First Tee – Monterey Couty Participant Nicole I. Crowned Champion at the Inaugural TGR JR Invitational Presented by TaylorMade
The inaugural TGR JR Invitational presented by TaylorMade, featuring 60 junior golfers took place this past weekend at Pebble Beach Resorts. From a group of talented participants, 12 players emerged after 27 qualifying holes at The Hay to play in the championship matches at The Links at Spanish Bay. Winners of the inaugural TGR JR Invitational presented by TaylorMade include:
Girls 10-12 Division: Maleah Clark 5&4 over Suri Lau
Boys 10-12 Division: Vince Arciaga 3&2 over Kaeden Schabel
Girls 13-15 Division: Lily Morua 2&1 over Lexi Lowe
Boys 13-15 Division: William Keszler 2&1 over Cullen Pritchard
Girls 16-18 Division: Nicole Iniakov 1 UP over Cristen Faith Legaspi
Boys 16-18 Division: Dylan Brack 3&2 over Toatele Ofahengaue
USGA and First Tee continue to expand inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility efforts at the local level with IDEA Grants
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 13, 2022) – Commemorating 25 years of growing the game through youth initiatives, the USGA has continued its investment in First Tee by awarding IDEA grants to 25 First Tee chapters across America.
The USGA’s IDEA Grant Program delivers direct funding to community-based programs that break down barriers to participation in golf and First Tee’s character-building programs, improving pathways to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. In 2022, 25 chapters – from Massachusetts to California – were awarded up to $25,000 each to provide transportation, hire diverse coaches, train volunteers, and build programs in diverse communities, among other activities.
Totaling $325,000 in 2022, the USGA’s investment in First Tee is the latest demonstration of its longstanding commitment to ensuring recreational golf continues to thrive. What started as a $3 million, three-year commitment by the USGA as a founding partner in 1997, USGA has helped underpin First Tee’s ability to reach more than 2 million youth annually.
“This year’s IDEA Grant Program is the latest milestone that reflects the significant progress that has been made to date in partnership with First Tee,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “The best way to introduce youth to the game is by meeting them where they are in their communities, and we are going to continue to drive resources toward the local level to ensure a more accessible and inclusive game for generations to come.”
“The USGA’s support is a game changer for the communities we serve,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “With these grants, our chapters are opening the door to even more youth, especially in underserved and underrepresented communities, to explore the possibilities in golf and beyond as they build their character and life lessons through the game.”
First Tee was founded in 1997 through the leadership of five golf organizations aimed at making golf more affordable and accessible in the United States through a national grassroots program. As the first programs were being developed, First Tee began an intentional effort to integrate the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, creating learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.
Beyond its initial $3 million starter investment in 1997, the USGA immediately began to deliver sizable grants to build First Tee programs in Washington D.C., Chicago, Kansas, Alabama, Arkansas, and many other communities. Many alumni continue to play and work in the game, inspiring the next generation.
Following more than 25 years of substantial growth that led to 150 First Tee chapters with more than 1,400 program locations in communities across America, the USGA’s targeted support has helped First Tee drive more significant equity among underrepresented youth to access golf. The IDEA grants, launched in 2021, fund innovative initiatives for golfers with disabilities, those in Spanish-speaking communities, indigenous people, and at-risk students, among others.
First Tee is focused on increasing diverse participation year-over-year through many strategies, including hiring and training diverse coaches and implementing the First Tee School Program in Title 1 schools. The efforts are contributing to the diversification of the sport – since 1997, there has been a 25 percent increase in non-Caucasian golfers, many of whom entered the game through First Tee.
The 2022 grant recipients include:
Located in southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico, First Tee — Four Corners primarily serves at-risk Native American and Latino youth through programs at Aztec Boys & Girls Club, Sycamore Park Community Center, and local elementary schools. The USGA’s IDEA grant funding helps the chapter subsidize greens fees, cover curriculum costs and financially support Native American youth participating in junior tournaments.
The expansion of First Tee — Greater Charleston’s Game Changers program provides mentoring, STEM and character education, safe spaces, transportation, meals, and enrichment activities for students starting in the sixth grade and guiding them through high school graduation. The chapter offers programming five days a week during summer and every Saturday during the school year with support from the USGA’s IDEA grant funding.
Increased opportunities for adaptive youth golfers have been made possible at First Tee — Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The USGA’s IDEA grant has allowed the chapter to add programming for teens and children with autism, partner with Special Olympics of Hamilton County, host programming for kids with life-threatening and chronic health challenges, and provide transportation to Reeves Golf Course for an eight-week life skills course.
