We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported and played in the 10th Annual The First Tee Invitational Golf Tournament presented by Kaiser Permanente. The entire event at Del Paso Country Club was truly enjoyable and Kevin Sutherland was an amazing Honorary Chairman.

Again, many thanks to all those involved in this event, and we look forward to another great tournament next year.  
 

Click here to see more pictures from this event

Q & A with Louie

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?So the scenario at hand is if I was stranded on an island, what 3 things would I bring? That is an easy one because I only need 2 things, a plane and a pilot.

What is your favorite Core Value and Why?

My favorite core value is confidence. The First Tee has taught me how to be confident on and off the golf course, which has improved every aspect of my life.  

I have loved sports for as long as I can remember. My dad used to cheer me on in track and basketball and coached me in baseball and football. We also used to go hunting and fishing together. But the one sport that would bond us forever was golf. He bought me US Kids clubs when I was just 2 ½ years old and would bring little Sippy cups and diapers on the golf course.

When my dad got sick, everything changed. Every dream I had that at one time felt reachable was lost. When he passed away he left my mom in a very difficult situation struggling to pay the bills with her house cleaning business.

Just a couple of weeks after I  lost my dad, we got a call from The First Tee that they wanted to send us to the Charles Schwab cup championship at Sonoma golf club. They even gave us money for food and gas. We got to walk inside the ropes with Mark McNulty and Dan Forsman. In the midst of such a depressing time, The First Tee found a way to help me see the possibilities for my life.

I will never be able to say enough about what The First Tee has done for me. Not only have they sent me places I could have only imagined going, but they have led me in a direction that will give me a happy and healthy life.

The First Tee has reached out to people like you to keep me in the game that I love. Before becoming part of The First Tee I had only been in California and just across the Nevada state line. I have now been fortunate enough to participate in The Junior Ryder Cup Academy in Florida; The Life Skills and Leadership Academy in New York; both The Speedgolf National and The Advanced Player Academy in Virginia; the First Tee Training at IJGA in Hilton Head, South Carolina, The First Tee Nor Cal Leadership Academy in Monterey; and, maybe the most amazing experience of all, The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach where I was paired with Duffy Waldorf. Every one of these events has made me a better golfer, but more importantly a better person.

The First Tee has encouraged me to volunteer in the community and base my life on the nine core values and to work my way through the life skills program.

Because of The First Tee, I have been very dedicated to my school work. I believe I will succeed in my goal of earning a scholarship to play golf at a 4 year college and becoming the first person in my family to earn a college degree.

We're so proud of 

Bryan Baumgarten, Kylie Fong, Logan Lowe,

Michael Mahlberg and Brittany O'Bryant