As we enter into the warmer months and start to think about getting outside to play lets always remember the importance of girls in sport! Last year, 38 percent of young people served at The First Tee of Greater Kansas City were GIRLS! There are so many benefits to girls in sport and we truly believe that golf is a great outlet for girls to engage in. Through partnerships with Win4KC, the Girl Scouts of America, KC Women’s Golf Coalition and many more great organizations centered around women in sport we understand the importance that sports play for girls. Statistics prove that girls in sport report better self health, higher body esteem, better grades in school (including science and math), more self confidence and so much more! Learn more about girls in sport and get involved today!
At The First Tee, we believe that appreciating diversity is of the utmost importance. It is at the heart of what we seek to instill in our participants. Being able to appreciate and understand diversity can certainly help within the context of golf. In the very first level of the program, we teach participants how to introduce themselves and shake hands. We want them to go out and meet as many people as they can so that they can understand and appreciate the differences between themselves.
On the course we create drills where kids have the chance to talk through their decision-making process when approaching a shot with their partner (caddy). These caddy drills are excellent because they allow our participants to get to know one another and understand the other ones thought process. With older participants, we start seeing a lot of diversity of thought. This evolves even further as we approach the Eagle level of our program as we talk about building a Go-to Team. When we build a network of people close to us who we can go to with problems (both in life and on the course) it is helpful to have people with strengths in different areas. We highly encourage our participants to develop their Go-to Teams with diversity as a key component.
We want our participants to take the lessons learned in The First Tee to their schools and communities. Youth from all backgrounds represent 100% of our future. If we can help make diversity and inclusion a priority for kids, we will help drive innovation, growth, and broader social change in the future.
Possibly the most coveted participant opportunities provided by The First Tee Home Office have application’s opening next week.
The PURE Insurance Championship is a premier event intended to showcases the best participants in The First Tee network. An official PGA TOUR Champions event at Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Monterey Peninsula, the tournament pairs one junior with a PGA TOUR Champions player and two amateurs. To be selected, juniors are measured in both golf proficiency and life skills knowledge. The tournament is televised nationally on Golf Channel.
High school students with established USGA handicaps of 6 or better for males and 8 or better for females who have been active members of The First Tee network for 3 or more years are eligible to apply for the PURE Insurance Championship.
The second participant opportunity with an application opening next week is the Joe Louis Barrow JR. Life Skills and Leadership Academy. This event will be held in East Lansing Michigan, July 25-July 31. The purpose of this event is to develop and educate our participants in multiple aspects such as life skill development through engaging golf activities, college preparatory and dorm living, and career exploration, all while having the opportunity to play championship golf and develop lifelong friendships. Through the week they are inspired to consider how they can return to their chapters and communities and be a leader and role model for other participants.
Applicants of the Joe Louis Barrow Jr. Life Skills and Leadership Academy must reach their 14th birthday on or before the first day of the event and must not have reached their 19th birthday by the conclusion of the event. They must be a Birdie Level participant within The First Tee network and provide a golfing resume.
If you meet the requirements above and are interested in applying for these participant opportunities, please email Program Director Gianna Augustine.
We are excited to be a featured supporter at the Kansas City Golf Show again this year! Visit us February 16-18 at the Overland Park Convention Center in The First Tee Junior Area. Saturday is Kids Day and all kids will receive free play on games and special giveaways! The first 70 kids to complete and turn in their passport card to our booth will receive a prize. Later that day, our program manager will give a short presentation about junior golf in Kansas City. If you are attending the golf show, make sure you come by our booth to practice your swing and say hello!
Buy your tickets online at www.kansascitygolfshow.com.
Over the course of the next few months we will be showcasing a few National Opportunities open to participants of The First Tee. These National Opportunities allow participants to apply their knowledge of The First Tee curriculum while also providing some excellent resume builders. Applications are opening January 24th for two very fun participant opportunities!
The First Tee National Par-3 Championship
This opportunity introduces participants to a competitive golf environment by simulating that experience through the stroke play and golf outing events. Participants will develop an understanding of different rules, scenarios and etiquette through instruction lead by a USGA rules official and through implementation during tournament play. Participants will also work on life skill development through dorm living, interaction with participants from around the country and guest speakers. By the end of the week they will have a better understanding of competitive golf rules and regulations and will be ready to act as leaders and role models for other participants at their local chapters.
2018 Event InformationDate: June 12-17, 2018
Location: Richmond, VA
Host: The First Tee of Greater Richmond & The Kanawha Club
Wells Fargo Succeeding Together
This contest is encouraging teenage participants of The First Tee to showcase the importance of being part of a “Go-To-Team” and working together. Eligible participants of The First Tee can enter through an application and essay process beginning January 24 through March 19, 2018. A panel of judges will select ten finalists and then ultimately four winners, each of whom will win a trip to the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship with one grand prize winner experiencing the thrill of playing golf with a PGA TOUR pro during the pro-am on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.
