Author: First Tee - Greater Richmond

SPORTABLE, FIRST TEE – GREATER RICHMOND ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

Adaptive Golf Pilot Program Will Be Offered This Fall

RICHMOND, VA – (Thursday, August 22, 2024) – Sportable, Central Virginia’s premier adaptive sports club, is proud to announce a new partnership with First Tee – Greater Richmond to make golf accessible and inclusive for individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments. Supported by the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA) and Stand Up and Play Foundation, a new pilot program will provide eight weeks of adaptive golf instruction at the Elson Redmond Memorial Driving Range at the First Tee – Greater Richmond’s downtown golf facility. Individuals with disabilities who are ambulatory or use a wheelchair are encouraged to register now at Sportable.org.

“There has been quite a demand for adaptive golf among our Sportable members and we are thrilled to team up with First Tee – Greater Richmond to offer a new adaptive golf program,” commented Hunter Leemon, Sportable Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud to partner with like-minded organizations like First Tee, VSGA, and Stand Up and Play Foundation who join our commitment to creating more inclusive and accessible recreational opportunities in our community.”

Led by First Tee’s instructors, the program will focus on introducing individuals with disabilities to golf with lessons taking place on the driving range. Over eight weeks, participants will progress to playing a round of golf at the end of the program. The program is open to beginners and experienced golfers and equipment will be provided if needed.

“We are honored to work with Sportable, the VSGA, and Stand Up and Play Foundation to create this accessible and inclusive golf program,” said Brent Schneider, First Tee – Greater Richmond Chief Executive Officer. “Our vision at First Tee – Greater Richmond is to strengthen the character of our community, and this collaborative partnership is a perfect illustration of that commitment.”

“The mission of the VSGA is to promote and serve golf in Virginia, and supporting the work that Sportable and the First Tee – Greater Richmond are doing aligns directly with our mission,” added Matt Smiley, VSGA Executive Director. “These clinics will make the game available to both new and existing adaptive golfers and help make the game more accessible and inclusive for this important community of athletes. We hope this is only the first step and look forward to growing our support of adaptive golfers in the future.”

“Empowering individuals with adaptive needs to stand up and play golf is a game-changer for their physical and emotional well-being,” said Angelica Amador Jasper of Stand Up and Play Foundation. “We’re thrilled to support this initiative!”

For more information about Adaptive Golf, visit Sportable.org or contact Tyler Rowe, Sportable Senior Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or 804-340-2991.

About Sportable

Since 2005, Sportable has created opportunities and transformed lives through sport for individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments. The non-profit organization provides sporting opportunities to more than 400 athletes of all ages by offering competitive and recreational adaptive sports programs year-round. By fostering a fun, inclusive, competitive, and accessible environment, Sportable transforms the lives of athletes and frees them to see beyond their disabilities, enhances their peer relationships and helps them to reach their personal finish line. To make an impact today, visit Sportable.com/donate.

About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

About Virginia State Golf Association

The Virginia State Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves the needs of individual golfers and member clubs across Virginia. VSGA members enjoy many benefits, including handicapping, course rating and scoring services, and the opportunity to compete in championships and events for golfers of all ages and abilities. In addition, the VSGA supports programs like the Fleming Fund, Youth on Course and the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation that help build the next generation of golfers, and the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame that honors those who paved the way in Virginia golf history. The VSGA is also a proud member of the United States Adaptive Golf Alliance. Visit VSGA.org to learn more.

About Stand Up & Play Foundation

The Stand Up and Play Foundation is a 100% volunteer board of directors non-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with adaptive needs to engage in golf, recreation, and community. Our mission is to provide access to specialized equipment, instruction, and opportunities for socialization and physical activity, promoting independence, confidence, and joy. Through our programs and partnerships, we aim to break down barriers and create a more inclusive world for individuals with mobility challenges and abilities.

Sportable has created opportunities and transformed the lives of individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments through sport since 2005. For more information about Sportable, please visit www.sportable.org.

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First Tee – Greater Richmond Earns Redmond Cup in Playoff

RICHMOND, Va. (July 11, 2024) – First Tee – Greater Richmond captured the 11th Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper on Thursday, emerging in a playoff at Belmont in the annual regional competition hosted by First Tee – Greater Richmond.

