“Because of The First Tee, I know I can reach my dreams and goals in the future.”

– Nikki, participant

First Tee doesn’t just get kids on the course; it offers exciting opportunities for growth. With the help of First Tee national corporate partners, more advanced participants can apply to attend these golf and leadership events. These events often become life-changing experiences. Youth meet new people, play golf, achieve greatness, and show our Nine Core Values in action.

We are pleased to announce the schedule of participant opportunities conducted by the home office. As one of the leading chapters in the network, it has been a great honor of ours to have many of our participants here in Seattle selected for these opportunities. And we hope YOU are the next one to be selected!

How to Apply:

1) Review the schedule and event details below.

2) Review the application and Eligibility Criteria for each event HERE and determine if you would qualify. Might be this year, or might be in the future!

3) Send an email to Evan Johnsen with your intent to apply, and if you’re eligible, you’ll be provided with the application link and access code.

4) We will select our most qualified nominees and then provide instructions to complete the application.

2021 schedule of events

On a mobile device, scroll right for details on each event.
Event Date Location # of Teens
*Wells Fargo Succeeding Together Contest May 3-9, 2021 Charlotte, NC 2020 Winners
John Deere Drive Your Future Academy (Girls Only) June 5-9, 2021 San Francisco, CA 24
First Tee National Championship June 20-25, 2021 Clemson, SC 72
John Deere Power for Good Contest July 5-9, 2021 Silvis, IL 3
First Tee Game Changers Academy
Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr.		 July 20-24, 2021 Philadelphia, PA 96
Participant Advisory Council July 28-30, 2021 Jacksonville, FL 8
**First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore August 2-6, 2021 Emigrant, Montana 20
**First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore August 9-13, 2021 Emigrant, Montana 20
***Coca-Cola America’s Future September 1-4, 2021 Atlanta, GA 5
PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee September 21-26, 2021 Pebble Beach, CA 78
First Tee Innovators Forum October 8-11, 2021 San Jose, CA 28

2021 Event Details

 

Wells Fargo Succeeding Together

Purpose

The Wells Fargo Succeeding Together contest is encouraging First Tee participants to showcase how the core values have helped them on their personal journey to become better students, better citizens, better golfers and better prepared for life. Ten finalists will be chosen and then ultimately four winners, each of whom will win a trip to the Wells Fargo Championship with one grand prize winner experiencing the thrill of playing golf with a PGA TOUR pro during the pro-am.

2021 Event Information

Date: May 3-9, 2021
Location: Charlotte, NC
Host: Wells Fargo Championship

Due to COVID-19, the Wells Fargo Succeeding Together contest will not occur in 2021. The winners from 2020 will be invited to the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship.

2020 Winners

Grand Prize
Raymond Jin, First Tee of Greater Trenton

First Place
Maya Hunter, First Tee of Benton Harbor
Kayli Lucas, First Tee of Tennessee
Jalyn Robinson, First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Finalists
Jason Ho, First Tee of Metropolitan New York
Mika Miyata, First Tee of Phoenix
Alanis Santiago Maldonado, First Tee of North Florida
Charles Schott, First Tee of Northeast Wisconsin
Tyler Tingen, First Tee of Greater Richmond
Claudia Winterberg, First Tee of Greater Charlotte

Selection Process and Application

  • Children of First Tee chapter staff are ineligible to enter.
  • Finalist Prizes – Each of the 10 Finalists will receive a $500 cash prize
  • Grand Prize – The grand-prize winner of the Succeeding Together contest will receive a 4-day/3-night trip for two to Charlotte, North Carolina to play in the Wells Fargo Championship pro-am with a PGA TOUR pro as a guest of Wells Fargo. The winner will attend the pro-am draw party and have the opportunity to meet PGA TOUR pros, golf TV personalities, as well as attend the Wells Fargo Succeeding Together golf clinic.
  • First Prize Winners – Three (3) first-prize winners will receive a 4-day/3-night trip for two to Charlotte, North Carolina to attend the Wells Fargo Championship and experience up-close the excitement of a PGA TOUR event from inside the ropes during the exciting final rounds of the tournament.

 

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

John Deere Drive Your Future Academy

Purpose

This all-girls event focuses on learning the value and impact of volunteerism, understanding the significance of values and skills learned through playing the game of golf, and recognizing the importance of building a strong network. The academy will take place in the city of San Francisco, where participants will be immersed in both its historic and modern culture, in addition to participating in workshops and playing golf with new mentors.

