Author: Austin Williams

“I’ve been working with First Tee for over 10 years now!”

Position with First Tee: First Tee Tennessee Program Coordinator 

How long with First Tee: I have been with First Tee – Tennessee since I was 15 years old (became a level one coach at 17 years old); 10 years over all! 

Why you joined the First Tee: I joined First Tee to learn about the game of golf! My dad really wanted me to try another sport other than softball and golf was next on my list. My dad found First Tee and I have been here ever since!

Your favorite memory so far with First Tee: I personally do not have one favorite memory with First Tee. My favorite memories include all the relationships that I have built over the years with the participants and their families. The love and support I have received from each of them has made my time with this program unforgettable. I hope to continue making these memories in the future!

If no one had heard of First Tee before, what would you say? First Tee is an incredible organization to get your kids involved in golf! Golf can be a hard sport to learn, but First Tee makes learning golf knowledge and skills fun by incorporating games and activities that are essential and engaging. First Tee is a great environment for young children to get out of their comfort zone and make new friends, while enjoying the game of golf. Not only does First Tee offer golf, but we also incorporate life skills in our curriculum that the participants can take on and off the course!

What would be your 3 tips of having Fun with Intention/examples of how:

1)  Create fun, engaging, and age-appropriate activities; for example, “Hungry Hungry Hippos” for putting, “Frogger” for chipping, and Golf Baseball for pitching and full swing. All these games are somewhat familiar and can be played individually, groups, and in teams.

2)  Have incentives or rewards to provide motivation to participants!

3)  Socializing; for example, giving participants the opportunity to socialize with each other and coaches to build relationships. This leads to participants to be more comfortable, allowing them to be open and engaged throughout their classes.

Marlo Zamora, a participant from First Tee – Greater San Antonio, is one of 24 exceptional high school seniors who will join First Tee’s Scholar program in 2023.  

Marlo has been playing golf for 12 years, and 10 of those have been spent at First Tee – Greater San Antonio.  

“I really love the First Tee program because I feel like it’s one of the only programs out there where the program actually grows with you instead of you outgrowing the program,” said Marlo.  

Marlo credits First Tee for introducing her to some of her lifelong friends, teaching her how to set and accomplish her goals, and establishing many of the values and morals she lives by today.  

One of her biggest goals was to find a college where she could balance academics and sports. Trinity University in San Antonio was the perfect fit for her.  

Marlo loved Trinity, but was hesitant in getting her hopes up about attending there. Like many high school seniors, she was worried about its high academic standards and expensive tuition, she said. On top of that, she was hoping to play collegiate golf.  

After speaking with an alumna of the women’s golf team at Trinity and hearing about her great experience, Marlo’s mother encouraged her to pursue it. 

Shelby DeVore, the head women’s golf coach at Trinity University, watched Marlo play at the Texas Junior Golf Tour’s Swing for the Cure.  

“I ended up shooting lights out good, and right afterwards she ended up offering me the spot [on the team]. It was nice to see my years of hard work in golf pay off,” said Marlo.  

On her signing day in February, all the people she was close with from First Tee – Greater San Antonio surprised her at the signing to celebrate her accomplishments.  

But the surprises didn’t stop there.  

In May, members of the 2023 First Tee Scholar Class were invited to join an online meeting under the impression that they would be completing a final group interview. Instead, they were met by First Tee ambassador and current PGA TOUR player, Austin Smotherman. He surprised all of them with the news that it was not a real interview, and they were all chosen as Scholars.  

“It was the day before my birthday, and it was the best present I could have had. This scholarship means a lot to me because it will help me achieve my academic goals and pursue my dreams of being a computer scientist,” said Marlo.  

Marlo hopes to one day be a cyber-security engineer. Through the First Tee Scholar program, she will be paired with a dedicated adult mentor who will help to encourage and guide her throughout the next four years and beyond. 

