Last year, First Tee launched a new initiative to provide individual instruction to ALL kids, particularly those on scholarship because of their families’ income. To learn why this initiative began, click here. PGA Professional Randy White took on a new title in 2021 as First Tee’s first-ever Director of Instruction after serving as First Tee’s Holland Area Director from 2017-2020.
This was a new program in 2021. How did it go?
Starting in May of 2021, Randy began providing individual instruction to First Tee students in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland, spending a day in each community. Thanks to a generous donor, First Tee was able to offer Randy’s hour-long lessons to kids on scholarship for just $15. This affordable rate meant students on scholarship could get individual instruction for the very first time.
2021 results
Totals:
- 45 kids and teens took lessons in 2021
- 140 lessons were given
- 65% of lessons were given to students on scholarship
The demand showed First Tee that individual golf instruction was a game-changer for our scholarship kids. The lessons are giving First Tee kids and teens confidence to play their next high school season, or for many of them, their very first chance to play high school golf. Read below on some of the thoughts shared by parents through an anonymous survey.
“He works so well with my daughter and gives her confidence.”
“He helped work on the little things to improve my child’s golf game, which increased their enjoyment of the game.”
“We love his great jokes.”
“He is a phenomenal coach.”
How Can You Help?
Randy’s one day a week in Grand Rapids this past year was not enough. Most Wednesdays, you could find Coach Randy giving 8 straight lessons on the tee at Kaufman Golf Course, with more kids and teens clamoring for spots. We need more individual lesson opportunities for our kids in Grand Rapids! Just 2% of our Grand Rapids participants received a lesson with Randy this summer, and we know that more kids could benefit from the life skills and technical instruction of a PGA or LPGA Professional. We need your financial support to provide that opportunity.
Ready to Serve:
First Tee – West Michigan already has strong relationships with dozens of PGA Professional Instructors in Grand Rapids, and has asked several of them to join Randy and offer discounted lessons to scholarship participants. So far, Head Golf Professional Matt Swan and Director of Instruction Jimmy Wisinski of Kent Country Club have joined on, offering 1-2 hour slots each week for First Tee students. Several other PGA Professionals are considering as well.
Give today:
In order for more PGA Professionals to support our kids on scholarship, we need your help. Here’s how one lesson works:
- First Tee family on scholarship pays $15 for a lesson
- First Tee, through your generous gift, pays $55 additional to a local trusted PGA Professional
- PGA Professional discounts their normal hourly rate $10-$50. This system means that the Professionals and families both have skin in the game, but First Tee, through your help, can bridge the gap to affordable and impactful instruction.
This system means that the professioinals and families both have skin in the game, but First Tee, through your help, can bridge the gap to affordable and impactful instruction. To do this in 2022 at a bigger scale, we’ll need to raise an additional $7,500. Will you help us raise funds to support this and our other 2022 initiatives?