At First Tee, we guide kids to strengthen what’s inside and put it into action because strong character, inner strength and resilience is needed now more than ever. This month we are talking to leaders within our Network about their experiences and key lessons learned over the course of their careers.
Coach Dustin Marsh, First Tee – Central Carolina
What is your current role at First Tee, how long have you been in that role and what is the most rewarding part of your job?
Currently, I am a recognized First Tee Coach. I have been coaching with The First Tee since 2009.
This month we’re celebrating Black History Month and lifting up voices of Black participants, coaches and leaders exploring what it means to be a leader. As a coach, you’re both a mentor and leader to the participants in the program. What does that mean to you?
It means a great deal to me! Many people get to middle age and find themselves in a job or career that they did not foresee. They get caught up in making a living. They may or may not like what they do. I like what I do but, before I started with The First Tee I was not participating in my community as I thought I needed to. I was searching for something to fill a void in my being. When I was young, I was an education major but, life happened and I took an opportunity to work in computer technology. Now that I am coaching with The First Tee, I feel like I’m exercising the same passion I had when I was on a path to be an educator.
How important is it for participants to see diverse leaders like yourself and others coaching at the chapter?
It’s extremely important that our participants experience the program from a diverse range of leaders and with diverse peers. I think specifically about some of the kids I have coached over the years who have gone on to college and professional careers, and I know having diverse coaches was instrumental in not only attracting them to the program, but also keeping them engaged for the long run. At the end of the day, it’s about making kids feel welcome and comfortable, and when a kid can see themselves in me or another black or brown coach, that increases the likelihood they will want to come back.
Who were some of the strong voices or mentors in your life that inspired you?
Many of my coaches made strong impressions on me for various reasons. Some of my teachers inspired me as well. However, I think the strongest voices in my life were those that exemplified and instilled the importance of decency toward others.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your life or career?
One thing I’m most proud of is my track record of community service, specifically through First Tee – Central Carolina. I’ve been doing this for over 11 years. It isn’t always convenient or easy in my schedule, but it has been worth it. I’m proud that kids have called me a mentor even when I didn’t think I was, and that I’ve been able to help them figure out all how to deal with the hard things life has thrown at them.
Can you give an example of a challenge you have faced in your career and how have you worked to overcome it?
A challenge that I have faced in my career is leading teams of people and how to get the best results possible. What I’ve learned is that you have to know what motivates them and what their strengths and weaknesses are. This takes time and building relationships. Once you know these details, you can put people where they are going to be the most effective and the whole team benefits. I’ve done the same thing in the First Tee classes I coach. I try to learn as quickly as I can why a kid is there and what they are looking to get out of the experience. Once I know this, I can adapt my coaching to best match their needs. Like we are trained in the First Tee Coach Program, match the activity to the child and not the child to the activity.
How does or can First Tee play a role in bringing more diversity to our game?
I think we must continue to find ways to make golf inviting to a diverse group of people. There isn’t one way to bring more diversity to golf. We have to try every approach we can come up with. It’s not something that can be accomplished overnight. Golf used to be a sport that was available to only those with financial means and making it more inclusive is going to take time and perseverance. There is a lot of untapped talent that golf has yet to tap into.
It ultimately comes down to building relationships in your community that are genuine and time tested. The opportunities to be more diverse can be hard to initially see, but if your focus is on building relationships, the opportunities to engage with black and brown communities will become more apparent. When it comes to this type of work, don’t worry about being the first one there, focus on being the last one standing.
What leadership advice or concept do you think is most important for your participants to know?
Coach Angel has been an educator for 15 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Hampton University, where she attended on a full NCAA Division I scholarship helping lead her team in March Madness.After graduation, Coach Angel traveled extensively and was invited to speak on diversity and educational practices. She began her teaching career in Turkey, teaching English as a Second Language before going back home, to Akron, Ohio where she is currently an educator at the Lebron James IPromise school.Coach Angel was introduced to First Tee 8 years ago when her son, John Ramon, joined the program. She joined in not long after and has been coaching at First Tee — Greater Akron for 7 years. “I feel it is important to stay involved in the First Tee to offer the kids in my urban community the opportunity to play a sport that they may have not felt was in their realm of abilities. When we begin working with these athletes we open a whole new world for them while developing their character through the Core Values to instill a solid foundation for success. I also feel it is essential to have representation in the world of golf and being able to interact and develop friendships and perspectives with people in the golf community that may have otherwise never built a relationship with someone in the Black community such as myself.”Coach Angel is just one of the many inspirational coaches across our network and we invite you to learn more about her journey and thoughts on leadership in the video below.
