Category: Feature Stories

Established in 2020, the First Tee College Scholarship Program is celebrating its first graduating class. Among its ranks is First Tee – Fort Worth alumna Kelly Low, who recently graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Now, Kelly is embarking on her career with one of the world’s most influential companies, which also happens to be a major supporter of First Tee.

She’s going to be a solutions architect for AWS based in Austin. “What excites me the most is the opportunity to innovate for each unique customer scenario,” she said. Kelly also said it feels profoundly gratifying to work for a company that’s so actively engaged with First Tee.

From mentoring alumni to encouraging staff to volunteer with local chapters, AWS supports First Tee in a variety of ways. 

AWS posted an internship opportunity on the First Tee Alumni Platform, and First Tee scholarship manager Robbie Lowman passed it along to Kelly. She applied, received an internship offer, and the rest is history.

Francessca Vasquez, VP, AWS Professional Services and Generative AI Innovation Center said, “Witnessing the positive impact of First Tee on lives like Kelly’s is a privilege that makes our work as First Tee Trustees truly meaningful and inspiring. Like Amazon’s Leadership Principle of ‘Learn and Be Curious,’ this story exemplifies the power of continuous learning and growth, inspiring us to keep exploring new ways to empower and uplift the next generation of builders.”

Kelly has already experienced AWS re:Invent, the world’s largest annual cloud computing conference, where she was invited to play in the AWS ProAm in 2023.

“I am excited for Kelly and her role with AWS,” Lowman said. “After getting to know her over the last few years, she is a passionate learner who has a deep appreciation for emerging technology. Kelly will thrive at AWS because of the supportive environment, and we are grateful for their continued support.”

As a participant and Scholar, Kelly has been involved with First Tee for nearly a decade, and she said she still uses its lessons today. “First Tee’s approach to perseverance goes beyond mere persistence. It encompasses managing emotions, setting realistic goals and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of challenges,” she said.

As part of the First Tee College Scholarship Program, each Scholar receives financial support, professional development opportunities and a dedicated mentor. Kelly’s favorite part of the program was getting to know her peers and her mentor from AWS, Heidi Buck.

AWS signed on as a First Tee Trustee in 2021 and has focused its efforts on teen retention. The company also invites its employees to volunteer at First Tee chapters around the globe.

“First Tee’s goal is to provide kids with experiences that build character, and AWS has been a great supporter of that mission,” said Jennifer Weiler, First Tee’s senior vice president of network relations. “We’re grateful for the relationship and excited to follow Kelly’s journey with AWS.”

Mahek Acharya’s golf journey began when her uncle gifted her a set of pink clubs. “I tried other sports, but golf just stuck with me,” she said. She went on to join First Tee – Greater Chicago and play on her high school team. 

But as all players know, golf doesn’t always cooperate. “One season, things were going really great,” Mahek explained. “I was having fun and playing well, but then all the sudden, I just couldn’t hit the ball. I don’t know what happened, but it was really demotivating. I even told my parents I wanted to quit, but I knew I couldn’t give up the sport I love.” 

It was this experience that inspired Mahek to start her podcast, Insights of the Mental Game. “I knew I needed to find a solution and talking things out has always helped me,” she said. “It’s been a journey, but the podcast has helped me love golf again, and people have told me it’s helped them too, which I think is my biggest accomplishment.” 

Mahek has interviewed First Tee participants from around the country, many of whom she met at national participant events, including the First Tee Leadership Summit supported by PGA TOUR Superstore. That’s where she connected with LPGA player Shasta Averyhardt, who went on to appear on her show too. “Mental strength is so important in golf so to hear from a professional was really cool,” Mahek said.  

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which was created to help address stigma surrounding the topic, but experiencing mental blocks can still be isolating for athletes, Mahek said. “I remember when Simone Biles had the ‘twisties’ and she wasn’t able to compete during the Tokyo Olympics,” she said. “Even in my own community, a lot of people didn’t take it seriously.” 

