10th Annual The First Tee Golf Tournament at TPC Boston

tpc_3Halloween 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

Patton Kizzire Impresses More Than 100 Youth at the Annual Deutsche Bank Championship and MGA Links Skills Challenge and PGA Tour Player Exhibition

mgalinks_250When 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.  

The First Tee Shines at Northeast Regional Challenge

tft_group2On 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!

The First Tee of Massachusetts Boston Program Continues to Grow, Thrive and Reach More Youth at William J. Devine at Franklin Park

tftboston3Temperatures 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.