The weather is perfect this weekend so head out to the 3M Open. Kids 15 and under get in free and there are a ton of fun activities for families including First Tee’s massive hitting bay and “The Lab,” an all new—air conditioned—activity center that combines science, AI and golf!
It’s a hole-in-one kind of day at Target Field! Come join us for “Golf Day” on Sunday, August 4, as the Twins take on the Chicago White Sox at 1:10 p.m. Whether you’re a golf enthusiast, a baseball fan, or simply looking for a day of outdoor fun, this is an experience you won’t want to miss! Your purchase of this special ticket package includes your reserved seat to the game and an exclusive Twins themed Golf Head Cover!
With graduation in the books, many kids and teens are looking ahead to the future. But we asked First Tee alumni to look back and consider the advice they’d share with their 18-year-old self.
David Singh
First Tee – Tampa Bay
Recently earned his Master in Healthcare Administration at the University of Pittsburgh
“Life is not always gonna stick to the script you’ve got in your head. Sometimes, it’ll throw you curveballs you never saw coming. Roll with the punches, stay flexible, and remember, there’s always a silver lining in every setback. Keep your chin up, ’cause even when things don’t go as planned, there’s still a world of amazing possibilities out there waiting for you.”
Savannah Mansueti
First Tee – Florida Gold Coast
Manager of operations at First Tee – Florida Gold Coast
“If I could advise my 18-year-old self, I’d emphasize embracing failure as a key part of learning and growth, seeing setbacks as opportunities to refine skills. I’d also stress the importance of building strong relationships with family, friends, mentors and colleagues for support and guidance. Lastly, I’d recommend prioritizing financial literacy early on, mastering budgeting, saving and investing for long-term stability and success.”
Haili Moore
First Tee – Greater Dallas
Student at Texas Christian University and entry-level staff accountant
“Do not allow yourself to settle in relationships, careers, friendships, education, etc. You are worth what you allow to infiltrate your time, peace and space. The thing is though, is that you are worth more than you’ll ever know.”
Jamie Rush
First Tee – Pittsburgh
Methodist University marketing student with a concentration in professional golf management
“My advice would be to live in the moment. We are always wishing for the next big moment and forget to treasure the times that we are currently in. I’m still trying to learn this lesson today. Enjoy every aspect of the here and now, slow down and don’t wish your life away.”
Spencer McIntosh
First Tee – Tampa Bay
Director of business intelligence and analytics at First Tee
“I would encourage my 18-year-old self to be continuously educating yourself whether that be reading more books, taking additional courses or seeking mentorship. I’d also recommend that he build a strong network and surround himself with supportive and knowledgeable people so you can apply those lessons to his passions. Then finally, I’d tell him to pay those gifts forward to the next generation of game changers!”
Srishti Dhurandhar
First Tee – Metropolitan New York
Business and technology management student and collegiate golfer at NYU
“Some advice for my younger self would be to be less afraid to ask for help and make mistakes. I learned the most when things didn’t go according to plan and wish I had spent less time worrying about doing everything perfectly because everything will work out in the end as long as you surround yourself with people you can lean on. “
Are you a First Tee alumna? Learn more about the First Tee Alumni Network.
First Tee returns to Clemson University this year for its 4th annual National Championship. This year’s field includes 24 boys and 24 girls from First Tee chapters across the country to experience what golf looks like at the next level.
In addition to showcasing their skills and perseverance on the course, players will also attend a golf careers panel and a keynote address from First Tee alumnus Gavin Parker.
This year’s tournament will be streamed on Gamecast, and you can follow scoring on Golf Genius.
Before we head to Clemson, we caught up with our past winners to see what they’re up to.
Ashton Harper
First Tee — Roanoke Valley
Ashton won the inaugural First Tee National Championship at Clemson in 2021 and is now a member of the golf team at Virginia Tech, where he is majoring in business. Ashton said his experience with First Tee taught him valuable lessons in perseverance. “Golf is not a game of perfect, and there will always be ups and downs when playing this game, but they are magnified in tournaments due to the high stakes. I was able to use perseverance to fight these ups and downs,” he said.
Ashton aims to become an All-ACC player by the end of his tenure at Virginia Tech before going on to play professionally.
Symran Shah
First Tee — Greater Dallas
Like Ashton, Symran won the First Tee National Championship at Clemson in 2021 and now plays golf at Virginia Tech. She studies business and plans to have a career in healthcare administration.
Hannah Lydic
First Tee — Delaware
Hannah won the 2022 First Tee National Championship held at Notre Dame and is now a member of the golf team at the University of Richmond, majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing. Her experience in the First Tee National Championship taught her patience and perseverance in both herself and her game, she said.