We believe that golf provides a powerful vehicle to help kids build inner strength and life enhancing skills they can take to everything they do.
Joseph Dent, Marcellus Dillard and Joey Stills are First Tee alumni using these life lessons as they compete on the APGA Tour, a launching pad for African Americans and minority golfers to compete and make their way to the PGA TOUR. The three alumni shared their experiences through First Tee and how it’s empowered them to develop their character as they pursue their goals.
NORTON, Massachusetts – The First Tee Of Massachusetts Charity Tournament has been sold out for 14 straight years, and 2020 is no exception.
This year’s tournament will take place Monday, November 2 at TPC Boston in Norton, the host site of the PGA TOUR’s The Northern Trust. This one-day golf outing serves as a major fundraising event for First Tee of Massachusetts, a youth golf organization that has provided crucial golf skills, life lessons, and social interactions for thousands of youth throughout the Bay State. The tournament helps provide access and resources to keep the program strong in the future.
“Despite everything that 2020 challenged us with, First Tee of Massachusetts has continued to thrive and I could not be more proud of what our chapter was able to accomplish,” said Kyle Harris, Director of Operations for First Tee of Massachusetts. “The level of commitment from our coaches, staff, participants and their parents was incredible, and we are so thankful for the amazing support we received from our many donors and sponsors, including those playing in our fundraiser tournament.”
ONLINE:FIRST TEE MASSACHUSETTS | 2019 PHOTOS
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Monday, November 2, 2020At TPC Boston, Norton10 a.m.: Player Check-In
11 a.m.: Shotgun Start
Post-Golf: Prizes, awards
SPONSORSHIPS
The First Tee Charity Tournament wouldn’t have the impact it has today without support from its generous sponsors. Learn more about our BIRDIE Level Sponsors and please support them.
BIRDIE SPONSORS:
ABM Insurance
As the largest, independent and privately-owned insurance agency in North Central Massachusetts, ABM Insurance creates the optimal protection plan for your current workforce, commercial vehicles, and business property, as well as for the journey that lies ahead.
APR, Ltd.
Antonelli Professional Resources, Ltd. is an appraisal and marketing firm serving the Multi-Family Housing Industry in New England for more than 20 years, specializing in meeting the appraisal needs of owners and managers of affordable rental housing. As avid golfers, the firm is committed to continuing our support of the First Tee.
microMetal Technologies, Inc.
microMetal Technologies, Inc. specializes in chemical manufacturing process that plates thin layers of various metal onto wire filaments. microMetal’s metalized yarn is utilized across the aerospace and defense industry primarily in Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding.
RTD Logistics
RTD Logistics (http://RTDLogistics.com), headquartered in Allston, is an express delivery & logistics service provider with 35 years of experience. RTD provides on-time deliveries 24/7 365 days a year to accommodate everything from early-morning to late-night client needs. A trusted resource for handling bank deposits, legal documents, and medical transport, RTD is led by president/ founder Scott C. Baker, a member of the Mass Golf Board of Directors.
ROVA
ROVA (http://rovahq.com) a revolutionary on-demand delivery platform, provides 24/7 access to independent drivers for on-demand, same-day delivery of packages with live real-time tracking. The ROVA model provides insurance, full transparency, real-time updates, payments and tracking at the customer’s fingertips, and is designed with the drivers in mind.
The Helen G. Hauben Foundation
Based out of Littleton, the Helen G. Hauben Foundation provides grants and sponsorships for local programs, especially for youth literacy and education initiatives. Bruce Hauben, of Littleton, named the organization after his late mother.
