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Pursuing a career in golf doesn’t always mean playing professionally. The golf industry is rich with opportunity, and many First Tee alumni have gone on to find roles in golf. We asked First Tee alumni and partners about the traits that have contributed most to their success: 

Brittany Gill 
First Tee – Greater Richmond alumna 
Corporate Partnerships Representative, PGA TOUR – Dominion Energy Charity Classic 

One quality that has contributed to my success in the industry is my ability to network within the community through the game of golf. Golf has been a platform for me to meet others, connect with prospective clients by playing a round of golf, and building relationships with many others. Being confident in my own golf game and walking into a crowd of strangers on a golf course has contributed to much of my success in my role this year. Another quality that I believe has contributed to my success is my ability to empathize with others. Being able to understand different viewpoints and empathize has led to many resolutions, agreements, and working together towards a common goal with the various constituents in the golf industry. 

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Callie O’Neill 
First Tee – Northern Michigan 
Assistant Golf Professional, Pebble Beach Golf Links 

I have no doubt that through my experience at the First Tee – Northern Michigan, I gained the confidence to make the move across the country to start a job in the PGA of America at Pebble Beach Golf Links. One of my strongest traits of perseverance has played a large role in my success at Pebble Beach and I look forward to a long career here. 

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Dave Pangraze 
VP, Business Development 
Next Round Golf 

Finding a career in golf is no different from other careers; it helps to have a passion for what you do!  I made the leap into the golf business from traditional sales and marketing, applying the skills I had in one industry to that in golf.  If you are having trouble figuring out how to break into the golf business, apply yourself in school and early jobs to make yourself more marketable for a career in the great game of golf! 

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Janine Fellows, PGA 
Director of Golf 
Topgolf 

My curiosity has fueled a constant pursuit of learning, sharpening my problem-solving abilities, and inspiring innovative approaches that expand my impact on both my team and the game of golf. This mindset has also opened me to new perspectives and solutions, enabling more creative and effective strategies.  

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Sara Scarlett 
First Tee – Greater Sacramento alumna 
Brand Manager, Dick’s Sporting Goods (Walter Hagen & Maxfli) 

I’ve always been an excellent communicator and that has allowed me to thrive in my roles to-date, but my underlying passion for golf is what sets me apart in my current role. The passion propels me to think creatively and work hard, while also having so much fun throughout the process.     

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Gavin Parker 
First Tee – Greater Richmond alumnus 
PGA Professional and golf influencer 

For First Tee, the number one quality that comes to mind is respect. I have respected what it takes to be successful. All that is, is not missing a day. Staying consistent day by day to get better than who I was yesterday. The ultimate form of self-respect is to stay disciplined. 

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Grace Zimmerman 
First Tee – Greater Detroit alumna 
Coordinator of Programs, First Tee HQ 

I believe the quality that has contributed the most to my success in the golf industry is having courage. As a young adult, it can be very intimidating to be in any working environment, but in my opinion believing in yourself is the best way to be successful. People grow by being uncomfortable and that happens when you put yourself out there and have courage. Being a college golfer, LPGA member and working for First Tee has given so many positive experiences, but I have always had to have courage to try out new possibilities. 

With the support of its partners in the golf industry and beyond, First Tee helps participants build the confidence and inner strength they need to pursue their goals, wherever they take them.  

The First Tee Alumni Network is a great way for past participants to stay engaged with First Tee and learn about career opportunities and professional and personal development opportunities. Learn more. 

Little did Allison Brown know a life-changing gift awaited her when she traveled to Florida to visit family 12 years ago.

“When we arrived, my uncle pulled out three small golf bags – one for me, and one for each of my brothers,” she said. “I was excited about the gift, but I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with them.”

Her uncle taught her the basics at the driving range and told her parents about a program called First Tee. “I remember my first time walking inside and meeting the coaches and the other kids, and the rest is history,” she said

Now a high school junior, Allison has been involved with First Tee – Greater Philadelphia for more than a decade, and she’s making the most of the opportunities it provides.