As a Spider, she’s won awards for golf and academics. “What’s cool about the game of golf is that if you play calm and treat your playing partners with kindness, you will ultimately have a better experience on the course which will allow you to play at a higher level,” she said. Because of her experience with First Tee coaches, she fell in love with golf and now has the goal to become a collegiate golf coach.
Hunter Swanson
First Tee — Green Valley Ranch
Hunter won the First Tee National Championship at Notre Dame in 2022 and is now a business student and member of the golf team at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Hunter lost to Ashton in a playoff at the 2021 First Tee National Championship, which inspired him to have the perseverance to come back and win at Notre Dame and taught him how to be more comfortable in high stress situations, he said.
As a college golfer, Hunter said the most important lesson he learned from First Tee is confidence. “I find I play more relaxed and have a better game when I practice enough to believe in my abilities,” he said. Since winning the First Tee National Championship, Hunter has made the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, been a Pac-12 Men’s Golfer of the Week and the Nevada State Amateur runner up.
Megan Meng
First Tee — Greater Trenton
Megan won the 2023 First Tee National Championship at Stanford and is preparing to begin her college golf career at Northwestern, where she’ll study economics. Her experience playing in the First Tee National Championship challenged her to be hardworking and patient. She said she continues to use other First Tee lessons. “I find that it is important to always apply respect, sportsmanship and courtesy to those you are playing with,” said Megan, who also won the 2022 PURE Insurance Championship.
Recently, Megan was a member of Team USA at the 2023 Junior Solheim Cup and a 2023 Rolex Scholastic Junior All-American. She’s currently in the Top 10 of the AJGA Rankings and plans to pursue professional golf.
Cooper Groshart
First Tee — Central Coast
Cooper won the 2023 First Tee National Championship at Stanford and now attends California State East Bay, as a business administration major and a member of the golf team. Confidence is a First Tee lesson that Cooper keeps with him today while playing competitive golf. His experience in the First Tee National Championship was inspiring, as he saw so many people from different places share the same drive to compete and succeed in golf, he said.
Cooper played in the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur in Charleston. As a freshman, he competed in 12 tournaments with his college team and has been on the dean’s list both semesters. He said his goal is to continue to improve as a player and a person.
Learn more about the First Tee National Championship.
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – (May 14, 2024) – Four years ago, President George W. Bush had a big surprise for seven exemplary First Tee participants. First Tee’s honorary chair told the teens they were selected as inaugural members of the First Tee College Scholarship Program. Now the organization is thrilled to celebrate their graduation.
“Congratulations to the first graduating class of First Tee College Scholarship Program,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “We are very proud of your hard work and commitment, and we look forward to watching you move into the next stages of your journey. First Tee is proud to have played a role in your development.”
“First Tee is family,” said Ricky Lam, a First Tee Scholar who is graduating from Harvard University and pursuing a career in insurance. “Ultimately First Tee is a place where you have such a strong support system to be able to pursue your passions, ask for help, expand your horizons and network so you can be the person you strive to be.”
The First Tee College Scholarship Program is a need- and merit-based scholarship program through which Scholars receive financial support and access to a wide range of professional development opportunities. Each Scholar is paired with an adult mentor to ensure they are equipped with the tools they need to be successful in college and beyond.
“The First Tee College Scholarship Program really helped me find connections, especially with my mentor,” said Malisone Chanthanpanya, now a graduate student and member of the golf team at Texas Wesleyan University. Mali is one of three Scholars who graduated early to bring the total number of graduated First Tee Scholars to 10. “She was a great resource who I could talk to about not just college and my career but about life. I got to meet a lot of people through the scholarship program.”
The First Tee College Scholarship Program was launched in 2020, and it recognizes First Tee participants who have shown dedication to academics, community service and their First Tee chapters. It has since grown to include 70 Scholars, with the 2024 class slated to be announced next month.
Meet the graduates:
Luke Boldt
First Tee – Coastal Carolina / East Carolina University
He has accepted a position as a medical missionary for two years and plans to apply to medical school.
Malisone Chanthanpanya
First Tee – Fort Worth / Texas Wesleyan University
She’s in graduate school and prepping for LPGA Q-school in the fall.
Jessica Jiao
First Tee – Metropolitan New York / Georgetown University
She has accepted a position with BNP Paribas Bank in its equity capital markets department in New York.
Ricky Lam
First Tee–Tri-Valley / Harvard University
He has accepted a position with Sompo as a commercial underwriter.