While her podcast mostly focuses on golf, Mahek has also covered ice skating, basketball and tennis. She’s learned that each sport brings unique mental challenges. “I think it helps when athletes realize they’re not alone,” she said. “For a while I thought I was the only one struggling, but it makes it easier to know other people have these experiences too.” 

Mahek is preparing to graduate from high school and plans to continue her podcast at Indiana University, where she will study business. Though her competitive golf career is ending, she said she’ll continue playing for fun and stay involved with First Tee. 

“I’m just so happy I could make change with this podcast,” she said. “Making a difference in even one person’s life is such a great feeling.” 

My name is Alexa Vela, a student at Rice University studying business and sport management. 

I am also a proud First Tee alumni and Scholar who has been fortunate enough to grow up playing the game of golf, and as a result have been taught a variety of fundamental lessons and values such as patience, confidence and integrity whether on or off the course. 

All of which have been instilled within me by First Tee and have been fundamental in shaping me into the leader that I am today; dedicated to establishing an environment where everyone feels welcomed. 

This devotion to creating inclusive spaces is the result of the community and friendships that I have been granted through First Tee. 

As a First Tee participant and now alumni and Scholar, I am certain that my accomplishments and ability to effectively serve my community and college campus is the result of the program’s ability to grant me a renewed sense of confidence as well as allow me to discover the power of my voice.

Through the years, I recognized the importance of using this voice as a means to embrace my authenticity and create a space that encouraged others to embrace theirs. 

Such a realization is what not only led me into my current academic areas of interests, sport management and business, with the intent to unite my love for growing the game of golf with my curiosity on how the game can take active strides in becoming more inclusive and accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds, but is what recently empowered me to revamp the Club Golf Team here at Rice University. 

Growing golf in Houston has been especially important to me, considering that it is where I learned to love the game, but also where I was able to witness firsthand the impact that having access to the game of golf can have in the lives of many. Whether it be the ability to develop and foster community or be granted a space where you can enjoy yourself in nature, I recognized that very need here on Rice’s campus. 

After a year of researching the process and correct steps to take in order to make this dream a reality, the club team was established in January of this year! 

The team essentially provides all Rice students the opportunity to play golf, whether it be recreationally or competitively by participating in tournaments where students have an opportunity to represent Rice as a team, regardless of previous exposure or experience with the game. 

My vision for the team is to create community on the golf course by allowing all students to have the opportunity to participate in practices or tournaments without having to incur a huge financial undertaking. 

In addition to this, the club golf team’s presence on campus provides an outlet for females at Rice to play golf competitively considering the school does not currently have a women’s golf team. 

With our first golf tournament as a team in the books, I am excited to see the future of Club Golf here at Rice and the impact it will create here on campus. 

Find your local First Tee chapter.

Just as time off has been shown to improve work performance in adults, Spring Break provides a great opportunity for kids to decompress amid a busy school year. It’s also an opportunity for parents to empower their kids to use good judgment, a focus of the First Tee curriculum. 

“Whether you have a vacation planned or are staying home this spring break, there are plenty of opportunities for your child to make thoughtful decisions,” said Lexie Milford, senior director of programs technology and support at First Tee and mother to two boys. “For example, if you’re traveling, empower your kiddo to help pack the snacks. What choices are healthy? What is best for a car ride? What needs to be kept cold?” 

Ask your child to walk you through their decision-making process and follow up later to see if they’ll do anything different next time. You might have your child weigh in on different topics as they get older because using good judgment gets easier with practice. 

When it comes to making the most of Spring Break, it can also be beneficial to help your child set a few short-term goals, which can have a positive impact on their self-confidence. “Start with things they can control and take ownership around, like chores, reading or screen time,” Milford said. 

Maybe your child wants to clock a specific number of community service hours during Spring Break or complete a certain number of lessons on the First Tee app, for example. 