The First Tee Charity Tournament also would like to thank the following Par Sponsors: PGA TOUR Superstore, John D. Mineck Foundation, The Wampatuck Country Club Ladies League, and the Alan MacDonald Family.
FIRST TEE IN THE NEWS
PROGRAMMING DURING COVID-19
During the early months of the COVID-19 Pandemic, First Tee of Massachusetts offered an affordable, six-week virtual classes program that was conducted over Google Classroom as an alternative to Spring Programs.
As the school year ended, new protocols were adopted by First Tee coaches to prepare for summer programming, which began July 6 at most of its seven on-course locations statewide. On-course classes also took place this fall.
“This year more than ever, what we offer at our programs – a safe and encouraging environment for youth to learn golf, crucial life skills, and have safe social interactions – was needed, and we were able to deliver on it because of the support we received internally and externally,” Kyle Harris said.
CHARLIE HOFFMAN WINS $62.5K FOR FIRST TEE
The day before The Northern Trust began, Charlie Hoffman represented First Tee of Massachusetts in The Northern Trust Charity Challenge. Hoffman played a Wolf-style with three other PGA TOUR players will and finished tied for second place to take earn a split prize of $62,500 for the First Tee.
PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST TEE
As part of the national First Tee program’s partnership agreement with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and PGA TOUR Superstore, a $9.5 million grant was given to help the First Tee reach to more children across the U.S. and strengthen the curriculum for its participants. First Tee of Massachusetts received $15,000 as part of its share of the grant on October 3.
ABOUT FIRST TEE OF MASSACHUSETTS
In 2003, Mass Golf was selected by The First Tee to join its national network with the goal of bringing an affordable junior golf program to youth and communities that did not have them.
Since that time, Mass Golf has introduced seven program locations – D.W. Field Golf Course (Brockton), William J. Devine GCat Franklin Park (Boston), Hyannis Golf Course (Cape Cod), Cranberry Valley Golf Course (Harwich), Fenway Golf Center (Springfield), KOHR Golf (Natick) and The Links at Mass Golf (Norton).
As part of the curriculum, the children progress through a series of golf lessons where they are introduced to the different aspects of a golf course including the green, tee, fairway, rough, bunkers and water hazards. The participants are also introduced to the basic elements of the game of golf and the swing including distance and accuracy control, course management, how to score, pace of play, the honor and proper, grip, stance, and posture.
In addition to golf, the participants are introduced to the nine core values inherent to the game including honesty, integrity, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, sportsmanship, judgment, respect and courtesy. The life skills experience was the platform used in getting the participants to become comfortable with introducing themselves to others, meeting new people, learning something new, setting goals, and dealing with conflict. The life skills learned are useful for the participants both on and off the golf course.
Halloween was celebrated on Monday at TPC Boston, the site of the annual Labor Day Weekend Dell Technologies Championship. Instead of goblins and ghosts, there were plenty of golfers in attendance for the 10th Annual The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament, presented by Walmart, which helped raise important funds for the mission to provide golf instruction to the next generation of golfers.
CLICK HERE for photos from The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament.
“Today’s event was enjoyed by all and will help tremendously in our goals to help grow the great game of golf,” said Joe McCabe, executive director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “We are very grateful for all those who joined us at TPC Boston for this special event, something that could not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and our friends here at TPC Boston!”
On the same course that saw Rory McIlroy win the Wedgewood Trophy for the second time in his career less than two months ago, 92 golfers took to the links for the shotgun-start tournament that is part of the Liberty Mutual Invitational Series, the nation’s top charity event in golf, attracting thousands of golfers across the country and mobilizing support for local charities in hundreds of American communities.
On the links at TPC Boston on Monday, one of New England’s premiere golf courses, the group of ChrisBuchanan, Jeff Graham, Dan Connelly and Aziz Syed took the top spot on the leaderboard to win this year’s tournament in the first gross category while the group of Chris Koczela, John Maher, Peter Minot and Kevin Farquhar were atop the leaderboard in the net category.
The Buchanan, Graham, Connolly and Sayed group registered 60 points on the board. while the team led by Kozceza, Maher, Minot and Far tallied 49 points for the day low in the net division.