Two days of competition saw First Tee – Greater Richmond and First Tee – Greater Washington, D.C. tied atop the leaderboard with team scores of 165. After the 9-hole division participants from each chapter recorded pars on Little Bell No. 1 to open the playoff, attention turned to the 14-and-over participants, who were playing Belmont No. 1. First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Niki Chan curled in a 15-foot right-to-left birdie putt to clinch the victory for the hosts.

The clinching putt capped a remarkable week for Chan, who on Monday was named to represent First Tee — Greater Richmond at the 2024 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee Sept. 17-22 at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

Both chapters earned individual plaudits, as well, with First Tee – Greater Washington, D.C.’s Jordan Wallace and Miles Maravilla collecting medalist honors in the 12-hole division with a best-ball 100 (49-51) on Belmont’s 12-hole, par 48 layout. Two shots back were the First Tee – Greater Richmond duo of Chan and Henry Powell, who posted a best-ball 102 (51-51) to claim second.

In the 9-hole division, Brandon Martin and Oliver Dorfman represented First Tee – Greater Richmond in taking first place with two round scramble score of 63 (32-31) on Belmont’s modified 9-hole layout, which featured the first three holes of the championship course and all six holes on the Little Bell par-3 course. Two strokes behind Martin and Dorfman were Tyler Lambert and Luke Hardy of First Tee – Greater Washington, D.C., who posted a score of 65 (31-34).

The 2014 Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper welcomed six First Tee chapters to Belmont: First Tee – Greater Philadelphia, First Tee – Greater Washington, D.C., First Tee – Hampton Roads, First Tee – Triangle, and First Tee – Virginia Blue Ridge all joined hosts First Tee – Greater Richmond. Six participants were chosen to represent their respective chapter, with four participants ages 14 or older playing best ball on Belmont’s 12-hole restored A.W. Tillinghast layout. Participants aged 10-13 competed in the 9-hole division, which saw a scramble played on Belmont holes 1-3 and Little Bell 1-6.

The team title was the fourth overall for First Tee – Greater Richmond and first since 2013. First Tee – Hampton Roads (177) took third, four strokes clear of First Tee – Greater Philadelphia. First Tee – Triangle (190) and First Tee – Virginia Blue Ridge (203) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Beyond the competition on the course, the Redmon Cup reflected First Tee – Greater Richmond’s commitment to character development both on and off the course. Participants were welcomed to Richmond on Tuesday, with teams practicing at Belmont before taking in the Richmond Flying Squirrels game that night. After Wednesday’s first round, participants and sponsors gathered for an opening dinner courtesy of Fulton Bank that saw VCU men’s basketball head coach Ryan Odom deliver inspiring remarks to the room.

Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper Champions
YearWinning Chapter
2024First Tee – Greater Richmond
2023First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2022not held
2021not held
2020not held
2019First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2018First Tee – Hampton Roads
2017First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2016First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2015First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2014First Tee – Greater Charlotte
2013First Tee – Greater Richmond
2012First Tee – Greater Richmond
2011First Tee – Greater Richmond

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

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First Tee — Greater Richmond participant Niki Chan invited to play PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee at Pebble Beach

Niki Chan will play in the 21st annual PURE Insurance Championship this September

Richmond, Va. (July 8, 2024) – First Tee and PGA TOUR Champions announced today that Niki Chan will represent First Tee — Greater Richmond when she competes in the 2024 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee. The event, in its 21st year, will bring teens from First Tee chapters to Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course for the PGA TOUR Champions tournament, Sept. 17-22. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, is televised nationally on Golf Channel.

Chan is a rising senior at Manchester High School in Midlothian and has been a First Tee – Greater Richmond participant for 10 years. A member of First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Junior Advisory Board (JAB), Chan represented the chapter at the First Tee Game Changers Academy in 2023. This week, she will be part of the First Tee – Greater Richmond team competing at the Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper July 10-11 at Belmont.

The trip to the PURE Insurance Championship marks the second straight year a First Tee – Greater Richmond participant has been chosen for the prestigious event, with Chan joining Meg Lavinder as recent chapter participants.

“Congratulations to Niki for this well-deserved honor and opportunity to represent First Tee – Greater Richmond on a national stage at the PURE Insurance Championship,” Kelly Brown, First Tee – Greater Richmond Vice President of Impact said. “She is a fantastic role model on and off the golf course and exemplifies the values we hope to instill in our participants and our community. When Niki began our program she was super quiet and soft spoken and to see her find her voice and come into her own is one of many examples of our evidence-based, life skills curriculum.”