2018 Event InformationDate: Apr 30-May 6, 2018 (participants who apply must be able to travel to Charlotte, NC during these days)
Location: Charlotte, NC
Host: Wells Fargo Championship
Top requirements to be eligible to apply include, but are not limited to:
– Applicants must reach their 14th birthday on or before the first day of the event and must not have reached their 19th birthday by the conclusion of the event
– Classified as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior or senior as of spring semester 2018
– Active in The First Tee Participant Database upon submission of application
– Entered in The First Tee participant database for a minimum of three years, at Birdie level or higher, at the time of application deadline. The Home Office will use the participant’s “created on” date in the database to determine if the participant meets the 3 year requirement
– Chapters must have signed their contract at least 3 years before application deadline in order to submit applicants
– Acceptable Golf Ability – Established USGA handicap (specific Handicap index required per event)
For more information on the event, or to apply, please contact Gianna Augustine.
From age 7 through 18, youth progress through levels by demonstrating The First Tee Nine Core Values, life and golf skills as well as passing an assessment. All participants regardless of age start at the PLAYer level. The pinnacle of The First Tee is completing Ace.
PLAYer (required minimum age 7) – Tee it up for the first time and learn the game of golf and The First Tee’s Code of Conduct.
Par (recommended minimum age 9) – Focus on interpersonal and self-management skills on and off the course.
Birdie (recommended minimum age 11) – Emphasis on setting goals and making them a reality.
Eagle (recommended minimum age 13) – Learn resilience, conflict resolution, and future planning.
Ace (required minimum age 14 or entering 9th grade) – Put it all together and hone in on setting goals, career education, and giving back to the community.
When moving through the program participants have a plethora of added benefits once reaching the Par Level (2nd level) and above. Our partnership with the Kansas City Golf Association and Youth on Course provide youth in the Par Level and above a free membership, included in their program registration, to play over 20 golf courses in Kansas City and surrounding areas for just five dollars per round.On a national level local participants of The First Tee of Greater Kansas City have the can apply for special opportunities to improve on their life skills and golf skills gained at The First Tee. Of the ten opportunities the one that stands out the most is the Pure Insurance Championship benefiting The First Tee, where participants have the chance to play the number 1 golf course in America Pebble Beach and are paired with PGA Tour Champions players while being televised on the golf channel. Remaining in The First Tee as a participant gets older can serve very beneficial as they look to higher education. Through a grant, on behalf of The First Tee of Greater Kansas City’s founder, the late Al Hoffman, high-schoolers have the opportunity to receive a college scholarship for excellent participation in TFTGKC.Overall, of participants in The First Tee 96% of teens in our program say their golf skills have improved and 90% of our alumni consider themselves lifelong golfers and beyond golf 80% of teens and alumni say The First Tee helped them become a better student.Register for 2018 spring programming today!
Tomorrow our sponsors and friends will enjoy a day on the course with Tom Watson at our 19th Annual A Day for Kids Tournament.
Thank you again to all of our our sponsors for making this a successful year. The proceeds from this events will support the continuing efforts of The First Tee of Greater Kansas City.
The 19th Annual A Day for Kids Golf Tournament and Clinic hosted by Tom Watson is just around the corner on September 26th! The First Tee of Greater Kansas City would like to thank our generous sponsor of the 2017 Day for Kids Tournament. With your support you are helping us grow the game of golf in the Kansas City area. There is still time to get involved, take a look at sponsorship and registration information.
Special thanks to the following local businesses and foundations for providing their financial support to help fund our program in the 2017 Day for Kids Tournament, September 26th. Our sponsors make it possible for us to provide access to all children in the Kansas City area through The First Tee programs where they learn more than the mechanics of a good swing. Your support is greatly appreciated! Space is limited and filling up fast, sign up today for the 2017 Day for Kids with Tom Watson at Lake Quivira Country Club.
We have had so many amazing donations over the course of 2017! We appreciate all of you who have donated, continue to donate, and are thinking of donating!A lot of our participants reap the benefits of your donation. On behalf of all of them, we thank you! As a reminder, and as we close out the end of the year, we ask that your donations be no more than 5-10 years old in technology. That means, metal look heads and graphite or steel shafts, please nothing wooden. As technology continues to change, clubs continue to get lighter and lighter. A lot of our participants are not strong enough to swing golf clubs that are 10+ years old. In addition, we do not accept shoes that have been worn or golf bags that are 10+ years old. It is our goal to give them the tools to succeed and we could not do that without your support. If, however, you have clubs 10+ years old, shoes, or 10+ year old golf bags there are many faith based organizations or resale shops that would be willing to take any donation you may have! Thank you for your cooperation! The First Tee Program Staff
September 20-23, 2017
Atlanta, GA
Host: Coca-Cola Headquarters
This event gives five participants the opportunity to fly to Atlanta for four days, spend the day at the Coca-Cola Company, visit attractions in the heart of downtown and attend the TOUR Championship. The participants chosen should be active in their community and local chapter and must exhibit the core values of The First Tee in their everyday lives. Throughout the week, the participants will meet with executives and take part in interviews to determine the winner of a $5,000 scholarship; the four remaining runners-up will each receive a $1,000.
For more information, please contact Gianna.
