The First Tee of Indiana-Michiana
Good Golfers. Better People. Every Day.The First Tee of Indiana-Michiana
Good Golfers. Better People. Every Day.
Honesty. Integrity. Sportsmanship. Courtesy. Respect. Perseverance. Confidence. Responsibility. Judgement. These are the Nine Core Values of the First Tee being taught to local youth through their innovative Life Skills Experience (LSE) curriculum.
Headquartered at the Studebaker Golf Course and using the game of golf as the vehicle, each LSE “class” focuses on a single core “value.” Class discussion and golf-related activities and instruction are designed to teach kids the meaning of that day’s “value,” and how to implement it in their interactions with others on the golf course, at home, and at school. The intent, as their mission states: “We create good golfers, but better people.”
As interest in First Tee and youth golf grew, a lack of dedicated indoor space had become a problem. Any afternoon rainfall effectively cancelled classes, with kids forced to huddle together in the small pro shop to wait for their parents to arrive. No storage existed for donated golf equipment, and any attempts to extend the popular program into the Fall and Winter at local community centers were constrained by conflicts with other seasonal sports.
First Tee submitted a grant request to the Foundation to support its “Good Golfers. Better People. Every Day” capital campaign. The goal of the campaign was to construct an indoor Learning Center that would provide space for indoor instruction, classes, and equipment storage year-round and during inclement weather. The Foundation, with a long history of supporting education and area youth, was pleased to support their grant request.
