First Tee is a nonprofit organization that teaches children life skills through purposed golf lessons. By integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee attempts to build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience in participating children. This is not to be confused with Top Golf. Who would do that? Well, maybe me.
Once I understood which business we were talking about, I had a great conversation with Community Impact Coordinator, Lauren Graziano. Lauren shared that all programs, activities, curriculum, volunteers and staff are dedicated to helping youth to develop confidence, overcome challenges and achieve goals. With Executive Director Sandy Johnson on maternity leave, Lauren currently has a lot on her plate!
There’s a quote on their website about golf being the closest game to living life. Famous amateur golfer Bobby Jones said, “You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball where it lies.” Using the game of golf, First Tee — Southern Colorado teaches core values and life skills to help kids from all backgrounds and ages tackle the good and bad breaks they get in life. The team is currently getting ready for summer programming. In order to deliver the impactful, quality programming that is a hallmark of First Tee, they need lots of volunteers! If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of young people you can get involved here.
One thing Lauren shared that I thought readers would be interested in is that anyone can purchase a membership to their facility at 525 North Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs. The facility includes: six micro-range hitting bays with 32 inch TV displays of ball flight analytics, two aboutGolf PGA Tour simulators (where you can play 9 or 18 holes) and full size putting and chipping greens. How fun is that?!?!?
Most people think of First Tee as a golf skills program. What Lauren and the team would most like for people to know is that it’s actually a youth development program working on character development through understanding and managing emotions, resolving conflicts, setting up step-by-step goals, planning for the future, and appreciating diversity. If you would like to contribute, volunteer, or just learn more go to https://firstteesoco.org. You can also connect with Lauren at lauren@firstteesoco.org.
