[Joel_Stewart]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to play in the annual First Tee fund raiser in San Francisco held at Harding Park.

I have heard about the First Tee for many years and when you enter Harding Park golf course they have a huge new practice range where the kids practice at.

What I didn't know is there is now over 200 chapters in the US and as an example, the chapter in San Francisco has between 1,500 and 1,700 kids in the program.  It has been so successful they are going to expand the program directly into a middle school in one of the worst areas of San Francisco.  The First Tee has arranged to convert a play yard which is not being used because of safety problems into a driving range and putting green in Visitacion Valley.  It's an amazing opportunity to bring kids into golf and teach them life lessons as well as golf.

If you have the chance to visit or participate in some way, I highly suggest you look at The First Tee.

[Richard Boult]

The First Tee is quite successful too just south of you here in SLO County. Billy Gibbs from Golf Talk Radio is very popular with the kids.

http://www.thefirstteecentralcoast.org/

[Mark_Fine]

Joel,
This topic was talked about here not too long ago and unfortunately some discussion was not favorable.  I happen to be a fan of the programs (they are what you make of them) and have been part of one in the Lehigh Valley for several years now.  It is very successful impacting the lives of hundreds of kids.  They even have their own golf course (a birdieball course) which has been a great success.
Mark

[JohnV]

I was on the board of the First Tee of Pittsburgh when I lived there and they are doing great things for lots of kids.

The NCGA has taken things one step further with its Foundation's Youth on Course program.  Kids that have gone through the First Tee programs in Northern California and passed their life skills programs can become members of YOC and play over 70 courses in the area for an average of $2.  The NCGA Foundation kicks in $8 for each kid so that the course gets $10.  There are also a number of driving ranges with programs that we support.

It is crucial to keep the kids in contact with golf once they've gone through the First Tee program.

[Joel_Stewart]

It is crucial to keep the kids in contact with golf once they've gone through the First Tee program.

As Grant Speath says, they may leave for a while but they will come back.  Its the exposure and the skills they learn.

Last night at the dinner they had this one little boy speak.  This kid comes from a really bad section of town and I'm not sure if he had any real parents.  He was real nervous but brought down the house when he said he "skips UFC fight nights to watch the golf channel".

Sandy Tatum closed the festivities when he talked about what he (and you) would be like if we didn't have access to golf and the constraints some of these inner city children have.

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