THAT’S US AT TGL!

For the inaugural TGL season, our students have stepped onto the TGL stage as official ball runners, embodying the values of teamwork, perseverance, and fun in every match.  Each match features eight First Tee students and two staff members working the entire live broadcast.  Check them out on national TV dressed in all dark blue.

Pictured above left: Chapter students after a match with the winning LA Golf Club team of Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose and Sahith Theegala.

Pictured above middle: Chapter students and staff in front of the big screen.  

Pictured above right: Chapter students with Atlanta Drive GC team owner and First Tee Trustee, Arthur Blank.

Six TGL teams representing six different cities are going head-to-head in a season-long competition at SoFi Center, a first-of-its-kind venue built specifically for TGL on the campus of Palm Beach State College. Matches air on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. with every shot live and all the players mic’d up, bringing unprecedented access to the competition for golf fans.

MISS YOU DAN BAKER

Our game lost a great friend way too early.  The late Dan Baker, PGA, serves as an inspiring reminder of what it means to truly dedicate oneself to a passion. His impact on the PGA of America and the broader golf community was profound and far-reaching, marked by his kindness and commitment to uplifting those around him. Dan didn’t just love the game; he devoted his life to ensuring it was accessible to everyone.

To honor Dan’s life, the PGA of America REACH Foundation, and the South Florida PGA Section are pleased to share the establishment of a PGA Jr. League Opportunity League endowed in Dan’s name at The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida. Please scan the QR code above or visit www.pgareach.org/dan-baker-pga-jr-league to donate in honor Dan’s memory.

CHAPTER DONATES GOLF CLUBS TO NIGERIA

Professional caddie Abimbola ‘Bebe’ Olakanye recently visited our Chapter and asked if we could help by donating some of our golf club inventory.  Of course, our answer was “Yes!” and many of our donated clubs are on their way to Nigeria.

BeBe Golf Academy is dedicated to the growth and development of kids and adults by providing educational programs that introduces them to golf in Nigeria. The driving force behind Bebe Golf Academy is to provide an avenue to help introduce kids and adults to golf in West Africa.  Core values such as integrity, honesty, courtesy, respect and good sportsmanship will be the foundation for students at Bebe Golf Academy.

PINE TREE SCHOLARSHIP FOR ANNIKA

The members of Pine Tree Golf Club have recently established a new foundation.  Pine Tree’s Scotty Foundation is a non-profit organization centered on supporting opportunities for the betterment of golf for those associated with Pine Tree Golf Club. The mission of the foundation is to provide educational and financial support for individuals, affiliated with Pine Tree, who are passionate about positively impacting their lives and the game of golf.

In their inaugural year the Scotty Foundation endowed an Evans Caddie Scholarship for youth caddies, funded a college scholarship for one of our Chapter students, and awarded a four-year college scholarship to Chapter student Annika Collado.  Annika has been caddying at Pine Tree for the last three years.  She is a senior at Seminole Ridge High School and works hard to maintain a 3.98 GPA and a 5.19 HPA. She started playing golf at 8 years old.  Annika credits caddying for helping her find her voice to come out of her shell, especially when communicating with adults and improving her interpersonal interactions.  She will be attending Florida Gulf Coast University in the Fall.

Pictured above left to right: Former Pine Tree Head Professional (now at Sandglass Golf Club) Justin Thompson, Annika and Pine Tree Club President Bo Gillespie.

SPECIAL NEEDS SPOTLIGHT: MARK SUSSKIND

Near the end of 2024, Mark Susskind (pictured 2nd from the left) reached out to us to start a new golf program for people affected by Parkinsons. Mark is affected by the disease himself, and, as a fan of golf, he wanted to create a program to help others learn the sport and establish camaraderie with new people. Mark enrolled in our coach training, spread the word about the program, and helped Newell Golf hold the first two classes. With the help of Newell Golf and Boca Raton Golf and Racquet Club, Mark has now started PARS for Parkinsons and will be holding two classes every month. 

FREE COGNIZANT CLASSIC TICKETS FOR VETS

The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches is proud to honor the dedicated men and women of South Florida’s military community—active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. We are grateful for their service and sacrifice, and we look forward to celebrating them throughout the tournament!

Active duty, retired, reserve, National Guard members, and veterans verified through the military identification system, along with one dependent, will have access to claim complimentary digital tickets for Wednesday, February 26, as well as one competition day of the service member’s choice (Thursday, February 27 through Sunday, March 2), while supplies last.

Please visit the tournament website for more information and to claim your tickets.

ABNER ENJOYING KEISER

Chapter alumnus Abner McWilliams was awarded one of our two college scholarships to attend the Keiser University College of Golf.  He has just completed his freshman year in the program.

“As with starting anything new, especially as a freshman, it has been a challenge for me,” said Abner.  “But being the hard worker I am and with everything I learned at First Tee, I have embraced the challenges and continue to work through them.”

With this scholarship from First Tee generously provided by Keiser University, Abner can pursue his passion in the golf industry at the school of his choice.

PARENT-CHILD TOURNAMENT

Our inaugural James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Parent-Child Invitational was a tremendous success at North Palm Beach Country Club.  Teams competed in 3 divisions- Pros, Open Gross and Open Net in a unique format of 6 holes best-ball, six holes modified alternate shot and six holes scramble.

The Pro division was won by Brian and Brandt Peaper with a score of 64 (pictured above left).  The Open Gross division was won by Kevin and Conor Richardson with as score of 64 (pictured above middle).  The Open Net division was won by Richard Spangler and David Klein with a score of 56.

Special thanks to the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Parent-Child Invitational and Chapter supporter Moe Tarkinow for the generous sponsorships.

100-HOLE RESULTS

CMAA announced that their charities raised an astounding $853,741 in the 2024 100-Hole Challenge!  Additionally, the CMAA golf tournament at BallenIsles added another $530,000, bringing their total to a record-breaking $1,383,741. With this accomplishment, CMAA has now raised over $10 million for their children’s charities since inception.

Our organization is one of the charities supported by the Seminole Region CMAA each year.  CMAA’s 100-Hole Challenge is now our largest fundraiser, impacting the lives of thousands of students and veterans each year.  In addition to the dollars we raised, CMAA awarded their supporting charities a generous check from their own fundraising efforts.  (Pictured above: Chapter staff with the CMAA Board of Directors.)

Last year’s winners supporting our Chapter were:

Top Club:  BallenIsles

Club Runners Up: Loxahatchee, Trump Jupiter, Hunter’s Run and Boca West

Top Company:  Lifetime Performance

Top Individuals: Justin and Jeremy Howard

Top Alumni Fundraisers: Tyler Mistretta and Sebastian Nachilly

Top High School Student Fundraiser: Hampton Beebe

Save the date for the 2025 Challenge: August 7th at the Palm Beach Par 3!

ENTER THE PEBBLE BEACH RAFFLE

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.

VOLUNTEER FOR COGNIZANT CLASSIC

Last year, many Chapter supporters helped us earn a grant from the tournament by volunteering in the merchandise tent.  We need your help again. Please email [email protected] to register.

And there are many other volunteer opportunities available.  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 Palm Beach County receives tremendous national and global media exposure in the sport industry and beyond.

Ready to volunteer? Please visit their website or scan the QR code to find out more!