USGA boosts its support of First Tee with $100,000 in grant funding

Thanks to a $100,000 donation from the United States Golf Association (USGA), First Tee chapters across the nation are receiving grants to further their efforts to introduce life skills and the game of golf to more young people. The grants are a continuation of the support the USGA has provided to First Tee for more than 20 years.

The grants are being dispersed to 25 chapters located in or around USGA championship locations and Allied Golf Associations as part of the organization’s strategy to leave a positive, lasting impact on local host communities.

The announcement was made at the USGA’s 119th U.S. Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C. Participants from the First Tee of the Sandhills, one of the USGA grant recipients, were on hand with the chapter’s Executive Director Courtney Stiles and USGA CEO Mike Davis to share the announcement.

“We are so grateful to the USGA and organizations like this, as it is these partnerships that allow us to broaden our impact in communities across the country, engaging young people who we may not have otherwise reached,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee president. “Together, we will inspire youth for years to come, engage them in the sport and help them to become leaders in their communities.”

“We are proud to see our First Tee grant funding directly benefit those communities that welcome us throughout the year and embrace the spirit of what a USGA championship represents,” Davis added. “The USGA is committed to making a difference in our host communities, and we are excited to see the long-term impact these grants will have in welcoming more junior golfers to the game, and to inspire them to play it for a lifetime.”

The USGA has supported the First Tee since its inception in 1997, providing more than $26 million in grants to the organization. With the USGA’s support, First Tee chapters are reaching more than 136,000 young people annually at more than 1,200 program locations, with support from 25,000 volunteers. Additionally, First Tee has been introduced to more than 10,000 schools and youth centers reaching millions of additional kids.