Why Golf?

Experiences are our greatest teacher. First Tee believes in developing the ones that are just as fun as they are meaningful, where kids feel excited to grow, safe to fail, and better equipped for whatever comes their way next. Through our personal growth and junior golf programs, we see kids’ build self confidence, inspiring more active participation in leadership opportunities and events, community involvement, and college scholarships.

Programming Opportunities

Winter Series 2024/2025 Registration NOW OPEN!

Classes are set to from November-February at (3) sites in the Central Valley!

At Golf Courses

Advancing Through the Program

First Tee offers different classes for every age. These classes allow you to advance through the program and grow as a person and golfer.

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Junior Advisory Council

Starting at age 10, Junior Advisory Council is just one of the many ways that you can get involved in First Tee.

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Alumni Network

Join the Alumni Network for access to job, career, and networking opportunities!

Apply

Participant Opportunities

First Tee offers a variety of educational and leadership opportunities for participants each year. These events often become life-changing experiences for our participants as they further develop an awareness of the possibilities that surround them.

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Parent Resources

Need more information? Check out our parent resources.

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At First Tee – Central Valley, we’re Building Game Changers by empowering kids and teens to be the best version of themselves.

By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with character-building, we create learning experiences that help kids uncover their inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that they can carry to everything they do.

Our trained coaches not only provide an introduction to junior golf and an opportunity to enhance golf skills, but they also create a safe, supportive, and empowering environment to help your child prepare for life ahead, including friendships, school, college and even their careers.

Through our program, kids will learn skills that stay with them for life:

  • Understanding and managing emotions
  • Resolving conflicts
  • Setting up step-by-step goals
  • Planning for the future
  • Appreciating diversity
  • Golf fundamentals and advanced techniques

Advancing through the Program

At each age group, participants engage with the 5 Key Commitments: Pursuing Goals, Growing through Challenge, Collaborating with Others, Building Positive Self-Identity, and Using Good Judgement, while focusing on mastering golf fundamentals and building upon a golf skill foundation as they advance within the program.

Age 7-9

  • Be active and have fun with peers in a safe and encouraging manner
  • Build inner strength and self-confidence
  • Learn to play golf
  • Focus on building relationships with other players while exploring the game of golf

Age 10-11

  • Explore character concepts in active and collaborative ways that are valuable on and off the course
  • Develop golf skills and enthusiasm for the game
  • Support positive Game Changing behaviors in fun and meaningful ways

Age 12-13

  • Explore both golf skills and characters commitments while having fun with peers
  • Provide opportunities to demonstrate mastery and growth in golf skills and abilities
  • Support growth and development of early adolescents

Age 14+

  • Build character and support personal development
  • Develop additional golf skills and abilities
  • Look toward their future and plan their own paths
  • Evaluate, reflect, and apply their understanding of life and golf skills to new situations on and off the course

Ace

A capstone program for high school teens that 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 this program, participants will:

  • Integrate their knowledge & skills into planning for their future
  • Invest in their community
  • Explore who they are and where they want to go next
  • Investigate future paths (education & career)
  • Craft their goals & create a game-plan
  • Build kickstart assets for their next step

To learn more about this program, contact your local chapter.

Keep the Fun Going with the First Tee App

The First Tee App includes games and challenges that will reinforce the concepts experienced during class and bring them to life in new ways! Kids and teens will earn badges and points as they complete activities within the App, motivating them to keep going, and tracking their progress over time. Learn More