Kelly Low
First Tee – Fort Worth / University of Texas at Dallas
She has accepted an offer with Amazon Web Services as an associate solutions architect in Austin.
Nicole Monsalve
First Tee – Miami / Duke University
She has accepted a position with the NFL in its two-year rotation program in New York.
Sara Rintoul
First Tee – Central Florida / University of Florida
She has accepted an offer at Proctor & Gamble as a brand manager in Boston.
Remi Shendell
First Tee – Metropolitan New York / Emory University
She is graduating with a double-major in biology and political science.
Borina Sutiko
First Tee – Silicon Valley / Santa Clara University
She hopes to attend Cal Berkely this fall to earn her master’s in information systems.
Denise Wei
First Tee – San Francisco / University of California, Irvine
She has accepted an offer with PwC in its audit division.
Join us for a free golf clinic hosted by First Tee- Minnesota and Scheels at Columbia Driving Range and Learning Center! First Tee coaches will cover basics such as putting, chipping and hitting the ball really far. All golf equipment (and ice cream!) will be provided at the course. Fill out the form below to register your junior.
When: Sunday, May 19th
Time: 1-2 PM
Location: Columbia Driving Range- 445 St Anthony Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Age: 6+
Space is limited and spots fill quickly! The deadline to register is May 14th.
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Eide Bailly, Lane 4, and the PGA Tour Superstore/Larry Fitzgerald Scholor Athletes in Lane 11 won the NCAA portion of March Madness Bowling. Now, it’s on to the Masters!
This clinic is now full! To join the waitlist please enter your information below.
Join us for a free golf clinic hosted by First Tee- Minnesota and the Highland District Council! First Tee coaches will cover basics such as putting, chipping and hitting the ball really far. All golf equipment (and ice cream!) will be provided at the course.
When: Saturday, May 10th
Time: 1-2 pm
Location: Highland National Golf Course- 1403 Montreal Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55116
Age: 6+
Please fill out this form to join the waitlist for the free clinic:
We just dropped our Winter 2024 newsletter in the mail, which includes 2024 registration links, March Madness bowling kickoff event details, and a look into the Highland Learning Center renovation.
We’ve combined bowling, NCAA Basketball, and the Master’s into a fun, active and non-gala event!
Sunday, March 17, 2024
5:30 to 8 pm
Pinstripes, 3849 Gallagher Drive, Edina, MN 55435
February is Black History Month, an important time to recognize the contributions and remember the hardships endured by generations of African Americans. Appreciating diversity and what makes us each unique remains an integral part of First Tee’s DNA year-round.
“When you bring together people with different perspectives and different experiences, the whole becomes stronger than the sum of its parts,” said Pepper Peete, whose career in golf began more than two decades ago when she established the men’s team at Edward Waters College, an HBCU in Jacksonville, Florida. Peete now helps lead culture and inclusion efforts at First Tee headquarters.
Access for All
First Tee has always been committed to reaching kids from all backgrounds and making sure they feel included in our programming. At First Tee we commit to:
Collaborating with others – including those who are different from you – is a Key Commitment at First Tee, and it means showing respect, kindness and care for everyone. Regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation or lived experience, we’re all unique.
Here are some ways kids can get more comfortable learning about and from others.
A-L-R is a tool for learning about others
First Tee coaches introduce the concept of appreciating diversity by explaining that people differ in many ways and are similar in other ways, and we all have strengths and weaknesses. It is important for kids and teens to understand, accept and appreciate their own strengths and weaknesses, but it is equally important they do the same with others.
Engaging others in conversation doesn’t always come naturally to children, but it can be one of the best ways to form meaningful connections across perceived barriers. A-L-R is a strategy we teach at First Tee.
Through this exercise, kids might learn they share common interests with someone who looks or sounds different to them.
Don’t forget that in addition to learning about others, preteens are often grappling with and discovering their own identities. If your family positions diversity as an asset, your child might feel more comfortable being themself.
Exposing your child to food, music or books from other cultures can help them see the commonalities we share and appreciate that our differences make the world a richer place. You can also discuss the diversity that exists within your own family or community to show that diversity is everywhere, including the golf space.
“Golf has given me an opportunity to go places I never would have been able to go and meet people I never would have been able to meet,” said Peete, who was married to Calvin Peete, one of the most successful Black professional golfers in history. “I think golf can open up unexpected doors.”
A lifelong golfer and mother to two daughters who played golf at HBCUs, Peete has seen the sport become more accessible, especially to women, and she believes the golf course is a perfect place to break down barriers. “You get to meet so many different people through golf,” Peete said.