Last year, she attended the First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore, a leadership development event in Montana, where participants learn from pushing their boundaries and trying new things, like whitewater rafting and horseback riding. This summer, she attended the Game Changers Academy, which brought together 72 teens from across the First Tee network in Minneapolis, encouraging them to celebrate their differences and embrace new perspectives.

Allison is also an Ace participant at First Tee – Greater Philadelphia. As part of First Tee’s capstone program, Ace candidates must complete four projects designed to help them prepare for the future. The projects center around academics, career exploration, community service and golf.

“Being a part of First Tee isn’t only about learning to play the game of golf — it’s about learning to become better people,” Allison said. “The Ace Program is what really focuses on that aspect of First Tee. It has given me the tools to fully think about and prepare for my future and, more importantly, helps me enrich my community through various service projects.”

Allison’s interests extend far beyond golf. She plays volleyball, taught herself French and was even cast to play a titular role in a production of Romeo & Juliet. “First Tee taught me to be confident in myself and my abilities which gave me confidence needed to audition for the role,” she said.

While working toward her high school diploma, she’s also earning an associate’s degree through a dual enrollment program with Liberty University.

Learn more about First Tee’s opportunities for teens.

To honor Finchem’s legacy, campaign launched to support 100 additional alumni through First Tee College Scholarship Program

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Oct. 8, 2024 – Former PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem led the launch of First Tee in 1997 and was honored Monday with the youth development organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award, its highest recognition. 

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin presented Finchem with the award at a First Tee event in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

“Tim worked alongside other leaders in our sport, both with golf organizations and the greats of the game, to help facilitate the establishment of First Tee, which now reaches 3.4 million young people,” Monahan said. 

Finchem led the creation of First Tee, which was originally founded to make golf accessible and affordable to all families. The organization has evolved to teach life skills and strengthen values in young people at 150 chapters, 11,450 schools and 2,000 youth centers across the globe. 

“Tim’s leadership in what this organization has become is immeasurable,” McLaughlin said. “The contributions that he has made to the millions of young people and their families around the country and around the world, as well as to the game of golf, will be felt for decades to come.” 

Finchem received messages of congratulations from Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, USGA CEO Mike Whan and LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, as well as prominent First Tee supporters like Arthur Blank, Charles Schwab and Casey Wasserman. President Bush served as Honorary Chair of First Tee from 2011 to 2024, succeeding his father, President George H.W. Bush, who was the organization’s Honorary Chair from 1997 to 2011, and was present on the day the organization was announced in New York’s Central Park, alongside Finchem. 

First Tee will honor Finchem’s legacy through a $5 million campaign to support an additional 100 First Tee Scholars. First Tee alumni who are selected for the First Tee College Scholarship Program receive financial support, access to professional development opportunities and a dedicated adult mentor throughout up to four years of college. To date the program has served nearly 100 students. 

First Tee is an international youth development organization that uses golf to teach life skills and build values that they carry to all aspects of their lives.  Finchem is the second recipient of First Tee’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Retired First Tee CEO Joe Louis Barrow Jr. received the honor in 2022.

When Alexa Vela began First Tee, her mother hoped that it would help her make friends outside of school. What they didn’t realize at the time is that First Tee would become Alexa’s second home for the next decade.

Alexa found that the community at First Tee – Greater Houston welcomed her immediately with open arms. She quickly made lifelong friends and not only learned how to play golf, but how to become a leader in her community. Throughout her time as a First Tee participant, she served as a mentor and coach to the younger participants at her chapter and attended the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship where she was partnered with Mark O’Meara. In 2022, Alexa was named a First Tee Scholar, a scholarship program that pairs First Tee alumni with dedicated adult mentors and provides professional development opportunities throughout their four years in college.