Other individual leaders were Dan Connelly and Sally DeGan who were the men’s & women’s long drive winners, respectively. In the closest to the pin contest, Matt McKenna’s shot of within feet feet of the hole was the closest amongst all competitors.
Because of its association with the Liberty Mutual Invitational Series, this year’s The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament winning group of received an invitation to play in the Liberty Mutual Invitational National Finals at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla next March. TPC Sawgrass was the site of the inaugural Players Championship in 1982 and has remained as one of the nation’s top courses.
The First Tee is a youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Through after-school and in-school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf. For more information on the program, visit www.firstteemass.org
When someone drives their golf ball more than 300 yards, at least one person is bound to notice. When that happens to be at the MGA Links at Mamantapett, the 18-hole, par-3 course in Norton owned and operated by the MGA, it is definitely going to get some attention.
That is what happened on Wednesday when PGA Tour member Patton Kizzire, in town for the Deutsche Bank Championship at nearby TPC Boston, displayed his skills to more than 100 youth who had come out for the annual MGA Links Skills Challenge & PGA Tour Player Exhibition.
As part of the standing relationship that the PGA Tour’s annual Labor Day Weekend event has with the MGA, Kizzire spent more than an hour with young golfers giving them instruction, answering questions, signing autographs and even allowing a few lucky kids to practice their drives in front of the large crowd who had gathered at the Norton course, a two mile drive from where the top-100 players on the PGA Tour will compete later this week.
“It’s nice to see the players do give back and that they take time out of their schedule to come to charity events like this,” said Joe McCabe, Executive Director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “To be a part of the community and to especially work with kids and pass their experiences down to them is something those kids will always remember.”
Prior to Kizzire’s arrival, McCabe, his staff and a large contingent of volunteers hosted a free skills challenge and instruction session for all kids who were interested in attending, many of whom have participated in The First Tee of Massachusetts programs in the past.
Across the 18-hole, par-3 course, those volunteers set up stations where kids could both practice and compete against fellow golf enthusiasts their age.
Two chipping and two putting stations were set up in addition to a “Hole-In-One Challenge” and a “Full-Swing Challenge” that were also available to the more than 100 kids who joined the festivities. They had free range of all events and were able to rotate the various stages as they pleased for the 90-minute session.
As much as the kids enjoyed swinging the clubs themselves, the real excitement was the second half of the event, where the participants could learn first hand from a true golf professional.
Kizzire, a 30-year old golf professional enjoying his first year on the PGA Tour, spoke about several aspects about his life, inside and outside of golf. He explained how he got involved with the game at a young seven years old and how he continuously practiced through high school, college at Auburn University and to his eventual status today.
Prior to the PGA Tour, Kizzire explained how he battled through the mini-tour since turning pro in 2008 and how his hard work helped him to one his best years in his professional career, which included topping first-place on the Web.com Tour money list in 2015.
More than anything, Kizzire served as an inspiration for the many young golfers who spent their last days of summer on the course.
“To have this one-on-one opportunity for these kids with a professional golfer, and for that golfer to share their experiences, it gives these kids something to shoot for,” said McCabe. “Maybe that person becomes a role model for these kids in the future, whether it is Patton or some of the other players who have been here before.”
In addition to his long drive, likely one of the longest to ever be recorded at MGA Links at Mamantapett, Kizzire also planted a shot with his 56 degree wedge that landed within inches of the cup that sat at nearly 100 yards away on the course’s first tee, which brought a large applause from the audience members.
Kizzire is scheduled to tee off Hole No. 10 in the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship on Friday, September 2 at 8:15 a.m. After today, there is no doubt he will have plenty of new followers as he competes against the field at TPC Boston.
The MGA and First Tee of Massachusetts program would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Deutsche Bank Championship and the PGA Tour in helping making this event a success and promoting golf to the next generation players. This would not be possible without their help.
On Tuesday August 2nd, a group of participants from The First Tee of Massachusetts met at MGA Links in Norton to begin their journey to The First Tee Northeast Regional Challenge.
This year’s event was hosted by The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia and featured 12 chapters from the Northeast Region of The First Tee taking part in a 3-day golf & life skills event with an array of additional activities for participants and team chaperones.
