Welcome to The First Tee

This is a brief introduction to The First Tee. Over the course of this presentation, we will review four basic areas:

Course Overview

What is The First Tee?What is The First Tee?

Research-proven SuccessResearch-proven Success

Core Values & Life SkillsCore Values & Life Skills

National School ProgramNational School Program

What is The First Tee?

Our Mission

To impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and

educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing

values through the game of golf

What is The First Tee?

First and foremost

The First Tee is a

Youth Development Organization

What is The First Tee?

The First Tee trademarks are

the Nine Core Values® and

the Life Skills Experience.

What is The First Tee?

The First Tee Nine Core Values® are traits that are exhibited through personal behavior by coaches, staff and volunteers. A value can be taught only through example.

The First Tee Life Skills are very specific lessons geared to teach young people effective habits that, when incorporated on the course and in daily life, can lead to positive decisions and outcomes.

The First Tee Nine Core Values

The Nine Core Values® The First Tee embraces are inherent to the game of golf.

These values have been incorporated into The First Tee Life Skills Experience and

the National School Program.

The First Tee Nine Core ValuesThe First Tee Nine Core Values®Honesty - the quality or state of being truthful; not deceptive

Golf is unique from other sports in that players regularly call penalties on themselves and report their own score.

Integrity - strict adherence to a standard of value or conduct; personal honesty and independenceGolf is a game of etiquette and composure.  Players are responsible for their actions and personal conduct on the golf course even at times when others may not be looking.

Sportsmanship - observing the rules of play and winning or losing with gracePlayers must know and abide by the rules of golf and be able to conduct themselves in a kind and respectful manner towards others even in a competitive game.

Respect - to feel or show deferential regard for; esteemIn golf it is important to show respect for oneself, playing partners, fellow competitors, the golf course, and for the honor and traditions of the game.

Confidence - reliance or trust; a feeling of self-assuranceConfidence plays a key role in the level of play that one achieves.  Players can increase confidence in their abilities by being positive and focusing on something they are doing well, regardless of the outcome.

The First Tee Nine Core ValuesThe First Tee Nine Core Values®Responsibility - accounting for one’s actions; dependable

Players are responsible for their actions on the golf course.  It is up to them to keep score, repair divots, rake bunkers, repair ball marks on the green, and keep up with the pace of play.

Perseverance - to persist in an idea, purpose or task despite obstaclesTo succeed in golf, players must continue through bad breaks and their own mistakes, while learning from past experiences.

Courtesy - considerate behavior toward others; a polite remark or gestureA round of golf should begin and end with a handshake between fellow competitors. Players also should be still and quiet while others are preparing and performing a shot.

Judgment - the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; a decision reached after considerationUsing good judgment is very important in golf. It comes into play when deciding on strategy, club selection, when to play safe and when to take a chance, the type of shot players consider executing, as well as making healthy choices on and off the golf course.

Life Skills Experience

While The First Tee uses golf as an instructional platform, the keystone of our program is the

Life Skills Experience.

The First Tee is proactive in reaching youth and giving them sound, fundamental life skills to manage their life. In a sense, we tackle all problems of youth today, as we empower young people to achieve their dreams and give them a skill set to do so.

Life Skills Experience

The First Tee participants will be well prepared to manage their life by the time they reach the “at-risk” years. We do this by teaching them:

• Interpersonal skills & self-management skills – how to interact with others, how to communicate, and how to manage their emotions. This gives youth the skills to present themselves to others in a positive manner and techniques to manage their emotions when others do not treat them in the same positive manner.

Life Skills Experience• Goal setting skills – What are their dreams? Where do

they want to go in life? We ask young people to dream and then teach them how to set goal ladders to be able to reach their dreams.

• Resilience skills – we teach young people skills to overcome challenges and obstacles. Once you set goals, there are going to be barriers which prevent you from achieving them. The First Tee provides a wide variety of tools and techniques which allow participants the best opportunity to overcome these challenges and ultimately achieve their goals.

Life Skills Experience

Life Skills lessons are taught in a seamless approach while participants are working on golf skills.

It’s more than a game

Life Skills ExperienceLife Skills are skills for life

The First Tee wants everyone who completes

the program to have acquired basic golf skills

and to be able to demonstrate certain

fundamental life skill concepts such as

interpersonal communication and the importance

of rules and etiquette.

Life Skills ExperienceCertification

The Life Skills Experience moves participants throughfive levels of certification - PLAYer, Par, Birdie, Eagle

and Ace.

Each level focuses on increasing golf skills and Life Skills which are age-appropriate for physical and cognitive abilities.

Life Skills Experience

Life Skills Categories

PLAYer Par Birdie Eagle

Interpersonal Skills

Self-management

Goal Setting

Resilience Skills

# Par # Birdie # Eagle

10 Explore the Game 16 Dreams and Goals 22 Stay Well for Life

11Respecting the

Rules17

Positive and

Important to You23 Building a Go-to Team

12Meeting and

Greeting with A-L-R18 Specific 24 Appreciating Diversity

13Having Fun While

You Learn19 Under Your Control 25 Dealing with Conflicts

14 Staying Cool 20Goal

Ladder26 Be a Go-to Person

15 Personal Par 21Dealing with Challenges

27 Planning for the Future

PLAYer

Life Skills Experience

Life Skills ExperiencePLAYer

The First Tee has an innovative program called PLAYer. PLAYer is a unique aspect of teaching golf. Instead of learning the swing at the driving range, we introduce young people to the game where it is played - on the course.

Young people learn the concept of the game and become comfortable with, and respectful of, the course and course etiquette first. This method is similar to how young people learn other sports like soccer, football, baseball and basketball.

ResearchDoes The First Tee program work?

In 2003, The First Tee developed a strategic plan for ongoing research to:

•Measure the impact of the Life Skills Education programs on participants

•Examine how and why The First Tee is a valuable youth development organization

•Enable The First Tee to improve its programs for participants

ResearchIndependent research was conducted by University of Nevada - Las Vegas, University of Florida and University of Virginia.

Results after two years of the longitudinal study show:

• 90% of participants in the study transfer life skills to school, home and other areas

• 90% retained life skills over time

• Of the participants in the study, The First Tee had an 83% retention rate compared to 50% average for other youth- serving organizations

ResearchWhen comparing The First Tee participants with youth in other sports:

• The First Tee participants scored higher on meeting and greeting, managing emotions, resolving conflicts, appreciating diversity and getting help from others

•Youth in The First Tee also scored higher on goal setting, initiative, emotional regulation, prosocial norms and positive relationships

•The First Tee youth scored higher on perceived academic competence (confidence), moral conduct (responsibility, honesty, integrity), self-efficacy to resist peer pressure (judgment), and preference for challenging skills (perseverance)

National School ProgramThe Nine Core Values® are also introduced in elementary school Physical Education classes through The First Tee National School Program.

The National School Program teaches physical educators to teach golf to elementary-age children while incorporating the Nine Core Values® into each lesson.

National School ProgramPE teachers cited the positive changes in their students’ behavior as a result of the Nine Core Values® delivered through the National School Program.

The National School Program is in over 3,400 elementary schools. The First Tee Chapters increase their impact in a community by sponsoring the National School Program in their area.

ConclusionThe First Tee is a youth development organization that uses proven methods to teach young people Life Skills and Core Values through the game of golf.

When these lessons become life-long habits, they help The First Tee participants be successful

on and off the golf course.

Welcome to The First Tee

Please be confident that the time and effort you devote to The First Tee is appreciated not only by your Chapter staff, but by the young people

in your community whose lives you will impact.

Thank you for joining The First Tee!