Category: Treasure Coast

Join our Ace Program!  Ace is an additional capstone program built for teens to help them game-plan what’s next. It integrates the skills and inner strengths they’ve developed at First Tee and points them toward exploring, investing in, and building a clear plan and assets for their next step. In 2024, there will be 7-10 “ACE Days” that will take place during a day off from school where students will gather to complete projects and play golf. This is a program that is a benefit to your eligible students and is in addition to your already existing First Tee program. Students must be 16 years old and an active participant in our program for at least 3 years. 

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Afterschool programs are in full swing at The Shores of North River! Every Tuesday, Coach Gabbie Budd, LPGA hosts two classes for students of all ages and abilities. These students show so much enthusiasm and excitement towards the game of golf. 

Please visit our website to register for programs at North River.

Our chapter started working with the students at The Baron Academy earlier this year. This partnership has been tons of fun for the students and the coaches. Coach Gabbie Budd, LPGA, and Coach Sasha Lobel have a great time every week with these Game Changers. They come to class excited and have improved their game immensely over the last six weeks.

For the second year in a row, the ladies at Ocean Village Club have chosen our Chapter to be the recipient of the proceeds from their Friendship Day tournament.

This event, hosted by Betsy Delaney and the committee at Ocean Village Club, was a wonderful collaboration, and our students are very grateful for Ocean Village Club’s continued support.

This year, the ladies at Ocean Village were able to generate $6,000 to support our mission and programs. Their generosity is truly inspirational.

This new event will be managed by Pro Links Sports, a nationally recognized sports marketing and event management firm that assists in running several PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions tournaments.

Our spring programs are under way.  Enroll your children at one of our 11 Martin and St. Lucie Counties program locations. 

For more information and to register, please visit our website by scanning the QR code.

LPGA Tour champions Marina Alex and Ashleigh Buhai with Chapter Director Jennifer Hong hosted a junior clinic for over 50 of our students on The Champions Club’s driving range and short game area. Marina, Ashleigh and Jennifer interacted with the students and offered instruction on their full shots, putting and chipping with help from our Chapter Coaches. Our friends from the new girls’ clothing line of Marie Birdie passed out gift bags and cookies. The Kona Ice truck topped of the morning with cold treats. SHOUT OUT to David Ladd, PGA and the entire staff at The Champions Club for making our junior golf clinic with the pros such a great day!

Student of the Year Malachi Davis. Malachi started playing golf through our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs – St. Lucie County. Malachi caught the golf bug and started attending classes at Fairwinds Golf Course. His drive combined with coaching led to him start playing on the golf team at his school.

Student of the Year Mia Baez. Mia started playing golf by attending Coach Gabbie Budd’s LPGA golf classes at The Champion’s Club. In less than a year, Mia participated in the local qualifier of Drive, Chip, and Putt. She was also invited to play in the US Kids at PGA Golf Club Invitational where she placed second.

Coach Wayne Huffines leads a great junior program on Saturday mornings at Jensen Beach Golf Club. Wayne also has a passion for helping veterans, including our veteran of the year, Norman Brush.

Norman has been playing golf for over 30 years and has been participating in the veterans’ program at Jensen Beach Golf Club for several years. Norman served in the Army from 1970-1972. We thank him for his service.

The Champions Club graciously hosts our programs for ARC of Martin County. Coach David Fleck leads the program each week. He teaches golf fundamentals while making the session fun and exciting! Coach David brings years of experience from his tenure instructing golf programs at the Els Center of Excellence. Serving children and people with special needs is our founding mission.

Jeffrey and Suzanne Citron believe in the power of the individual and how one person can inspire a group and then a community to realize even greater goals. As both are successful entrepreneurs, the couple recognizes that creativity, innovation, and risk taking are essential to achieve meaningful outcomes.

After being introduced to the curriculum and programs of First Tee, they became our second Chapter Trustee by providing a grant from The Charles Lafitte Foundation.

“Jeff and Suzanne’s generous gift have shaped the future of our community,” said Chapter President and fellow Trustee Andrew Hunt.  “First Tee and the game of golf is experiencing incredible growth in every segment of society.  Their generous support has helped us grow and expand to impact the lives of thousands of young people in the Treasure Coast.”

The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) was established in 1999 by the Citrons to support innovative and effective ways of helping people help themselves and others around them to achieve healthy, satisfying, and enriched lives.  CLF supports four primary causes: education, children’s advocacy, medical research & initiatives, and the arts.