Alexa’s love for the game of golf and First Tee is clear from her dedication to making it more accessible for kids and families. And there is no clearer example of that than her participation in the panel at The Chevron Championship in 2024 titled Fairway Phenoms: Diversity and Inclusion as Women’s Golf is on the Rise. As part of its support of First Tee, Chevron invited Alexa to speak. Alexa joined Al Williams, the VP of Corporate Affairs at Chevron, and Nellie Borrero, the Managing Director and Sr. Strategic Advisor in Global DE&I at Accenture, to speak on the intersection of innovation, diversity, inclusion and leadership in golf and business.

A proud supporter of First Tee since 2011, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. has worked with First Tee to create a lasting and meaningful impact on the lives of many young people – like Alexa – throughout the country. Last month, Chevron continued its support of First Tee during the PURE Insurance Championship through a closest to the pin contest for the First Tee participants, with the ten winners receiving a $2,000 donation each for their local First Tee chapters and providing $100,000 for First Tee scholarships.

“Scholarships are a big part of what we do. We believe it’s important to provide opportunities whether they ultimately pursue golf or not. Having someone like Alexa share her journey with us brings the scholarship dollars to life, showing the impact on the individual and what they accomplish as a result of this opportunity,” said First Tee Trustee and Chevron Vice President and General Counsel Hewitt Pate.

Since first benefiting from the First Tee College Scholarship Program, Alexa has continued to develop her passion for growing the game. She interned with First Tee headquarters as a network relations intern and most recently with the USGA as a member of its merchandise and licensing team on-site for the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst. Now a junior on the club golf team at Rice University in Houston, Alexa has helped provide her teammates with the opportunity to experience the impact that access to the game can have in their life.

“My journey from a shy and timid young girl, uncertain of her place, to a confident leader with a clear vision for her future has been profoundly shaped by the unwavering support and opportunities provided by First Tee and Chevron,” said Alexa.

Applications for the First Tee College Scholarship Program open in early 2025. Learn more.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 10, 2024) – First Tee is excited to announce that actress and avid golfer Kathryn Newton has signed on as its newest national brand ambassador. Newton, an alumna of First Tee – Miami, is passionate about making golf feel fun and accessible for everyone, and she’s known for featuring the sport on her popular social media channels.

Newton and First Tee have already collaborated at events like the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and the First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore in 2023 and 2024. In her role as ambassador, she’ll continue to engage with First Tee participants and represent the youth development organization at events.

“This is a full-circle moment for me,” Newton said. “Having grown up in First Tee, I’m proud to join the organization as an ambassador because I know the difference it can make for kids and teens. Golf has meant so much to me, and I’m thrilled to share my love for the game, and its inherent values, with the next generation.”

Well known for her roles in Marvel Studios Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania, Netflix’s The Society, as well as Legendary Pictures Pokémon Detective Pikachu, this year she stars in the highly anticipated Focus Features Film Lisa Frankenstein and Universal Studios Abigail. Her past work includes Oscar winning films such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and LadyBird, as well as Golden Globe winning Big Little Lies.

Newton started her acting career at the age of 4 and was also an avid golfer. Her nickname in high school was “Kathryn the Golfer,” and as a +2-handicap, she helped her team win championships while simultaneously working as an actress.

“Kathryn embodies First Tee’s mission and our work to use golf as a platform to empower the next generation of game changers,” said CEO Greg McLaughlin. “She brings energy to our work and a commitment to making an impact on the young people with whom she interacts.”

Newton joins professional golfers Austin Smotherman and Alex Smalley, becoming First Tee’s third ambassador. As someone who’s passionate about the game, she brings a new perspective to the organization’s ambassador program.

First Tee has been helping kids and teens build character since 1997. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with its life skills curriculum, First Tee aims to instill values that are important both on and off the golf course, including inner strength, self-confidence and perseverance.

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, 11,450 schools and 2,000 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.     

Contact:
Megan Hart
meganhart@firsttee.org
(941) 400-8793