Team members from The First Tee of Massachusetts were Louis Dion(Norton, MA), Alex DiMartino(Mansfield, MA), Torrie Tamash(Barnstable, MA) and Jillian Barend(North Attleboro, MA) and they were led by the father-daughter duo of Tom & Cora Bernier.
Dion, 18 years old, is a recent graduate of Norton High School (will attend Bryant University) and has been a participant in The First Tee at MGA Links for nearly 10 years.
“I’ve had the chance to attend The First Tee Life Skills & Leadership Academy last year in Minnesota and now to have one more First Tee opportunity like this in Philadelphia is something I will always remember,” said Dion.
Barend and DiMartino made up the participants in the 12-14 year old division of the Bay State contingent.
DiMartino, a student at Xaverian Brothers High School, and Barend, a student at North Attleboro Middle School, are both participants from MGA Links.
For Tamash, a long-time First Tee participant from Hyannis GC with First Tee coach David Donnellan, the Regional Challenge was a thrill.
“It’s crazy that this is an opportunity we can all have,” said Tamash. “I couldn’t imagine how great this experience has been.”
After arriving in Philadelphia and checking into the team accommodations at Villanova University, the first day featured a round of golf and barbeque at Walnut Lane Golf Club followed by a welcome reception for all of the participating teams. As part of the event’s overall scoring system, all participants took a written life skills & golf knowledge assessment upon arrival at the event that made up 50% of their score.
Day 2 of this journey featured the main event – the golf tournament held at Merion Golf Club, site of the 2013 US Open.
Consisting of two age groups – 12-14 & 15-18 – participants competed in a Stableford scoring event. After the golf and points were compiled, The First Tee of Massachusetts finished 4th out of 12 teams. The day concluded with dinner and a trip to the Philadelphia Phillies game for all of the participating chapters.
For Tom Bernier, the 2014 Andrew J. Blau MGA Volunteer of the Year, being at the Regional Challenge was fulfilling in its own right.
“I’m so proud to be here as one of the team chaperones with these kids,” said Bernier. “I’ve seen the positive impact that The First Tee has had on my own two kids over the last 10-12 years and so to be able to share this incredible experience with these kids here at Merion Golf Club is truly awesome.”
The final day of the event featured a trip to the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Rolling Green Golf Club. From there, the kids and chaperones prepared for the long journey home to Massachusetts.
“The success and the memories that these kids experienced on this trip just reinforces that our program is making a positive impact on kids and families,” said Joe McCabe, Executive Director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “I appreciate the enthusiasm of all of our participants statewide and the passion of our coaches and volunteers.”
Congrats to Louis, Alex, Jillian and Torrie for a job well done in Philadelphia!
Temperatures may have escalated into the high 80s on Sunday afternoon, but that didn’t stop the more than two dozen young golfers from showing up to the William J. Devine Golf Course at Franklin Park, the site of the MGA’s The First Tee of Massachusetts (TFTMA) final session of their spring season.
Led by a team of four coaches and additional volunteers, these young golfers from throughout the City of Boston were given instruction and the opportunity to learn some of the fundamentals to the game of golf.
Sunday was the fifth and final session of the spring for The First Tee of Massachusetts Program hosted at Franklin Park – one of five hosts sites throughout the Bay State that focuses on teaching the game of golf to the next generation of players.
CLICK HERE to read an article about the program expansion into the City of Boston which appeared in the 2015 fall issue of MassGolfer magazine.
With Sunday’s lesson primarily focused on “Pre-Shot Routine,” each of the golfers, aged 7-14, were taught the basics on how to approach a shot – basics that included footwork, tactic and follow through. After a quick classroom-like discussion that allowed the young golfers to take notes on mini white boards, the groups grabbed their clubs and took to Franklin Park’s practice facility, where they could put their newly acquired knowledge to work.
Equipped with hundreds of rubber practice balls, the young golfers, separated into smaller groups each with its own instructor, were able to practice their pre-shot routine at each of the four designated stations – driving, chipping, putting and lofting.