Of course, spring breaks can look different depending on your child’s age, interests and your own work obligations.  

“As a working parent, it’s hard to balance kids being home while work continues on,” acknowledged Milford. “Relying on your kid to entertain themselves – and being comfortable with however they choose to do that so long as it’s safe – can be unnerving sometimes. But taking the week to let your kid be a kid, make some of their own choices, and just enjoy the freedom of play can be an amazing experience for them to unwind from stresses of school.” 

Many First Tee chapters offer spring break programming. Learn more opportunities to enroll.  

Eyna Alaan’s favorite part of coaching at First Tee – Greater Pasadena is collaborating with her colleagues to make classes fun for kids.

“I love working with the other coaches to create games,” she said. Eyna has been coaching since 2015, and in that time, she’s gotten to see participants grow and evolve. “It’s just been amazing to see these kids progress. It’s like I’ve been there from the beginning,” she said.

Eyna herself was fresh out of high school when she began coaching at First Tee – Greater Pasadena. She was playing golf at Glendale Community College where her coach was involved with the First Tee chapter and told her about the program.

“When I was growing up, I went to golf academy where it felt like golf was everything,” she said. “If you weren’t one of the best players, you fell by the weigh side. When I started teaching at First Tee and I was learning about the curriculum, I just thought it was great that it focused on the whole person – not just their golf skills.”

Eyna has advanced to First Tee’s Level 3 coach training, which she attended last year in Portland. “A lot of people say patience is the key to coaching, but I think empathy is really important. Kids at different ages are in different places. They may not be able to grasp certain concepts yet, but you still need to be able to connect with them.”

Eyna was born in the Philippines and moved to Southern California when she was 5. Her dad encouraged her to play golf, a sport he took up to bond with his older brothers. 

Eyna’s sister attended Morehead State University on a golf scholarship and is working toward her LPGA certification. “It just really tickles my dad,” she said. “He always brags to my family. He’s so proud to have daughters that work in golf.”

Being a young female coach sometimes helps Eyna connect with participants. “There are sometimes those classes with one or two girls, and immediately they’re a little intimidated,” she said. “In high school, I had to play on boys’ team, and I didn’t have any female teammates until I was a senior and my sister joined the team as a freshman. I understand how they’re feeling, and I want to help them build confidence.”

Learn more about coaching with First Tee.

At First Tee, we believe golf is for everyone, but the sport can feel intimidating, especially for families who are new to it. That’s why it’s important to remember, golf is meant to be fun, according to Ali Miller, senior manager of programs training at First Tee.  

Miller grew up learning the game at First Tee – Quad Cities before playing collegiate golf and joining the staff at First Tee headquarters. She played an important role in developing First Tee’s updated curriculum, which was rolled out in 2023. It uses fun golf activities to teach life skills and help kids uncover their values. 

As someone who’s spent lots of time on golf courses – and even trains First Tee coaches – here is her take on the rules of golf. 

Q: How does understanding the basic rules of golf make the sport safer and more enjoyable? 

A: Knowing the basics makes golf more enjoyable because it’s a little less intimidating when you feel like you know what’s going on. In golf there are written and unwritten rules. The best way to get comfortable is to be around the game, be on the golf course and play with people who are more experienced – like a First Tee coach, or an older participant in the program. Some rules are also important for golf course safety, like out of bounds. It usually indicates areas you don’t want to go, and it’s safer to avoid them.  

It takes exposure to the game to get comfortable with the official rules, however the sport can be enjoyed using intuitive etiquette, like taking turns and not distracting people when they are swinging. At First Tee we believe it’s so important that the rules of golf aren’t a barrier to entry. Remember most people are happy to help guide you or your child, whether it’s a First Tee coach, a PGA or LPGA professional or golf course staff. Most golfers can remember a time they didn’t know a rule, and someone helped them, so they want to pay it forward. 

