Category: Blog

July 2017 – Program update

Program Update

Fall Registration Opens August 3!

Cardholding member registration for fall classes opens August 3 at 9 a.m. The full schedule is available on our website. Contact your specific location coordinator with questions.
David Shindeldecker Campus Brian Ladet [email protected] 281-459-8715 BlackHorse | PGA Super Store  Betsy Harris [email protected] 281-459-8738
F.M. Law Park | Gus Wortham | Sharpstown Patrick Kisomanga [email protected] 281-459-8718 Battleground | Beacon Lakes | Quail Valley Gail Robinson [email protected] 281-459-8717
  Fall 2017 Schedule       Register

Programming News

Volunteers Wanted!

Motivated mentors looking to impact the lives of young people in Greater Houston wanted! Our success is dependent on volunteers who donate their time, talent and treasure. Golf knowledge or skill is not required – simply a passion for seeing kids succeed.
Learn how you can make a difference

Support The First Tee

GOLF-A-THON 2017!

Support The First Tee of Greater Houston at the 2017 Golf-A-Thon on Saturday, August 26. Help raise funds and awareness for The First Tee of Greater Houston by getting involved. Contact your site coordinator to participate. Contact Doug Earle, [email protected], with questions.
Donate 

Small Gift. Big Difference. 

Did you know? Just $100 can sponsor a child for an eight-week session of life skills, core values, healthy habits and golf fundamentals at the First Tee of Greater Houston.
Donate 

Calling All Amazon.com Shoppers

Now you can give back to The First Tee of Greater Houston when you shop on Amazon.com. Visit smile.amazon.com and designate The First Tee of Greater Houston as your charity and Amazon will donate 0.5% of every qualifying purchase.
Start shopping

Tournament opportunities

HGA Junior Golf 9-Hole Tournament Series

Registration is open for the Houston Golf Association Junior Golf 9-Hole tournament series this summer! This series is designed for junior golfers between 7 and 11 years who are new to tournament golf and looking to gain experience in a fun learning environment. Golfers will play from modified yardages and each group will be accompanied by an adult mentor to provide help and encouragement. The membership fee is $40 and tournament fees are $15. Contact Tommy Wolfenberger, [email protected], with questions.
 

Back to School Shootout at F.M. Law Park

The TFTGH Open Championship will be on August 19 at F.M. Law Park! Format: Alternate Shot Cost: $40/team Deadline to Register: August 19 Email Patrick Kisomanga at [email protected] to register. Email Patrick

Proud partner

Get Healthy with H-E-B

Eat better. Move more. Live well. These three steps can help you enjoy the benefits of a healthier life. No matter your age, if you’ve decided it’s time to lace up your walking shoes and add a little more greens, fruits and whole grains to your diet, we’ve got simple and affordable ways to help.

Local Teen Selected to Compete at Pure Insurance Championship

LOCAL TEEN SELECTED TO COMPETE AT NATIONALLY TELEVISED PRO-JUNIOR EVENT,

PURE INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP AT PEBBLE BEACH

Bellaire Junior and The First Tee of Greater Houston Participant, Eunice Bao, joins the 2017 field  

HUMBLE, TX (July 7, 2017) – Golf Channel and The First Tee announced the names of the 81 junior players competing in this year’s Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach, Sept. 22-24. Eunice Bao, a ten-year participant of The First Tee of Greater Houston, is joining a field of junior golfers from across the country. Internationally televised on the Golf Channel, the newly-named Pure Insurance  Championship, now in its 14th year, will continue to bring together the legends of the game alongside top juniors from The First Tee. The tournament is an official PGA TOUR Champions event, the first of its kind, in which junior golfers from The First Tee play alongside PGA TOUR Champions players as well as amateurs. They compete for the pro-junior title at the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course. Eunice Bao is 15 and an incoming junior at Bellaire High School. Her family moved to the Houston area from China in 2007. Soon after, Eunice and her sister, Ariel, joined The First Tee local chapter and attended classes at F.M. Law Park. Eunice is her American name; her birth name is Yuliang Bao. “It is so exciting for Eunice to receive this recognition and have the opportunity to play at Pebble Beach with some of the legends of the game,” said Doug Earle, executive director, The First Tee of Greater Houston. “Her coaches at F.M. Law Park are proud of how hard she has worked to reach her goals and have enjoyed seeing her grow in the sport.” Houston Golf Association holds the charter for The First Tee of Greater Houston, which is one of 165 chapters around the country. Serving the Houston community since 2004, more than a million local youth have been impacted through chapter programs. The golf-based programs are delivered through elementary schools, nine green grass facilities and other youth organizations like the YMCA. The curriculum is focused on helping participants build character through The First Tee Nine Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. To request an interview or photos of Eunice Bao, please contact Amanda Hansen at [email protected] or 281-459-8702.  About The First Tee of Greater Houston The First Tee of Greater Houston has been operating under the Houston Golf Association since 2004. The Houston chapter has expanded its reach into 461 area elementary schools and nine green grass facilities. More than 300,000 Houston-area youth benefit annually from the organization’s learning facilities and educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Visit www.firstteegreaterhouston.org for more information.