This unique event pairs each First Tee participant with a PGA TOUR Champions player and amateurs from the business world. Ranging in ages from 15 to 18, the First Tee players compete for the male/female pro-junior team title. The teens represent 45 First Tee chapters from across the country and for the fourth year in a row, a participant from First Tee — Morocco will be in the field.

Participants were selected by a national panel of judges based on their personal growth and development through First Tee’s programs, as well as their playing ability. The group averages a 3.89 GPA and has spent an average of seven years in First Tee.

“I’m so proud to continue our involvement with this incredible organization,” said Katie Krum, Chief Marketing Officer at PURE Insurance. “I know firsthand the impact and value that participating in youth sports can have on one’s development, so it is personally gratifying to know that our support impacts such a remarkable group of young men and women.”

The full junior field was revealed live on Golf Channel’s “Golf Today” earlier today.  

“This is an exciting moment for these 80 participants, many of whom have been working for years with the goal of earning a spot in this tournament,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “Thank you to our partners at PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Pebble Beach Resorts, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel for their support of this special week, which is full of lessons for our teens, both on and off the golf course.”

This year’s field of PGA TOUR Champions players will feature legends including Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, and as well as three-time PURE Insurance Championship winner Kirk Triplett and Thongchai Jaidee, who will defend his title. Clint Eastwood serves as chairman of the PURE Insurance Championship.

Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Friday and Saturday. The final round will be contested solely at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday, where 24 First Tee juniors will compete based on their 36-hole performance. The tournament will crown one male and one female First Tee junior champion on Sunday.

More than 1,000 teens from First Tee have played in the PURE Insurance Championship, experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet, play and be mentored by PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs.

First Tee is a youth development organization that teaches life skills and helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee Headquarters to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.

The junior field for 2024 PURE Insurance Championshipcan be viewed here.

For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee, visit FirstTee.org.

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

About Monterey Peninsula Foundation

Surpassing $200 million in total donations, Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee at Pebble Beach, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties.

www.montereypeninsulafoundation.org

www.attpbgolf.com

www.pureinsurancechampionship.org

About PURE Insurance

Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests, and delivers greater value. Today, after growing at least 15% in each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that includes high value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families.

Pureinsurance.com | 888.813.7873

About PGA TOUR Champions 

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions. 

All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories. 

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Troutman Pepper to Serve as Presenting Sponsor at First Tee — Greater Richmond’s Redmond Cup

Redmond Cup Presented by Troutman Pepper will bring together First Tee participants for three days of golf and life skill applications

Richmond, Va. (June 5, 2024) – Troutman Pepper, a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys located in 20+ U.S. cities, including nearly 150 in Richmond, will serve as the presenting sponsor for the Redmond Cup July 9-11 at Belmont golf course. The Redmond Cup brings together First Tee chapters from across the East Coast for three days of applying the life and golf skills learned in First Tee curriculum.

“Troutman Pepper is a proud supporter of First Tee – Greater Richmond and the work it does impacting the lives of young people,” Mike McCann, Partner, Troutman Pepper, and Chair of the Board of Directors, First Tee – Greater Richmond, said.

“Our firm believes strongly in giving back to the communities in which we live and work, and our attorneys and professional staff volunteer hundreds of hours each year with community-based organizations. Supporting First Tee – Greater Richmond, generally, and the Redmond Cup, specifically, is a great way for us at Troutman Pepper to help young people in our community learn important life lessons that will benefit them, and their communities, for years to come.”

The 2024 Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper will be the 10th edition of the event, which annually brings together 8-10 First Tee chapters. After a practice round on July 9, participants will compete on Belmont’s restored 12-hole A.W. Tillinghast layout July 10-11. Following the event’s first round, participants will hear from VCU men’s basketball head coach Ryan Odom during that evening’s dinner.

“We are grateful for Troutman Pepper’s support of the Redmond Cup,” First Tee – Greater Richmond CEO Brent Schneider said. “The support of our community enables us to impact the lives of 70,000 young people annually, and we look forward to welcoming participants from across the East Coast to Belmont in July.”

Inquiries regarding corporate sponsor opportunities for the Redmond Cup presented by Troutman Pepper and additional First Tee – Greater Richmond events can be made here.