Interestingly enough, many of the rules are designed to help level the playing field and allow for people with different abilities to still enjoy playing and competing together.  

Q: How do you balance having fun when you’re learning a new game? 

A: Golf is a very social game. The fun part is being outside and walking and talking with your friends – and hopefully hitting some good shots along the way. I would focus on that aspect when your child is starting out. If they’re out there playing with friends, they should be having fun while also learning about the game and understanding the rules as they spend more time with the sport. If they make a mistake on the rules, it’s not a big issue.  

We invite parents to become familiar with scoring basics – like in any sport – as we encourage it for all age groups. Of course, some younger players might not be able to do it on their own and that’s OK too. Additionally, First Tee coaches are trained to coach different ages, and we recommend shorter holes for younger kids. For example, for kids under 9, we suggest 25 yards for a Par 3 or 50 yards for a Par 4, which just means teeing off a little further down the fairway. These kinds of adaptations help kids enjoy the game. 

If you’ve ever played golf, you know it’s tough if you take it or yourself too seriously! It takes lots of work to become a scratch golfer, and new golfers shouldn’t compare themselves to experienced players. That’s where the concept of Personal Par comes in. We encourage kids to focus on achieving their personal best, which helps them stay positive. Golf – like life – is a journey.  

If your child advances or wants to play competitively, there’s always someone around to help. It can feel intimidating to ask, but that’s what rules officials and tournament staff are there for. It’s funny, when I was playing competitively, my dad didn’t know the rules well, and he always thought I scored way better than I did. But I just remember he was out there supporting me, and that was the important thing. 

Q: What should new golfers know? 

A: In a perfect world, you or your child should try to be on time for a tee time. It’s an unwritten rule that you should aim to be 10 minutes early. It helps you calm the nerves on the first tee and obviously is considerate to other golfers. 

Other rules that come up often include out-of-bounds and losing your ball. In these cases, you can typically either take a one-stroke penalty and retry the shot or take a two-stroke penalty and play from the edge of the fairway near where your ball landed. Try not to play someone else’s ball, which is why you’ll see professional players put markings on their golf balls to identify them. First Tee’s app has great, kid-friendly helpful lessons on many of these rules. 

That said, I think new golfers should know we’ve all been in their shoes. So our primary rule at First Tee is have fun and be safe. Be yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions. We want you to be on the course! 

Q: You just alluded to the fact that golf courses are shared spaces. How does following the rules help ensure everyone enjoys their round? 

A: Most golf courses will indicate the pace at which they expect golfers to finish 9 or 18 holes. Keeping up that pace and following out-of-bounds rules are important to ensure everyone has a fun and safe round. A lot of golf courses have homes on them, so out-of-bounds rules can protect golfers and homeowners.  

For new golfers, it can feel intimidating to have a fast group right behind you. The etiquette here would be to pause and let them play through. 

Q: What should you do if you make a mistake? 

A: First, remember it’s normal and OK. If you’re playing with friends, own up to it and learn from it. If you’re playing in a tournament, there can be other consequences, but in most cases, golfers are given an opportunity to fix their mistakes.  

The USGA is a Founding Partner of First Tee and they publish a rulebook each year and even offers a junior version in comic book form.  

Q: How can learning the rules of golf help a child off the course? 

A: Golf is a lot like life, right? Sometimes you need to ask for help. At First Tee, we believe mentorship is a powerful tool, and we hope our participants have coaches they can turn to on and off the golf course. On the golf course, there are usually officials around, but it’s a big place. Sometimes you might need to call a penalty on yourself, take responsibility and record your score accurately. 

Having to react to unexpected situations or recover their composure after a bad shot on the golf course can prepare kids to do the same in life. Golf is a fun and engaging activity that provides challenges, requires commitment and effort over time, but is so worth it. It’s a lifelong sport available for people with all abilities.  Learn more about how to get involved.