“What’s so special about this scholarship is they provide a lot of mentorship, and you can’t really find that with many other scholarships. Being able to talk to someone and ask for advice is something that money can’t buy,” she said.  

First Tee – Los Angeles coach Leroy Bates estimates he’s helped more than 1,000 kids earn college scholarships over the course of his decades long career. 

He tries to instill values like integrity and responsibility in addition to golf skills. It’s why he connected so deeply with First Tee’s youth development style when he first encountered the organization 20 years ago. 

Bates has helped at least 10 kids earn spots in the field of the PURE Insurance Championship, a PGA TOUR Champions event that pairs golf legends with First Tee participants at Pebble Beach. He also attended First Tee’s Life Skills & Leadership Academy as a coach in 2019. 

He was sad when First Tee – Los Angeles folded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s thrilled the chapter relaunched and is now offering programming, he said 

“Now students are coming back and it’s out with the old and in with the new,” he said. 

 Golf is thriving in Los Angeles, Bates said, especially with the eyes of the golf world on Los Angeles Country Club, site of the 2023 U.S. Open. But not all kids have equal access to the sport in a state where transportation can be difficult. Bates said almost half the kids he coaches today live with a single parent.  

He knows that can be tough.  

Bates’ golf journey began in Selma, Alabama, where his grandfather – a retired Army colonel – owned a small driving range. It’s where his mom sent him in the summer when she needed extra help, and it changed his life. Bates collected range balls and cut the grass before going on to play collegiate golf and then on mini tours. 

He understands the opportunities golf can bring. He said he’s met new people and traveled the world thanks to the sport.  

“Golf made me a better person,” he said. “I learned to respect the rules. I learned to get out and be healthy.” 

First Tee – Los Angeles is currently offering programming at courses throughout the city including Chester Washington Golf Course, which was the home course of Charlie Sifford, the first Black man to earn a PGA TOUR card. 

“Chester Washington is a gem. It makes you smile when you go on-site because there’s so much diversity. There’s so much happiness and joy on the course,” said Kathy Bihr, vice president of programs at First Tee – Los Angeles. 

Last year, U.S. Open host organization, the United States Golf Association, supported 25 First Tee chapters in their efforts to make golf more accessible to kids from all backgrounds with donations totaling $325,000.  

Learn more about becoming a First Tee coach. 

Averaging nearly 10 years of First Tee participation, this year’s scholar class includes 3 first-generation students and 6 collegiate golfers 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (June 5, 2023) – The First Tee College Scholarship Program welcomes 24 new members to its 2023 class, bringing the total number of First Tee Scholars to 70. Each one of these scholars has demonstrated character and work ethic both on the golf course and in the classroom, which will help them succeed at schools across the country, including Howard University, the University of Southern California, Georgetown University, the University of Pennsylvania and Brown University. 

The class of 2023 – comprised of 14 young women and 10 young men – was selected from a competitive national pool of First Tee teens. This diverse group of Scholars represents 21 First Tee chapters across 18 states. The Scholars’ future aspirations range from becoming doctors and lawyers to studying economics, biometric engineering, computer science, professional golf management and journalism. Six plan to play collegiate golf.  

The First Tee College Scholarship Program aims to support alumni after high school graduation by pairing each Scholar with a trained adult mentor to provide guidance throughout their college careers and beyond. Each Scholar will also participate in professional development workshops and receive up to $5,000 per year towards tuition and expenses. 

First Tee re-launched its Scholar program in 2020 to further serve some of its most engaged participants after high school graduation. Texas Wesleyan University’s Malisone Chanthapanya recently became the first First Tee Scholar to graduate from college this May. She earned her degree in finance. 

“Welcome to our new class of Scholars and congratulations on being selected,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “The decision to embark on higher education is an important one and I am proud that First Tee can continue to support alumni through the process. Thank you to our partners who support the program and our mentors who provide year-round guidance.”  

