USGA Recognizes The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas with Prestigious Player For Life Award
Grant of $10,000 Will Support Life Skills and Golf Programming for Area Youth
SHALLOTTE, NC – The United States Golf Association has awarded a prestigious Player For Life grant of $10,000 to The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas, one of only 35 chapters of over 150 nationwide to be so recognized.
The USGA’s Player For Life awards recognize and reward chapters of The First Tee that are achieving significant results by retaining and progressing participants in the program. In particular, the USGA focuses on chapters that provide youth with a variety of playing opportunities and utilize different golf facilities for their playing and learning experiences.
“We sincerely appreciate the great support of our volunteers, sponsors, parents and participants,” said Rich Abraham, Executive Director of The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas’ parent organization, the Carol S. Petrea Youth Golf Foundation. “This award also recognizes our many golf course partners who generously donate their facilities for our programs and provide playing opportunities for our kids.”
The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas is an affiliate of the national The First Tee organization, founded in 1997 by the PGA Tour, the PGA of America, the LPGA, the Masters Tournament, and the USGA. Research shows that among youth who attend The First Tee:
- 73 percent reported high confidence in their ability to do well academically
- 82 percent felt confident in their social skills with peers
- 52 percent credited the program for their ability to appreciate diversity
“The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas is where character and kids connect,” said Abraham. The organization delivers life skills, golf skills and leadership development through an array of program including school-day and after-school programs, tournaments and clinics, golf camps, and intensive leadership development at the Carolinas Leadership Academy.
The USGA Player For Life Grant will help The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas continue to expand playing opportunities for our youth participants including Par 3 Play Days, tournament sponsorships, Future Generations Tournaments and other events that will help advance their games and odds of playing high school and college golf.
The First Tee of Coastal Carolinas was created in 2017 through the consolidation of existing chapters of The First Tee in Brunswick county, Eastern North Carolina (Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties) and the Grand Strand (Horry, Georgetown counties).