A two-time IDEA grant recipient, First Tee — Greater Pasadena hosts clinics for the Latina Golf Association, while the USGA’s IDEA grant helps cover course and coaching fees for events tailored toward Hispanic women who have never touched a golf club.
The all-female leadership team at First Tee — Hampton Roads works to increase access to golf for young people of diverse cognitive and physical abilities by partnering with the Special Olympics to host multiple adaptive events and provide members of the adaptive community with access to chapter facilities free of charge.
Eighty-six percent of First Tee — Monterey County participants are Latino, and a partnership with Valley Heath allows the chapter to provide programming to underserved individuals without healthcare. With support from the USGA’s IDEA grant, this chapter can create golf and life skills classes for Special Kids Connect while expanding its overall ADA accommodations.
First Tee — Pittsburgh provides life skills and youth development through a work preparedness program, adaptive golf for special needs students in the South Fayette School District, and community partnerships with Pittsburgh Police Department and Allegheny Youth Development. These initiatives are supported by IDEA grant funding, which covers transportation costs and the purchase of a van to transport youth to year-round sessions.
With excitement and anticipation, First Tee – Monterey County and the Pay It Forward Scholarship & Mentoring Program are excited to announce the nomination period for the Pay It Forward Scholarship & Mentoring Program has opened!
This extraordinary $20,000 scholarship and mentoring program opportunity is for current high school seniors who reside in Monterey County, are first-generation college students, and will attend California State University, Monterey Bay, this fall.
Our program is now in its 15th year of operation, with 62 students from throughout Monterey County currently participating and over 200 students served to date. You can see more about our impact here.
Our nomination and application process are conducted online, and updates to both forms have been made based on feedback from previous years. Please click here to understand the eligibility requirements. Additionally, please read the instructions at the beginning of the online nomination form prior to starting your Fall 2023 nomination. We have extensively tested the form and process. If you have any issues or questions, please contact our Program Director, Jessica Carter, as soon as possible at [email protected].
The deadline for submission of any and all nominations is FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2022, by 5:00 p.m. The form has an automatic timestamp. Failure to submit your nomination by 5:00 pm on Friday, December 9, 2022, will automatically disqualify your student from consideration. Please complete your nomination as soon as possible in order to avoid last-minute issues or disqualifications, as we do not make exceptions to our deadlines.
We look forward to receiving your nominations and learning more about these extraordinary young people.
First Tee Coaches are needed at our Salinas and King City Campuses.
[Salinas, CA] Oct. 07, 2022 – Becoming a First Tee — Monterey County coach is more important now than ever. Kids and teens are facing challenges unseen by previous generations. First Tee – Monterey County is looking for enthusiastic and caring individuals to serve as positive mentors and role models to kids and teens in the program. These individuals should desire to help kids discover what’s inside of them, guide them to strengthen it, and mentor them to put it into action in everything they do.
Individuals of all golf skill levels are encouraged to volunteer as coaches at First Tee – Monterey County. Coaches are trained to deliver First Tee golf and life skills curriculum. This training system is built on research-proven methods of positive youth development, providing coaches with the tools to make kids feel safe, included, and empowered.
First Tee —Monterey County delivers programs at 2 locations across Monterey County. Coaches are needed at the following locations:
1551 Beacon Hill Dr., Salinas, CA 93905
613 S Vanderhurst Ave, King City, CA 93930
Time commitment options vary by location and time of year for small group sessions and team play on the various golf course locations. To serve as a coach for First Tee – Monterey County, individuals must complete SafeSport training and pass a background check.
For over 18 years First Tee — Monterey County has been committed to helping kids build character strengths and important life skills through the game of golf and providing all kids with access to opportunities for personal growth in a fun and safe environment. Through introspective questions, interactive games, and immersive golf exercises, each lesson is designed to help kids build a better understanding of themselves and empower them to strengthen their values and character that they take to everything they do.
Not only do participants and alumni credit their coaches with empowering them to discover their character strengths and develop life lessons, but coaches reap the benefits as well, experiencing their own personal growth and transformation.
Individuals who have a passion for impact and want to become a coach can contact our Human Resources Director at [email protected]. To explore our other available positions, visit https://firstteemontereycounty.org/apply/.
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About First Tee – Monterey County:
First Tee — Monterey County is one of 150 First Tee chapters across the U.S. and select international locations. At First Tee – Monterey County, we are Building Game Changers by delivering a targeted golf & character development curriculum, life skills, academic support, higher education, mentorship, & career development to provide youth of all backgrounds an opportunity for a brighter future. Learn more at https://firstteemontereycounty.org/.