Participants across First Tee’s network submitted applications to be a part of the latest Scholar class. Following an online application process, finalists were selected by a committee for one-on-one interviews. In addition to academic performance, applicants were considered based on financial need, chapter involvement, volunteerism and other criteria.  

First Tee College Scholarship Class of 2023:  

• Average years with First Tee: 9.6 
• 3 first-generation college students 
• 71% ethnically diverse 

2023 Collegiate Golfers:  

• Jeremiah Brown, First Tee – Greater Philadelphia: Catholic University 
• Mariane Johnson, First Tee – Gulf Coast: Palm Beach Atlantic University 
• Kyzar Joshi, First Tee – Massachusetts: Hamilton College 
• Falyn Lackey, First Tee – Southeastern New Mexico: Western New Mexico State University 
• Colin Vineberg, First Tee – Greater Baltimore: Dickinson College 

• Marlo Zamora, First Tee – Greater San Antonio: Trinity University 

The 2023 Scholar class includes: 

Daryn Dickens, First Tee – Greater Washington, DC  
Howard University; Major: History  
Daryn will be following in the footsteps of her mother, father and brother by attending Howard University where she will study history in preparation for law school. 

BJ Little, First Tee – Metro Atlanta  
Georgetown University; Major: Political Science  
BJ was the president of the Student Government Association, a member of the Black Student Union and started the golf team at his high school. 

Maria Ramos, First Tee – Greater Philadelphia  
University of Pennsylvania; Major: Engineering  
Maria is a first-generation college student that plans to study engineering; she has already been honored for her work with AI for creating a program that analyzes social media sentiments to predict stock market trends. 

Visit firsttee.org/college-scholarship to learn more about the program. Learn more about the 2023 Scholar class and download their headshots here. 

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About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”) 
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. 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. Since 1997, First Tee has expanded to reach millions of kids annually through its network of 150 chapters, 11,000 schools and 1,900 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.   

Media Contact:  
Megan Hart, First Tee  
[email protected] 

Isabel Matos is a First Tee – North Florida alumna, whose father was born and raised in Puerto Rico before moving to North Florida. It was he who introduced Isabel to First Tee when she was 8 years old. She started in classes and since has interned with the chapter, spoke at events and helped to coach while home from school.  

Isabel participated in five national opportunities with First Tee while in high school including the PURE Insurance Championship and Life Skills and Leadership (now Game Changers Academy). She said that her favorite memory from her time with First Tee was participating in PURE and playing at Pebble Beach with Vijay Singh as well as meeting participants from all over the First Tee network. 

“I’ve made great friends within my chapter, but I’ve also made great friends all across the country from those national opportunities that I still talk to to this day,” said Isabel. 

Isabel recently graduated from Southern Wesleyan University a year early with a degree in communications and media studies. She credits First Tee for helping her find her passion for communications and showing her that was what she wanted to do for her career.  

“[First Tee] also taught me to step out of my comfort zone. When I started with First Tee, I was super shy, and I didn’t like talking to anyone and then a couple years later I was speaking in front of thousands of people for them,” she said.  

“They made me realize what my goals in life are.” 

At Southern Wesleyan, Isabel played golf for a year before suffering from an injury and fell in love with the area. She hopes to return to Greenville, South Carolina, to work in public relations. She said that living in South Carolina for school made her appreciate her Puerto Rican heritage as she was often the only Puerto Rican person around. Her family still visits Puerto Rico every year and she enjoys that it makes her different.  

“I love that I am Puerto Rican…I think that it gives me a unique perspective on life,” said Isabel.  

Isabel’s father, Idan Matos, is the chairman of the Board of Directors at First Tee – North Florida. He got involved with First Tee out of appreciation for everything they had done for Isabel. He joined the board to give back to the program.  

National Caribbean American Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States every June. The intention is to celebrate the rich and diverse population that has been contributing to the well-being of American society since its founding.