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond
First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

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Two First Tee – Greater Richmond Teens Selected for Game Changers Academy

Rita Eovino and Justin Hartsfield both chosen for the five-day learning and empowerment academy

Richmond, Va. (May 22, 2024) – Rita Eovino and Justin Hartsfield from First Tee — Greater Richmond have been selected to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. in Minneapolis, July 9-13. Eovino and Hartsfield are two of 72 teens from the First Tee network who has been selected for the five-day learning and empowerment academy that is designed to enlighten, inspire, encourage, and position teens to be Game Changers in their current and future communities.

Eovino is a rising junior at Monacan High School and has been a First Tee – Greater Richmond participant for 10 years. She is currently the secretary of the Junior Advisory Board (JAB) and serves as a junior coach for First Tee Programs. Last summer, Eovino attended the Nike Junior Golf Camp at the University of Virginia.

Similarly, Hartsfield is a junior coach and is the treasurer of the JAB. A rising sophomore at L.C. Bird High School, Hartsfield has been a First Tee – Greater Richmond participant for the last four years. Hartsfield was part of First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Redmond Cup team in the summer of 2023.

“We are elated to have both Rita and Justin represent First Tee – Greater Richmond at the First Tee Game Changers Academy,” Kelly Brown, First Tee – Greater Richmond Vice President for Impact, said. “It has been wonderful to watch their growth both on and off the course over the last several years, and both have made a huge impact on our organization as participants and Junior Advisory Board members.

“I know they will have a similar impact at the Game Changers Academy, and we are excited to have them return and share the lessons learned in Minneapolis.”

During the Game Changers Academy, participants will take part in important conversations embracing topics of self-awareness, inclusivity, and community building. First Tee invites its partner, RISE, a national leader in the sports community championing social justice, to facilitate engaging and interactive workshops paired with introspective activities and reflections led by our nationally trained First Tee coaches.

The Academy is an evolution of First Tee’s longest-standing participant event, honoring First Tee’s former CEO, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., who led the organization from 2000 until his retirement in 2017. It’s 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.

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond
First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

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Belmont to Celebrate 75th Anniversary of PGA Championship

RICHMOND, Va. (May 21, 2024) – Seventy-five years to the day that Sam Snead collected the 1949 PGA Championship title at then-Hermitage Country Club, Belmont will celebrate the diamond anniversary of that win, hosting a throwback event in the afternoon of May 31.

The 1949 PGA Championship remains the only men’s major championship played in the state of Virginia, with Snead defeating Johnny Palmer, 3&2, in the 36-hole match play final. The victory gave Snead, a Virginia native, the first two legs of the Grand Slam following his Masters win in April.

The 75th anniversary celebration will kick off on Thursday, May 30, with greens fees set at $19.49. The following day will see Belmont’s 75th Anniversary celebration giving players the opportunity to hit similar clubs as Snead and his fellow competitors did on the recently restored and renovated Belmont layout. The event will be played as a 4-man scramble, with each group having a set of 1940’s era clubs and balls. Awards will be given to the best-dressed golfers alongside the winning team.

From 4:30-7 p.m., youth will be able to play Little Bell – Belmont’s 6-hole par-3 course – free of charge, utilizing the 1940’s era clubs and balls. All youth playing Little Bell will receive a complimentary “Belmont 1949” ball, as well. Parents and guardians are encouraged to join their children on Little Bell but will not receive the retro clubs or balls while on the par 3 course.

In 2020, First Tee – Greater Richmond, in partnership with Love Golf Design, embarked on an ambitious reimagination of World Golf Hall of Fame architect A.W. Tillinghast’s 1917 design. The project converted the 18-hole course into a championship 12 holes, restoring Tillinghast’s vision and bringing back 10 of 12 original green complexes; created a six-hole par-3 course featuring Tillinghast template holes; an 18-hole putting course that measures the largest in the state, checking in at over 34,000-square feet; and a full practice facility that allows Belmont to host First Tee camps, programs and clinics, while also allowing the public to utilize both driving and short game ranges.

To learn more about the event and to sign up, click here.

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas – First Tee Program, First Tee School Program, and Community Partnerships – First Tee – Greater Richmond reaches approximately 70,000 youth annually.

First Tee – Greater Richmond Announces “Courses That Build Character” Campaign

Campaign seeks to raise $8 million over next 3 years

RICHMOND, Va. (March 11, 2024) – First Tee – Greater Richmond is announcing its “Courses That Build Character” comprehensive campaign, which seeks to raise $8 million over the next three years. The campaign will focus on a renovation of the Tattersall Youth Development Center in Chesterfield, the development of operational capabilities needed to transform and grow the organization, and an expansion of First Tee Programs to new communities with enhanced financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

“While we are proud of all that we have accomplished over our last 25 years, we are just as energized to build upon that impact,” First Tee – Greater Richmond CEO Brent Schneider said. “This campaign will enable us to further use the game we love to positively impact as many people and communities as possible.”