Congratulations, Bruce and Linda Taylor, on being recognized with the 2022 Distinguished Trustee Award by the Community Foundation for Monterey County (Salinas office). The Taylors received the award during the Celebration of Philanthropy held at The Club at Pasadera in Monterey. As award recipients, the Taylors designated a $10,000 grant from the CFMC between First Tee – Monterey County and @digitalnest! Without the support from Game Changers like Bruce, Linda, and the CFMC in our community, First Tee – Monterey County would not be able to provide youth of all backgrounds an opportunity for a brighter future. Thank you, Bruce and Linda! #BuildingGameChangers
Do you want to help us in Building Game Changers, too?
It’s time! We’re Building Game Changers by empowering kids and teens to be the best version of themselves every day. Join any of our programs after school, Monday through Friday, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Seventy-nine First Tee teens from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the game’s legends and explore their opportunities in golf and beyond during the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event, which concluded Sunday, September 25, 2022, at Pebble Beach.
Kalea Hall, representing First Tee – Monterey County, earned her spot on the green on July 14, 2022. In preparation, Kalea embraced her excitement and her nerves. Although playing Pebble and Spyglass is not foreign to Kalea. “Growing up, my Dad always worked at golf courses, especially for me to play so many different courses.” However, the PURE brings a new environment, like playing 54 holes over three days, the crowds, and the media. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play these courses during the PURE, but this will be my first televised tournament, which comes with a lot of nerves. It will mentally be a good challenge for me to play in this new environment. I am excited to do what I do and make the most of it.”
Kalea also spent the Summer preparing with Sydney Craven, First Tee – Monterey County alumna and 2021 PURE Insurance Junior Champion. Kalea and Sydney first met at First Tee- Monterey County when they were eight. “It’s so cool having Sydney as a resource. She is someone I’ve been playing golf with since childhood; Someone I am close to and look up to, and she won the tournament I am going to play in.” Craven’s most important tip to Kalea was for her to get to know her Pro and make the most out of her time with them.
Kalea and her Pro, PGA Tour veteran and defending champion, Steve Flesch, played Pebble Beach Golf Links Friday, Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Saturday, and made it to Sunday’s final round. Sunday started off with a near albatross on hole two as she hit her second shot just over a foot from the pin for a tap in Eagle! Kalea held a one-stroke lead through seven holes in the final round and tied after 11. She birdied the 17th hole and finished with a par on the famous 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Kalea and Steve tied the lead until the final few holes in the final round. They finished second overall among more than 70 Pro-Junior teams capping off the tournament at 21-under.
“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill daily through the First Tee programs. A special congratulations to Bryson and Megan for winning the Pro-Junior titles. We thank PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Chevron, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, and Golf Channel for making this a special week for 78 First Tee participants.”
First Tee – Monterey County is one youth development organization of over 150 national chapters dedicated to teaching life skills and helping kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities First Tee Headquarters provides to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that the PGA TOUR supports. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary, reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools, and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
About Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests and delivers more excellent value.
Today, after growing at least 15% each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that include high-value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber, and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families.
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers aged 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour, and Instagram @pgatourchampions.
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
Guess who’s headed to the TGR JR Invitational Presented by TaylorMade held at Pebble Beach Resorts?!
From October 8 through October 10, junior golfers, who range in age from 10 to 18, will be competing through a process that promotes the shared passions of TGR Live and the Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association by providing a unique opportunity and exposure to the sport of golf. We are excited to announce that First Tee – Monterey County participants Kalea H., Nikki I., Max Damian P., and Naomi R. are four out of sixty boy and girl junior golfers who have been invited to compete at The Hay and The Links at Spanish Bay. Learn more about the tournament at http://tgrjrinvitational.com/.
On September 21, First Tee – Monterey County participant Nikki I., Mentor Jeremy S., Alumnus Greg Classen, and PGA TOUR Champions Professional Tom Gillis. played in the Legends & Leaders Pro-Am presented by the PURE Insurance Championship. The team explored First Tee’s Five Key Commitments and shared invaluable memories together from the course to the Legends & Leaders Viewing Party!
Our rockstars, Naomi R., and her awesome brother, Jacob R., won their division at the 2022 Special Olympics 9 Hole Unified Division in San Jose, California! Special Olympics Northern California hosts fundraising and special events throughout the region year-round. This event is close to Naomi and Jacob as they share a passion for golf and raising awareness for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Have you ever thought about your achievements in life? What were the dreams and ambitions that you wanted to work towards? How did you get there? At First Tee, these are the type of questions we propose to kids and teens to help them understand the process of attaining goals; but to reach their goal, they must first understand how goals are formulated.