2021 Event Information

Date: June 5-9, 2021
Location: San Francisco, CA

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 24

 

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

First Tee National Championship

Purpose

The First Tee National Championship will bring together First Tee’s elite players for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate or next level. The winners of each male/female division will be awarded with the Tattersall Cup named after First Tee Trustee, Fred Tattersall. Each winner will earn an exemption into the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

First Tee National Championship will be a 54-hole stroke-play event at Clemson University’s The Walker Course, featuring a Girls and Boys division for up to 72 high school participants ages 14-19. Participants will have the opportunity to take in the “college experience” including dorm-living, an official Clemson University campus tour and dinner at the West End Zone Club of the football team’s Memorial Stadium.

2021 Event Information

Date: June 20-25, 2021
Location: Clemson, SC

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: Up to 72

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

John Deere Power for Good Scholarship Contest

Purpose

Each year the ‘Power for Good’ competition recognizes participants who have a passion for improving their local communities and inspires their hard work and determination. Winners are selected for demonstrating their commitment to service and leadership through a written essay, which includes a summary of the impact of their efforts and how their work is connected to the values learned through First Tee. Contest winners will have an opportunity to play in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am, and serve as a power for good at a local volunteer event. Additionally, each winner will receive a financial contribution toward their higher education.

2021 Event Information

Date: July 5-9, 2021
Location: Silvis, IL
Host: The John Deere Classic

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 3

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

First Tee Game Changers Academy

Purpose

At First Tee, we help kids discover what’s inside of them, guide them to strengthen it and mentor them to put it into action in everything they do. Using golf as our platform, we believe in creating spaces of belonging for every kid – no matter what walk of life. The events of 2020 have reinforced this, and the need to do more. This July, we’re hosting a new participant event, First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr.

Participants selected to attend this five-day learning and empowerment academy will participate in important conversations around issues of identity, racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. RISE (Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality), a national leader in the sports community championing social justice and working to improve race relations, will facilitate engaging and interactive workshops paired with introspective activities and reflections led by our nationally trained First Tee coaches. The Academy builds throughout the week into a final outreach project in collaboration with DE&I leadership in the local host community.

Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., First Tee’s CEO who retired in 2017 after 17 years of leadership, has always been an advocate for social justice and believes that First Tee has and always will be more than a game to young people. First Tee Game Changers Academy is the ultimate tribute to Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., a fearless champion of change.

This Academy is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters designed to inspire and encourage high school students on a deeper level as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. is an evolution of our longest standing participant event, the Life Skills & Leadership Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., to address the challenges and experiences our teens face in their daily lives and better equip them to build the strength of character to be game changers in their communities.

2021 Event Information

Date: July 20-24, 2021
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 96

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

Participant Advisory Council

Purpose

The purpose of the Participant Advisory Council (PAC) is to advise First Tee Headquarters’ decision-makers on matters pertinent to First Tee participants. It is critical for youth to be heard, and as such, in this space within the PAC, we will be creating opportunities for youth to express themselves, voice their ideas, and provide input for projects or programs that will impact the experience of all First Tee participants. The PAC will consist of a diverse group of 8 current First Tee participants, along with 2 alumni who will serve as advisors for the program.

The participants will represent their chapter and others at PAC meetings and give honest and professional counsel to Headquarters on various agenda topics.  Participants will communicate effectively, giving accurate information and explanation of details, and allow all members of the group to communicate ideas.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Attend two 2-hour virtual meetings
  • Attend one 3-day in-person annual meeting at First Tee headquarters
  • Complete surveys on an as-needed basis
  • Provide a positive attitude and a supportive presence
  • Assist as needed in pilot programs for curriculum evolution
  • Provide honest feedback to all agenda topics
  • All duties of the position must be performed in a professional and confidential manner

2021 Event Information

Virtual Meetings: March 2021 and May 2021
In-Person Annual Meeting: July 28-30, 2021 in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: November 17, 2020
Application Link: firsttee.smapply.org/prog/2021_PAC
Application Code: PAC2021
*Please share the application link with participants applying for the PAC. The PDF version of the application is available to download below.
Application Deadline: January 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PT
PAC Members Announced: February 2021
Number of Participants Selected: 8
Alumni Advisors: Information will be sent to Alumni in the December Alumni Network newsletter. If you have any alumni who would be interested in serving as an advisor, please have them sign up for the Alumni Network here to ensure they receive the information.