Renovation work has already begun at the Tattersall Youth Development Center, with a tree-clearing project projected to end this month. Further work will commence in late summer of 2025, including renovations of greens complexes and bunkers, irrigation optimization and cart path repairs. Anticipated completion of the enhancements at The Tattersall are projected to be done in November 2025.

Campaign funds will also be directed to enable the organization to reach additional communities and schools through mission-aligned partnerships. Furthermore, First Tee – Greater Richmond will be enhancing its financial aid and scholarship opportunities for participants and their families via the campaign.

Further information about the “Courses That Build Character” campaign, including how the community can support the organization’s goals, can be found here.    

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About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming areas, First Tee Programs, School Program and Community Partnerships, First Tee – Greater Richmond reached nearly 70,000 youth in 2023. Learn more at www.FirstTeeRVA.org.

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First Tee – Greater Richmond Facilities Earn GRAA Awards

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 18, 2024) – All three golf facilities operated by First Tee – Greater Richmond – Belmont, the Elson Redmond Memorial Driving Range, and the Tattersall Youth Development Center – earned 2023 Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) awards, the organization announced last week.

Both Belmont and the Tattersall Youth Development Center earned recognition in the “Top 50 Public Facilities” category, while the Elson Redmond Memorial Driving Range took honors as a “Top 50 Stand Alone Facility.”

“This accolade is a testament to the work of our PGA Professional staffs and grounds crews at our facilities,” First Tee – Greater Richmond Vice President of Operations Mark Lynch said. “Our team works tirelessly to ensure the highest-quality conditions – at affordable prices – and that each community member has the best experience as they find their connection to the game.”

All three First Tee – Greater Richmond facilities offer both green grass and turf driving ranges. In addition to its driving range, Belmont offers a wedge range, short game practice area, putting green, and recently opened the CapTech Innovation Center, which houses a Zen green stage putting table. Similarly, The Tattersall boasts a short game practice area, putting green, three-hole discovery course, and Trackman indoor hitting bay. Elson Redmond has a covered range to serve customers year-round, along with short game and putting areas, and a Trackman indoor hitting bay.

In its continued efforts to impact as many communities and youth as possible, all active First Tee – Greater Richmond participants can play and practice at the organization’s three facilities for free.

2024 marks the second straight year that all three First Tee – Greater Richmond facilities earned GRAA recognition. This year, Belmont and the Tattersall Youth Development Center shared top 50 recognition with some of the country’s most well-known golf courses and destinations, including Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Chambers Bay, The Greenbrier, and TPC Sawgrass.

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Madison Allen, Kaitlin Doherty Join First Tee – Greater Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 16, 2024) – First Tee – Greater Richmond has announced the additions of Madison Allen and Kaitlin Doherty to its full-time staff as part of a continued organizational evolution. Both started with the organization earlier this month.

Allen joins the organization as its Program Coordinator, while Doherty will be First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Communications Manager.

A 2021 graduate of the College of William & Mary, Allen comes to First Tee – Greater Richmond from Amherst County Public Schools, where she has been a secondary social studies teacher since 2022. Prior to becoming a teacher, Allen was an Education and Outreach Coordinator with the Bower Center for the Arts where she developed short term and long-term plans for educational programs for a wide and diverse audience and managed over 20 different art instructors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Madison to our team,” said First Tee – Greater Richmond Vice President of Impact Kelly Brown. “Her previous work in education will enable us to enhance and expand on our First Tee School Program and Community Partnerships to ensure that we are reaching as many young people in as many communities as possible.”

In her role, Allen will support and assist the programming team with planning, scheduling, and communication to support the delivery of year-round programming throughout the greater Richmond area. Allen will also maintain the chapter’s Salesforce database for participants, volunteers, and coaches and assist with tracking the youth programming goals of the organization’s strategic plan.

A May 2023 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University where she earned her degree in Mass Communications, Doherty was a member of VCU’s Ad Club while focusing on copywriting work during her undergraduate tenure. While an undergraduate, she interned at Release the Hounds, working inside the advertising agency to assist clients and tell their stories.