A goal is something that you want to do, be or have, but it’s not something that you can do, be or have right at this moment. It’s something you must work to get in the future, and you can apply that to any challenge in life. For example, if your child wants to achieve Honor Roll and receive all As and Bs in school this year, what would that require them to do? They would need to do well on tests and assignments. How would they accomplish that? Encourage them to take good notes, turn in their work on time, and study for their tests.
For kids, having guidelines or tools can effectively help them identify their goals and make them feel comfortable about reaching them. At First Tee, we utilize four guidelines to do this. Talk to your child about the dreams they currently have and try these out for yourself.
Four Guidelines for Setting a Reachable Goal:
The goal is Positive:
I want to achieve a passing score of 80% or higher vs. I don’t want to fail this test
The goal is Important to You:
The goal needs to be important to you, not to someone else. You should be able to explain why you want to achieve it and why it will make a difference for you.
The goal is Specific:
You want to know exactly what you’re working toward.
The goal is Under your Control:
Your efforts will allow you to achieve this goal vs. Something that is out of your control like becoming famous or winning the lottery.
Goal setting is a strategy kids and teens will apply for the rest of their life. When we set our goals, we want to be very clear about them so that we have the best chance to achieve them. The key to remember is that goals come in all shapes and sizes. Just because it doesn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve it. Your kids will learn from both their achievements and setbacks, but as they begin to set personal goals, they will learn and grow in ways that you did not think possible.
Want to get involved with what we are building at First Tee? Click here to find out more.
Today, we celebrate a partnership with Chevron that has led to $1,000,000 in donations for our Game Changers. The coalition initially began through the AT&T Pro-Am and has since become a long-time partnership dedicated to Building Game Changers. Andrea Bailey, Public Affairs Representative in Monterey County, shares, “At Chevron, we put people at the center of everything we do. Our greatest resource is our people’s inspiration, creativity, and ingenuity.”
Since the inception of First Tee – Monterey County, Chevron has stood in alliance with our vision of providing youth of all backgrounds an opportunity for a brighter future. Chevron has begun programs like the Aces for Access Program, Whole In One, and Chevron STEM Zone and supported First Tee – Monterey County’s Summer Camp to progress toward our community’s shared vision.
The Aces for Access program is part of Chevron’s global education commitment to increase access to quality STEM education and technical training. “Equal and equitable access is essential to improving diversity and inclusion efforts and achieving the benefits of an intentionally inclusive environment,” shares Bailey. Chevron has donated over $663,000.00 to First Tee – Monterey County through this program!
At the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Whole in One featured the Chevron STEM Zone in partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and First Tee – Monterey County. The program was designed to bring a holistic learning and golf experience, including nutrition, wellness, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), to local youth in Monterey County. Students from Salinas and surrounding areas also received golf training from professional coaches and lessons on nutrition, physical fitness, and sportsmanship from local experts!
In February 2022, Chevron USA, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Cameron Champ Foundation, and First Tee – Monterey County hosted a local golf clinic pledging $100,000 toward diversity, equity, and inclusion through the game of golf. The clinic will be hosted by PGA Tour star Cameron Champ and rapper and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am celebrity golfer ScHoolboy Q. During the event, Chevron, Cameron Champ Foundation, and Monterey Peninsula Foundation made a combined $100,000 donation to First Tee – Monterey County to be the founding partners for the chapters’ search for a permanent programming site on the Peninsula. “It is exciting to bring an intentional plan to expand our programming to positively change the lives of young people in Seaside, Marina, and other cities on the Peninsula,” Nick Nelson, CEO of First Tee – Monterey County, said.
For the second Summer, Chevron is the presenting sponsor of First Tee – Monterey County’s Summer Camp. This eight-week program is filled with so many fun and exciting opportunities. First Tee – Monterey County uses the summertime to introduce our character education and life skills programs to our local youth, helping kids and teens prepare for success at school, at home, and in their community. Like First Tee – Monterey County’s year-round course, the summer curriculum is divided into five levels, each with a different focus that helps kids develop their sense of self-a curriculum that Chevron strongly supports.
Building Game Changers is essential for creating a world where energy is affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner. Chevron and First Tee – Monterey County aims to inspire the next generation of innovators who can tackle complex challenges in life: building resilience and perseverance. Building Game Changers.