THE FIRST TEE® OF GREATER HOUSTON EXPANDS TO SERVE THOUSANDS MORE NEW STUDENTS, ADDS MORE SCHOOLS

HOUSTON (December 5, 2016) – The Houston Golf Association is expanding The First Tee of Greater Houston to better serve the Houston community. The First Tee, a nonprofit whose mission is to teach children core values, wellness and life skills through the game of golf, announces the addition of 38 new schools in its National School Program (NSP) beginning this semester and the addition of a new green grass facility at Battleground Golf Course in Deer Park. With this expansion, funded by the Houston Golf Association with proceeds from the Shell Houston Open and the new PGA TOUR Superstore, the Greater Houston chapter will serve the largest number of youth in The First Tee’s worldwide network. Since 2004, the Houston Golf Association has held the charter for The First Tee of Greater Houston. By providing learning facilities and educational programs that build character, The First Tee enables students to develop skills including sportsmanship, respect and confidence while learning the game of golf. Programs take place onsite at schools as well as at, now, nine green grass facilities: Battleground, David Shindeldecker Campus (at Golf Club of Houston), Blackhorse, Quail Valley, F.M. Law Park, Sharpstown, River Plantation, Gus Wortham and Beacon Lakes Golf Courses. The First Tee of Greater Houston serves 455 local schools and impacts more than 300,000 youth through its programs. By spring 2017, that number will grow to include an additional 26,000 students. New school districts joining the program include Alvin ISD, Brazosport ISD and Klein ISD. They join school districts already represented in the program including: Cy-­Fair ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Conroe ISD, Crosby ISD, Humble ISD, Aldine ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Houston ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Alief ISD, Dickinson ISD, Galena Park ISD, Sheldon ISD, Spring ISD, Stafford MSD, Texas City ISD, Waller ISD, Willis ISD, Pasadena ISD, Huffman ISD, Katy ISD, Deer Park ISD, Pearland ISD, KIPP, New Caney ISD, Harris County Department of Education, and three private schools. In addition to the volume of schools, The First Tee of Greater Houston is expanding its green grass locations. Projections for 2017 forecast two new green grass sites throughout the year, bringing the total number from nine to 11. “Thanks to the proceeds raised through the Shell Houston Open, new corporate partners and donors, we are able to expand our program into many new school districts in the Greater Houston area,” said Doug Earle, executive director of The First Tee of Greater Houston. “What excites us is that our impact on local youth is growing significantly. By teaching them wellness and character development through the game of golf, we are giving them skills that will last a lifetime.” The program has flourished due to significant donations from the Shell Houston Open, in partnership with the Houston Golf Association. Since 1974, the two organizations, alongside volunteers, have been able to raise $64 million for local organizations—many of which benefit youth programs like The First Tee. “Every year, we view our growth of the Shell Houston Open akin to investing back into the city of Houston and its surrounding communities,” said Steve Timms, president and CEO of the Houston Golf Association, president and CEO of The First Tee of Greater Houston and tournament director of the Shell Houston Open. “The Shell Houston Open continues to raise millions of dollars to support programs that are educating our future leaders and giving thousands of children a chance at a brighter future.” The Shell Houston Open, the 10th longest running tournament on the PGA TOUR, will be played at Golf Club of Houston from March 27-­April 2, 2017. Net proceeds from ticket sales will benefit The First Tee of Greater Houston and other core charities.

Houston Golf Association

For 70 years, Houston Golf Association has organized high-­profile professional and amateur golf events in the Greater Houston area to support its mission to make a difference in Houston and in the lives of youth through its charitable programs. The HGA, a not-­for-­profit, tax exempt 501c(3) organization, is a prolific charitable fundraiser, bolstered by a strong group of members and volunteers. Visit www.hga.org for more information.

The First Tee of Greater Houston

The Houston Golf Association holds the charter to The First Tee of Greater Houston. The First Tee is dedicated to impacting the lives of young people in the Greater Houston area by providing learning facilities and educational programs that build character, instill life-­enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. The largest chapter in the world-­wide network, The First Tee of Greater Houston operates nine green grass learning facilities across Houston and reaches more than 300,000 youth. The program is currently offered at 455 schools, and by 2020, the program goal is to extend into every public school across Houston, impacting the lives of more than 500,000 youth. Visit www.firstteegreaterhouston.org

Two First Tee of Greater Houston participants play in Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach

HOUSTON, TX (Sept. 20, 2016) – Local teens Scott Shuster and Stephen Boyd represented The First Tee® of Greater Houston at the 13th annual Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, a PGA TOUR Champions event. The professional player field included World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer and two-time major championship winner John Daly. Shuster was paired with professional Kirk Triplett and Boyd partnered with major championship winner Mark O’Meara during the 54-hole tournament. Schuster has been a member of The First Tee since 2008. Originally from The First Tee of Pasadena, Calif., Scott transferred to the Greater Houston chapter in 2015 and is now a junior at Morton Ranch High School. Selected to participate in the pre-tournament Coca-Cola Champions Challenge event, Scott teamed with professional Billy Andrade to help earn a $4,000 donation for The First Tee of Greater Houston. Boyd has been a member of The First Tee of Greater Houston since 2012 and is a junior at Langham Creek High School. Both Scott and Stephen are Ace level participants in the program. Schuster and Boyd were selected to participate in the internationally televised event by a national panel of judges who evaluated playing ability and comprehension of the life skills and character education learned through their involvement with The First Tee. The juniors were teamed with 81 PGA TOUR Champions players and 162 amateurs in tournament play on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course.

NATURE VALLEY FIRST TEE OPEN AT PEBBLE BEACH

The First Tee Greater Houston Participants Selected to Play in The First Tee Nature Valley Open at Pebble Beach

Scott Schuster and Stephen Boyd will represent The First Tee of Greater Houston and compete in the 2016 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, Sept. 16-18. The national chapter selected both juniors from a large pool of nominees to join a field of 81 The First Tee participants. Scott Schuster has been a member of The First Tee since 2008. Originally from The First Tee of Pasadena, Calif., Scott transferred to the Greater Houston chapter in 2015 and is now a senior at Morton Ranch High School. Stephen Boyd has been a member of The First Tee of Greater Houston since 2012 and is a junior at Langham Creek High School. Both Scott and Stephen are Ace level participants in the program. Congratulations to Scott and Stephen for their accomplishments on and off the course.