For Jim Tobin, one of the program’s lead coaches, the opportunity to teach these kids has been fantastic. And in only the second year of existence at the Franklin Park site, the response he has received has been more than he could have imagined.
“The response from the kids has been really positive,” said Tobin, whose wife Anne Marie will be one of six inductees into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame in October. “The response from the parents has been overwhelming. They’re so happy to see the opportunity for these kids. We had 1,637 kids [from within Boston] last summer and expect even more this summer.”
Tobin says that of the 1,637 kids who came through the program during the 2015 season, many have returned for additional lessons this past spring, while others are signed up for both the 2016 summer and fall sessions.
“It was 1,637 kids who came through this program daily,” said Tobin. “A lot of them were returnees. That’s what we want. They’re returning. They’re enjoying it and they’re having fun.”
In addition to teaching golf, Tobin, a former golf professional of 31 years at Bellevue Golf Club , says one of the reasons it may be so popular is the fact that it teaches life skills – skills that can be applied both on and off the golf course. The TFTMA program, which is free for all City of Boston residents at the Franklin Park Golf Course, teaches each participant its nine core inherent values – honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.
By using golf as a way to teach these lessons, Tobin says, “They are able to interpret life lessons and apply it to outside the golf course. They are learning these life skills without even realizing they are life skills.”
It’s all part of the TFTMA’s larger mission: “To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, install life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.”
In fact, this program has grown so large that in 2016, the decision was made to add two programs – one in the spring and one in the fall- in addition to the summer program, which is returning for its second year in July. Now, kids can remain involved in golf activities for three out of the four seasons.
Over the past several years, the City of Boston, the MGA and The First Tee of Massachusetts collaborated to make this opportunity possible at Franklin Park Golf Course.
It has quickly become the largest of the state’s five First Tee Programs and as the news get out, it is bound to grow.
“We could not be happier with the growth of this program and the incredible support that we have received from the City of Boston,” said Joe McCabe, executive director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “We are also so grateful to the coaches and volunteers who have helped make this such a huge success for the program and who have made a positive impact on the participants.”
Starting on July 11, when Franklin Park’s eight-week summer program begins, the club will host two sessions each day, each lasting one and one half hours. In the afternoon, the club will then welcome various groups from around the city, including Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA’s and other citywide camps. All with the objective of teaching the game, and life values, to as many young golfers as possible.
In addition to Franklin Park, The First Tee of Massachusetts will be hosting youth clinics in Hyannis, Lynnfield, Norton and Springfield.
For information how to register for the program, visit the First Tee Massachusetts website at firstteemass.org.
What is your current role at First Tee, how long have you been in that role and what is the most rewarding part of your job? 
Can you give an example of a challenge you have faced in your career and how have you worked to overcome it?
Coach Angel has been an educator for 15 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Hampton University, where she attended on a full NCAA Division I scholarship helping lead her team in March Madness.
After graduation, Coach Angel traveled extensively and was invited to speak on diversity and educational practices. She began her teaching career in Turkey, teaching English as a Second Language before going back home, to Akron, Ohio where she is currently an educator at the Lebron James IPromise school.
Coach Angel was introduced to First Tee 8 years ago when her son, John Ramon, joined the program. She joined in not long after and has been coaching at First Tee — Greater Akron for 7 years.
“I feel it is important to stay involved in the First Tee to offer the kids in my urban community the opportunity to play a sport that they may have not felt was in their realm of abilities. When we begin working with these athletes we open a whole new world for them while developing their character through the Core Values to instill a solid foundation for success. I also feel it is essential to have representation in the world of golf and being able to interact and develop friendships and perspectives with people in the golf community that may have otherwise never built a relationship with someone in the Black community such as myself.”
Coach Angel is just one of the many inspirational coaches across our network and we invite you to learn more about her journey and thoughts on leadership in the video below.
The First Tee Charity Tournament wouldn’t have the impact it has today without support from its generous sponsors. Learn more about our BIRDIE Level Sponsors and please support them.
Halloween was celebrated on Monday at TPC Boston, the site of the annual Labor Day Weekend Dell Technologies Championship. Instead of goblins and ghosts, there were plenty of golfers in attendance for the 10th Annual The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament, presented by Walmart, which helped raise important funds for the mission to provide golf instruction to the next generation of golfers.
