Participant Spotlight

Meet Bennie!

This past summer, Bennie conducted a research project with the research question “Where are the best locations in Orange County, California, for First Tee — Orange County (FTOC) to conduct promotional activities in order to maximize new membership and new participation?” He collected zip code, land area, and segmented population data for Orange County and used fundamental mathematic modeling to lead to the conclusion that Willowick and Dad Miller are the best locations for FTOC to conduct promotional activities to attract new participants. Simple project but it shows his sense of belonging and eagerness to contribute to FTOC, whose wonderful youth development program has a deep influence in his life.

Unrelated to golf... after 10 years of hard work, Bennie has recently obtained the DipABRSM (in piano performance) title. This is a diploma issued by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music to musicians worldwide for professional level of musicality through a rigorous examination and selection process (the multi-level review process took four months).

As a participant in First Tee - Orange County, Bennie was selected for a National First Tee Opportunity in 2021 where he spent a life-changing week in Montana learning how to grow as a leader.

Watch Bennie's performance of Copland The Cat and the Mouse

We'd love to share your child's success story, whether it is on or off the course!

Share your child's story here

Weather

Wear

With the winter session in full swing, we'd like to remind our participants to dress for the cool weather. I know we tend to get a little cold once the sun goes down, so maybe bring an extra jacket or even some cozy gloves to stay warm. Layering is great option.

Check local forecast here

Water & Snack Donations

We accept water & snack donations at each location. We ask that the snacks are healthy and individually wrapped. Any amount is appreciated.

Questions? Click Here!

2023 Winter Session Events:

February 5: Wounded Warrior Project @ Lake Forest Golf Center
February 11: Week 1 of PGA TOUR Superstore Leadership Series (5 weeks)*
February 12: Super Bowl - Wear your favorite sports jersey to class
February 14: Valentine's Day - Wear your favorite Valentine's Day attire
February 20: President's Day - classes will be held
February 26: Teens on Greens*
March 17: St. Patrick's Day - Wear green to class
March 19: Last day of classes
March 22: Spring Registration Opens
April 2: Spring Session Begins

*By Invitation Only

Teens on Greens

We are excited to announce a new program we recently launched this month. Teens on Greens was made possible through donations and sponsorships from the PGA Tour Superstore and H&H Lee Foundation. Teens on Greens is a 3-Year Program open to 20 PARTICIPANTS (new or current) and are currently in Grades 7-9 (High School Graduation Years of 2026-2028).

The Teens on Greens program has academic, social, career, & mentoring aspects: time & help with homework, guest speakers, exploration of college/career opportunities, & more!

Congratulations to the 2023 selected participants!

What is "Player of the Day"?

At the end of every First Tee class, the coaches all get together for a few minutes to discuss which participant(s) in class deserve to be named the "player of the day". The player of the day is the 1-3 participants that best exemplified the core lesson of the day during class, ex. showed respect, was a good sport, dealt well with challenges, etc.

The player of the day is not necessarily who hit the most amazing golf shots of the day, but who best showed the character value discussed by the coaches. Players of the day are recognized at the end of class with a round of applause, a star on their name tag, an extra snack, and even a golf ball or other fun prize!

Girl's Golf & Boy's Golf*

Girl's Golf is a fun, social class for girls to meet other girls and create a safe & friendly environment. Last Thursday, the girls had a fun night building personalized tags for their golf bags. Everyone was positive, respectful, and extremely creative while designing their own tag. Each girl showcased their beautiful work and explained the idea behind their build. Girl's Golf helps prepare girls ages 7 – 17 for a lifetime of enjoyment of the game while also inspiring them to feel confident, build positive self-esteem and live active and healthy lives through The Five E’s of Girls Golf .

Click here to download our new Girl's Golf and Boy's Golf theme list

*NOTE: LPGA Girls Golf and Boys Golf is a free option.

Must be registered in a current age-based class.