At First Tee – Greater Richmond, Doherty will support all aspects of the organization’s marketing, external and internal communications, including oversight of its social media channels. Doherty will project manage the organization’s storytelling efforts and will assist with copywriting across a variety of platforms.

“Kaitlin is going to be a huge asset to our team,” said Bill Potter, First Tee – Greater Richmond Vice President of Communications and Marketing. “Her previous experience with our organization will be an asset as we look to tell comprehensive stories that showcase how our courses build character.”

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2023 First Tee – Greater Richmond’s Holiday Gift Guide

Our professional golf staff has put together their favorite golf gifts of the holiday season. From fittings to bags to apparel, our favorite gifts are available for purchase at all three First Tee – Greater Richmond facilities: Belmont, Elson Redmond, or The Tattersall Youth Development Center. So, stop by today to find the perfect gift for the golfer in your life!

https://www.slideshare.net/bill151498/2023-first-tee-greater-richmond-holiday-gift-guide

Livingstone College Rallies to Claim 2023 River City Collegiate Classic

Fayetteville State’s Juan Lopez records medalist honors

RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 24, 2023) – Livingstone College rallied to claim the team title at the River City Collegiate Classic, posting the low team score in the second round to win by a single shot over Fayetteville State. Competing at historic Belmont Golf Course on Tuesday, Fayetteville State’s Juan Lopez earned the medalist title by a single shot at 1-over par total.

Denis Asaba led three Livingstone players in the top 10 of the event, posting a 1-over 75 at Belmont after firing a 75 in Monday’s first round at The Country Club of Virginia. Asaba’s eagle on No. 16 proved to be the difference-maker on the team leaderboard, helping Livingstone hold off Fayetteville State by a single stroke. The Blue Bears were five shots clear of Fayetteville on the day as they leapt from third to first on the leaderboard.

Asaba was joined by teammates Ibrahim Aliga (75-78=153), who tied for fifth, and Christopher Baguma (79-79=158) in the top 10 of the field. 

After playing the same layout as the PGA TOUR Champions did during the Dominion Energy Charity Classic at The Country Club of Virginia in Monday’s first round, competitors tackled the restored Belmont layout on Tuesday. Student-athletes competed on holes 1-12 of the championship course, with holes 1-6 replayed to build a 6,865-yard, par-74 course.

Lopez posted the low round of the day on his way to the individual title, recording an even-par 74 at Belmont. After going out in 1-over 38, Lopez was steady on the back nine, collecting a single birdie on the 14th hole to go with eight pars in collecting his first collegiate tournament title. In Monday’s first round, Lopez recorded a 3-over 75 and entered Tuesday’s final round tied for third.

Logan Atkins (75-79=154) took seventh on the leaderboard, while Shaun Wixon (76-83=159) tied for ninth to put three Broncos on the top 10 of the leaderboard.

Travon Willis (74-78=152) paced defending RCCC champion Virginia Union, tying for third with Virginia State’s David Chavez (76-76=152). Alkin Barkley, the 2022 River City Collegiate medalist, tied for fifth in this year’s edition. Barkley was the overnight leader after a first round 71 at CCV but was undone by a 10 at the par 4 14th hole.

Brady Wood (78-81=159) tied for ninth, putting three VUU players in the top 10 as the Panthers finished third on the team leaderboard, five shots behind Livingstone.

Led by Chavez, Virginia State was fourth, holding off Johnson C. Smith University by four shots. Winston-Salem State took sixth, while St. Augustine’s had three players compete as individuals.

In addition to medalist honors, Lopez collected All-Tournament Team accolades, alongside the Livingstone duo of Asaba and Aliga. VUU’s Willis and Barkley also made the team, as well as VSU’s Chavez.

The team title was the second in as many weeks for Livingstone, which took first at the SAS HBCU Invitational in Cary, N.C., last week.

All seven programs at the inaugural River City Collegiate Classic represented historically black colleges and universities from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The tournament came together as a partnership between First Tee – Greater Richmond, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, and the Country Club of Virginia.

2023 River City Collegiate Classic All-Tournament Team
Ibrahim Aliga, Livingstone College
Denis Asaba, Livingstone College
Alkin Barkley, Virginia Union University
David Chavez, Virginia State University
Juan Lopez, Fayetteville State (medalist)
Travon Willis, Virginia Union University


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About First Tee – Greater Richmond

First Tee – Greater Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Through three major programming focuses – the First Tee Program, the First Tee School Program, and collaborative community partnerships – First Tee – Greater Richmond reached more than 97,000 youth in 2021.