CLICK HERE for photos from The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament.
“Today’s event was enjoyed by all and will help tremendously in our goals to help grow the great game of golf,” said Joe McCabe, executive director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “We are very grateful for all those who joined us at TPC Boston for this special event, something that could not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and our friends here at TPC Boston!”
On the same course that saw Rory McIlroy win the Wedgewood Trophy for the second time in his career less than two months ago, 92 golfers took to the links for the shotgun-start tournament that is part of the Liberty Mutual Invitational Series, the nation’s top charity event in golf, attracting thousands of golfers across the country and mobilizing support for local charities in hundreds of American communities.
On the links at TPC Boston on Monday, one of New England’s premiere golf courses, the group of Chris Buchanan, Jeff Graham, Dan Connelly and Aziz Syed took the top spot on the leaderboard to win this year’s tournament in the first gross category while the group of Chris Koczela, John Maher, Peter Minot and Kevin Farquhar were atop the leaderboard in the net category.
The Buchanan, Graham, Connolly and Sayed group registered 60 points on the board. while the team led by Kozceza, Maher, Minot and Far tallied 49 points for the day low in the net division.
Other individual leaders were Dan Connelly and Sally DeGan who were the men’s & women’s long drive winners, respectively. In the closest to the pin contest, Matt McKenna’s shot of within feet feet of the hole was the closest amongst all competitors.
Because of its association with the Liberty Mutual Invitational Series, this year’s The First Tee of Massachusetts Golf Tournament winning group of received an invitation to play in the Liberty Mutual Invitational National Finals at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla next March. TPC Sawgrass was the site of the inaugural Players Championship in 1982 and has remained as one of the nation’s top courses.
The First Tee is a youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Through after-school and in-school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf.
For more information on the program, visit www.firstteemass.org 
When someone drives their golf ball more than 300 yards, at least one person is bound to notice. When that happens to be at the MGA Links at Mamantapett, the 18-hole, par-3 course in Norton owned and operated by the MGA, it is definitely going to get some attention.
That is what happened on Wednesday when PGA Tour member Patton Kizzire, in town for the Deutsche Bank Championship at nearby TPC Boston, displayed his skills to more than 100 youth who had come out for the annual MGA Links Skills Challenge & PGA Tour Player Exhibition.
As part of the standing relationship that the PGA Tour’s annual Labor Day Weekend event has with the MGA, Kizzire spent more than an hour with young golfers giving them instruction, answering questions, signing autographs and even allowing a few lucky kids to practice their drives in front of the large crowd who had gathered at the Norton course, a two mile drive from where the top-100 players on the PGA Tour will compete later this week.
“It’s nice to see the players do give back and that they take time out of their schedule to come to charity events like this,” said Joe McCabe, Executive Director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “To be a part of the community and to especially work with kids and pass their experiences down to them is something those kids will always remember.”
Prior to Kizzire’s arrival, McCabe, his staff and a large contingent of volunteers hosted a free skills challenge and instruction session for all kids who were interested in attending, many of whom have participated in The First Tee of Massachusetts programs in the past.
Across the 18-hole, par-3 course, those volunteers set up stations where kids could both practice and compete against fellow golf enthusiasts their age.
Two chipping and two putting stations were set up in addition to a “Hole-In-One Challenge” and a “Full-Swing Challenge” that were also available to the more than 100 kids who joined the festivities. They had free range of all events and were able to rotate the various stages as they pleased for the 90-minute session.
As much as the kids enjoyed swinging the clubs themselves, the real excitement was the second half of the event, where the participants could learn first hand from a true golf professional.
Kizzire, a 30-year old golf professional enjoying his first year on the PGA Tour, spoke about several aspects about his life, inside and outside of golf. He explained how he got involved with the game at a young seven years old and how he continuously practiced through high school, college at Auburn University and to his eventual status today.
Prior to the PGA Tour, Kizzire explained how he battled through the mini-tour since turning pro in 2008 and how his hard work helped him to one his best years in his professional career, which included topping first-place on the Web.com Tour money list in 2015.
