life.”
With its many benefits, mentorship is an essential element of the First Tee College Scholarship Program which extends First Tee’s impact to alumni by providing support throughout their post-graduate career. In addition to receiving financial support and professional development opportunities, each First Tee Scholar is matched with an adult mentor to help support them during their college experience.
“We’ve seen our Scholars buy into their mentorship connections and because of that, they have another layer of support to guide them through any obstacles and challenges they face in college,” said Robbie Lowman, who oversees the First Tee College Scholarship Program. “Our mentors help our Scholars become the best versions of themselves, which benefits them in the job market.”
An alumna of First Tee – Upstate South Carolina, Scholar Nelia Leong is a junior at the University of Florida. As she prepares to apply to dental school, Nelia reflected on her connection with her mentor, Jennifer Weiler, senior vice president of network relations at First Tee.
“The most important lesson I’ve learned from Jen is that it’s okay to ask for help,” Nelia. “In fact, it can lead to incredible opportunities.”
Jen helped Nelia connect with a dentist in her network. Nelia has since been shadowing and assisting him for two years, and he’s writing a letter of recommendation for her dental school applications.
“Jen’s mentorship has been one of the most important relationships in my life,” Nelia said. “We’ve built a strong, trusting bond where I feel comfortable sharing all aspects of my life, knowing she’ll listen and offer support.”
Nelia said Jen was there for her during the stressful lead up to her Dental Admissions Test last year, and Jen was the first person she texted to celebrate after receiving an excellent score on the exam.
While having a mentor on your side can be incredibly beneficial, it’s not always easy to build and maintain a relationship in a busy world.
“I built a personal connection with my mentor by keeping her updated on both the big and small events in my life,” Nelia said. “She celebrates my successes and supports me through challenges.”
In addition to texting, Nelia and Jen connect by Google Meet at least once per month. They especially relish opportunities to meet in person.
Jen says she has enjoyed being Nelia’s mentor throughout her college journey. “It has been fun to connect with Nelia virtually, on the golf course and at First Tee scholar events. She is such an impressive young woman and has an incredible future ahead of her.” She added, “I am so proud to have been a very small part of her success in college.”
Nelia’s tips for cultivating a strong mentor-mentee relationship:
First Tee’s commitment to fostering life-long learning and providing continued support for its alumni expanded this year as two First Tee alumni were named to the national Board of Governors. Sydney Burlison, an alumna of First Tee – Monterey County, and Rayshon J. Payton, an alumnus of First Tee – Metropolitan Oklahoma City, were announced as the newest members of the Board of Governors in October.
Sydney Burlison grew up in Salinas, California and participated at First Tee – Monterey County before beginning her collegiate golf career at Stanford University. While at Stanford, Sydney completed a double major in Communication and Film Studies and was a four-time NCAA Academic All-American. When asked her greatest athletic moment, Sydney named winning the First Tee Open with Fuzzy Zoeller (now PURE Insurance Championship) and qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open as her shining moments.
Upon graduation from Stanford University, Sydney spent a year at the University of Cambridge where she received her Master of Philosophy in Management. After bouncing around the world for a few more years working for companies like Nike and Sky Sports, Sydney ultimately made her way back to her home of Monterey County and quickly became involved with the community once again. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at First Tee – Monterey County and on the Grant Committee of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. On a national level, Sydney mentors a First Tee Scholar and will now serve on the Board of Governors for a two-year term.
Rayshon J. Payton grew up in Oklahoma City and joined First Tee – Metropolitan Oklahoma City when the chapter opened in 2004. Throughout his time as a First Tee participant, he attended many of the national opportunities including the First Tee Open (now PURE Insurance Championship) where he played with fellow Oklahoma native Gil Morgan.
Rayshon went on to play collegiate golf at Oklahoma City University where he studied political science. He then received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2013. Shortly after his graduation from law school, Rayshon relocated to the Washington D.C. area, where he now serves as Special Counsel in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Rayshon continues to be active within First Tee through his relationship with First Tee – Greater Washington D.C. and most recently by attending a First Tee Alumni Network meet-up where he had the opportunity to hear from other First Tee alumni. Rayshon describes the experience of joining the Board of Governors as a “full circle moment.”
“Not only has being a part of the Board been a high honor, but it’s always been a goal of mine,” said Rayshon. “I hope to contribute my passion for mentorship and leadership [to First Tee]. I am here today because so many people took the time to mentor me and answer questions when I needed it.”
To learn more about First Tee’s commitment to their alumni, or to join the Alumni Network, visit here.
