Volunteers With Chris Cupp

Coach Christopher Cupp would like to give a HUGE thank you to our All-Star high school volunteer coaches. For the past 2 months, these high schoolers (from left to right), Shayla Jacinthe, Janelle Cerenord, Maya Jos, and Hudson McDuff, have selflessly volunteered their time on Sunday mornings to help our participants with the fundamentals of the golf swing.  Each of these All-Stars bring unmatched energy to the class and leave a super-positive impression with the participants.  It is because of them that the program at AllGolf at C.B, Smith Park is such a success. Thank you for being the Game Changers that you are!

Veteran Spotlight: Derek Smith

Derek Smith, U.S. Airforce, has been playing golf for over 10 years and has participated in our programs for the last year at Eagle Trace Golf Club and Country Club in Coral Springs. 

When talking about his experience in our programs, he said: “It is such a great experience being able to meet with other veterans. A good balance of fun and friendly competition, and very well organized. Big thank you to all the coaches for their time, help and support, as we could not do this without you.”

Interested in joining our veterans’ programs?  Please visit our website for more information.

Great Week At The TimberTech Championship

Our partnership with the PGA Champions Tour TimberTech Championship continues to grow.  This year our Coaches Gabbie Budd, LPGA and Nyla Sims accompanied students Emma Huber and Mia Baez to play in the Women’s Pro-Am on Monday of tournament week. The students spent the morning listening to a panel led by former LPGA Tour Player and current broadcaster Morgan Pressel. Emma and Mia were inspired by Morgan’s words, and both wish to continue her legacy by being fierce competitors on the course, and Game Changers off the course.   Our ladies team was paired with Chapter Director Ken Duke for the Pro-Am.  Ken made the experience one of a kind. Mia and Emma were both astonished by how straight and far the ball went when Ken hit it! 

On Thursday of tournament week 60 students, parents and coaches attended our first ever Junior Clinic at the TimberTech sponsored by ADT.  PGA Champions Tour player Tim O’Neal shared his life’s journey in professional golf, including the ups and downs.  He never gave up and used our core value of Perseverance to shape his life.  Tim impressed the crown with his incredibly long and straight shots into a 20-mph wind.  Some of the students also tried their hand at some shots on the range.  ADT handed out gift bags to all the students and Tim signed lots of autographs!

Mateo Muñiz attended the final round of The TimberTech Championship and had an awesome time. This was his first time attending a Champions Tour event and he had the opportunity to speak with Bob Toski, Ernie Els, Mike Weir, K.J. Choi, Jerry Kelly, David Toms, and 2022 TimberTech Champion, Bernhard Langer.

Isabella At Drive Your Future Academy

Chapter participant Isabella Rubio was of 24 female students selected to attend the First Tee Drive Your Future Academy in San Francisco, California. About her trip experience, Isabella said “The week was full of insightful lessons and experiences that will last a lifetime!” 

Isabella had the opportunity to play at two of the finest courses in California in Lake Merced and Golden Gate Par 3. She won the closest to the pin contest from 118 yards, sticking it 6 inches from the hole. She also ran into Lydia Ko at Lake Merced where she was finishing a practice session, which to Isabella, was a dream come true!

Isabella gave back to the community by visiting the Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center. This center gives back to those with developmental disabilities and provides them with a second family. The girls spent time with the students from the Rehabilitation Center and taught them about the great game of golf.

“It was a great day to give back and put smiles on everyone’s faces,” said Isabella.

The girls also took a road trip to Muir Woods, where they hiked up the treacherous mountains for a spectacular view. After, they went to downtown Sausalito and enjoyed a delicious Italian meal while enjoying the beautiful sunset. The trip was finished off with a bay cruise that passed right under the Golden Gate Bridge. 

“I’m so honored to represent First Tee – Broward and so grateful for this experience,” said Isabella.

First Tee Drive Your Future Academy presented by John Deere is a female empowerment event recognizing young women who are motivated to influence positive impact at their chapters, schools, and communities. The five-day academy experience focuses on the importance of building a strong network and how to approach mentorship opportunities, navigating post-graduation and career planning, and appreciating the value/impact of volunteerism. The selected teens have an opportunity to participate in activity-based workshops with female industry leaders in technology, STEM, and business development, as well as a golf outing.  

Sponsor Spotlight: Skate Payments

We are delighted to announce our newest sponsor: Skate Payments, a South Florida based fintech company.

Would your club or business be interested in no longer paying credit card processing fees? Credit card fees paid by clubs and businesses each year total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Skate Payments empowers business owners and clubs with updated hardware and software that pass the credit card processing fees to customers. 

If customers want their points or cash-back incentives on their credit cards, why should your club or business pay these fees? Skate Payments transitions these fees to become a choice made by the customers.  

To offer customers a better experience and the ability to pay in cash, Skate Payments offers their SkatePay mobile app, which offers customers and businesses real-time processing of cash transactions in the form of ACH. This means no one pays the credit card processing fees and there are no longer disputes and/or chargebacks. Funds are settled the same day!

There is a reason PayPal bought Venmo, and seven banks/credit card companies now own Zelle. We will be the last generation to use credit cards. You already know that your teens and college students rarely use them. Skate Payments is positioned for the incredible opportunity to save their clients from paying millions of dollars in credit card fees while offering a simple solution for customers to access electronic cash. They have partnered with our Chapter as their goal is to have the golf industry be one of the early adopters of saving lots of money.

Would you like to learn more? Visit their website at: www.skatepaymets.com or please contact Kris Patterson at Skate Payments at [email protected] or 917-657-1895.

Alumni Spotlight: Savannah Mansueti

Welcome new Manager of Operations, Chapter alumna Savannah Mansueti.

Savannah began her journey with our Chapter as a participant in 2008.  She learned about the organization’s core values and practiced them in her everyday life. As she progressed through our programs, Savannah transitioned into a dedicated volunteer and Assistant Coach. 

During her junior and senior years of high school, she had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Joe Louis Barrow Jr. Life Skills and Leadership National Academy and the Drive Your Future National Academy. “These experiences were so awesome to attend, and I am so glad to have learned from other First Tee coaches and participants,” said Savannah.

Savannah was also the president of our Teen Golfers Association and graduated in 2019 from Dwyer High School with the IB Diploma. She attended the University of Florida and earned her bachelor’s degree.

“My time at the University of Florida was a period of growth and cherished memories. From late nights at the library to cheering on the Gators at the Swamp, each memory I made holds a special place in my heart. I pursued my bachelor’s in political science and a minor in sociology of social justice and policy, which opened new possibilities for me both in terms of experiences and classes. I’m excited for the next steps in my career and owe thanks to First Tee – Palm Beaches for helping make it all possible,” said Savannah. 

As our new Manager of Operations, Savannah is committed to furthering the organization’s mission and instilling our core values and character-building life skills into the next generation, growing Game Changers, and expanding the reach of our Chapter.