More than anything, Kizzire served as an inspiration for the many young golfers who spent their last days of summer on the course.
“To have this one-on-one opportunity for these kids with a professional golfer, and for that golfer to share their experiences, it gives these kids something to shoot for,” said McCabe. “Maybe that person becomes a role model for these kids in the future, whether it is Patton or some of the other players who have been here before.”
In addition to his long drive, likely one of the longest to ever be recorded at MGA Links at Mamantapett, Kizzire also planted a shot with his 56 degree wedge that landed within inches of the cup that sat at nearly 100 yards away on the course’s first tee, which brought a large applause from the audience members.
Kizzire is scheduled to tee off Hole No. 10 in the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship on Friday, September 2 at 8:15 a.m. After today, there is no doubt he will have plenty of new followers as he competes against the field at TPC Boston.
The MGA and First Tee of Massachusetts program would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Deutsche Bank Championship and the PGA Tour in helping making this event a success and promoting golf to the next generation players. This would not be possible without their help. 
On Tuesday August 2nd, a group of participants from The First Tee of Massachusetts met at MGA Links in Norton to begin their journey to The First Tee Northeast Regional Challenge.
This year’s event was hosted by The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia and featured 12 chapters from the Northeast Region of The First Tee taking part in a 3-day golf & life skills event with an array of additional activities for participants and team chaperones.
Team members from The First Tee of Massachusetts were Louis Dion (Norton, MA), Alex DiMartino (Mansfield, MA), Torrie Tamash (Barnstable, MA) and Jillian Barend (North Attleboro, MA) and they were led by the father-daughter duo of Tom & Cora Bernier.
Dion, 18 years old, is a recent graduate of Norton High School (will attend Bryant University) and has been a participant in The First Tee at MGA Links for nearly 10 years.
“I’ve had the chance to attend The First Tee Life Skills & Leadership Academy last year in Minnesota and now to have one more First Tee opportunity like this in Philadelphia is something I will always remember,” said Dion.
Barend and DiMartino made up the participants in the 12-14 year old division of the Bay State contingent.
DiMartino, a student at Xaverian Brothers High School, and Barend, a student at North Attleboro Middle School, are both participants from MGA Links.
For Tamash, a long-time First Tee participant from Hyannis GC with First Tee coach David Donnellan, the Regional Challenge was a thrill.
“It’s crazy that this is an opportunity we can all have,” said Tamash. “I couldn’t imagine how great this experience has been.”
After arriving in Philadelphia and checking into the team accommodations at Villanova University, the first day featured a round of golf and barbeque at Walnut Lane Golf Club followed by a welcome reception for all of the participating teams. As part of the event’s overall scoring system, all participants took a written life skills & golf knowledge assessment upon arrival at the event that made up 50% of their score.
Day 2 of this journey featured the main event – the golf tournament held at Merion Golf Club, site of the 2013 US Open.
Consisting of two age groups – 12-14 & 15-18 – participants competed in a Stableford scoring event. After the golf and points were compiled, The First Tee of Massachusetts finished 4th out of 12 teams. The day concluded with dinner and a trip to the Philadelphia Phillies game for all of the participating chapters.
For Tom Bernier, the 2014 Andrew J. Blau MGA Volunteer of the Year, being at the Regional Challenge was fulfilling in its own right.
“I’m so proud to be here as one of the team chaperones with these kids,” said Bernier. “I’ve seen the positive impact that The First Tee has had on my own two kids over the last 10-12 years and so to be able to share this incredible experience with these kids here at Merion Golf Club is truly awesome.”
The final day of the event featured a trip to the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Rolling Green Golf Club. From there, the kids and chaperones prepared for the long journey home to Massachusetts.
“The success and the memories that these kids experienced on this trip just reinforces that our program is making a positive impact on kids and families,” said Joe McCabe, Executive Director of The First Tee of Massachusetts. “I appreciate the enthusiasm of all of our participants statewide and the passion of our coaches and volunteers.”
Congrats to Louis, Alex, Jillian and Torrie for a job well done in Philadelphia! 