 

Eligibility Requirements

  • Participants must be a high school student during the 2020–2021 academic school year
  • Active First Tee participant for a minimum of one year
  • Ability to travel to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for an in-person meeting (a stipend will be provided to chapters to help cover the cost of travel, and all expenses will be covered for the participants during the in-person meeting)
  • Accessibility to attend virtual meetings

First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore

Purpose

Thanks to an expanded partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, we are pleased to offer a first-of-its-kind leadership summit for our teen participants. This all-encompassing experience is being designed to strengthen their leadership skills in dynamic situations, preparing them to transfer those skills to other scenarios they will face in the future. They will also emerge empowered to understand and become environmental stewards through participation in distinctive outdoor experiences. They’ll have the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana where they’ll take part in interactive workshops and outdoor leadership and team-building activities. First Tee’s core competencies of building character, self-confidence and resilience will be a part of the experience, combined with a robust curriculum of leadership and professional development.

2021 Event Information

Date: Session 1 on August 2-6, 2021 / Session 2 on August 9-13, 2021
Location: West Creek Ranch in Emigrant, Montana
Host: First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstores

Selection Process

This participant experience will be available to chapter teens in PGA TOUR Superstore markets who attend and complete the local leadership program at PGA TOUR Superstores. The First Tee Leadership Summit at West Creek Ranch will have two, week-long sessions in which 20 participants will be selected to attend each session.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Participants must be from a First Tee chapter that is in a PGA TOUR Superstore market.
  • This opportunity is only for First Tee teens that have completed the leadership program in local PGA TOUR Superstore markets.
  • Participants must be between 14 and 18 years old (applicants must reach their 14th birthday by the first day of the event date and not have reached their 19th birthday by the conclusion of the event).
  • Classified as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior or senior as of Spring 2021
  • Entered in Salesforce and has been an active participant for a minimum of two years
  • Must be at Birdie level or higher, at the time of application deadline
  • Chapters that are in PGA TOUR Superstore markets may nominate up to four participants total.

Application Information

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 20 per session (40 total)

Coca-Cola America’s Future

Purpose

Dedicated to impacting communities, The Coca-Cola Company supports First Tee by offering five participants annually the chance to experience working at one of the largest corporations in the world. Five semifinalists are selected to spend two days in the heart of downtown Atlanta visiting the Coca-Cola Headquarters, participating in a networking opportunity with a young professional panel, receiving a VIP experience at the TOUR Championship, and taking part in interviews to determine the winner of a $5,000 academic grant.

2021 Event Information

TBD

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

PURE Insurance Championship

PUREchamp

Purpose

For many teens, being selected for the PURE Insurance Championship is the pinnacle experience of their First Tee participation. An official PGA TOUR Champions event, the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California pairs one First Tee junior with a PGA TOUR Champions player and two amateurs. The tournament is televised nationally on Golf Channel. Although there is a winning score on Sunday, this experience is so much more than a golf event. First Tee participants are provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Legends & Leaders speaker program, which features notables from the business, sports and entertainment industries. This event also provides the teens a unique mentoring experience on the golf course with their PGA TOUR Champions player and two amateurs. The relationships formed during tournament week are genuine and deeply rooted.

2021 Event Information

Date: September 21-26, 2021
Location: Pebble Beach, CA

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 78

 

2020 Eligibility Guidelines

First Tee Innovators Forum

Purpose

In an increasingly interconnected world, the choices we make locally have significant global implications. First Tee Innovators Forum sets to empower First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their communities focusing on raising awareness on global issues. Selected participants will have the opportunity to learn from global industry leaders through interactive workshops and small-group breakout sessions. The teens will also be assigned a Global Citizen Year mentor throughout the summit experience in order to apply their newly acquired global perspectives. By bringing together exemplary participants across the chapter network, the Innovators Forum provides a distinctive educational experience, one geared both to the students’ exceptional abilities and their need for peers who share a similar passion for learning.

2021 Event Information

Date: October 8-11, 2021
Location: San Jose, CA

Selection Process and Application

Application Release: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
Field Announced: TBD
Number of Participants Selected: 28

2020 Eligibility Guidelines