Classes, Golf Simulator And Tournament Play Headline Upcoming Season At The First Tee

The new golf simulator at The First Tee Roanoke Valley gives junior golfers the chance to play The Pebble Beach Golf Links, including the signature 18th hole seen here.
The new golf simulator at The First Tee Roanoke Valley gives junior golfers the chance to play The Pebble Beach Golf Links, including the signature 18th hole seen here.

Get the clubs out of the closet.

Winter is nearly behind us and that means another exciting year for junior golf is ready to unfold at The First Tee of Roanoke Valley.

Classes for all ages and ability are set to begin this month, a new golf simulator has its home at The First Tee headquarters in Roanoke and a pair of First Tee Roanoke members have just returned from Naples, Florida after an impressive tournament performance.

It’s all part of the fun at First Tee, and they’re waiting for more junior golfers to get on the bandwagon in 2016.

“We have 26 different classes for every age and ability levels set for 2016,” First Tee Lead Instructor Bill Rader says. “They’ll begin in mid-March and continue throughout the summer and fall. We’ll offer programs for every junior golfer.”

Rader says one main focus in 2016 will be the opportunity for practice time to double.

The Densmore Road main headquarters at First Tee Roanoke has complete outdoor practice facilities, a putting green and classrooms for instruction.
The Densmore Road main headquarters at First Tee Roanoke has complete outdoor practice facilities, a putting green and classrooms for instruction.

While instructional classes are structured and supervised around the nine core values of The First Tee; honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgement, Rader says 2016 will offer more opportunity to play between the classes.

“Every course in the area is giving us a chance to play rounds at their facility,” Rader notes. “We’ve added Hunting Hills for 2016, so our members will get the opportunity for on-course experience in a wide variety of settings. A typical outing will have anywhere from 8-22 participants, so it makes for a great learning opportunity at these various courses.”

First Tee of Roanoke Valley Executive Director Jennifer Blackwood proudly notes that in 2015 their chapter reached out to around 2,300 students in physical education programs with the goal of introducing students to the game of golf. Additionally, in 2015, around 800 junior golfers came to the Densmore Rd. main headquarters and a venue at Vista Links Golf Course in Buena Vista for more in-depth instruction.

This winter, the Densmore location kicked off the introduction of their new golf simulator. Donated to the organization, the simulator gives players the chance to actually play simulated 18-hole rounds at over 20 famous courses, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, TPC Scottsdale and The Old Course at St. Andrews Scotland.

“It’s gone over well and was perfect for the winter months,” Rader says of the simulator. “We’ve had various competitions and the kids love it. From a five-year old just learning golf to a high school player looking to improve on technical aspects of their game, the simulator is very encompassing. There’s so much flexibility. We can change the course and the course conditions any time we want to make it interesting and challenging to every age and level of ability. I can see us using it more and more in the future. Even though we have covered practice facilities in case it rains in the warmer months, the simulator gives us a great addition if we want to move indoors.”

2016 will once again bring great opportunities to First Tee participants, from the Roanoke Valley Junior Golf Tour and other local golf events to the prestigious national tournaments tied in with The First Tee,

First Tee Roanoke members Katherine Bowles and Grace Huffman just returned from Naples, Florida where they finished second in the Golf to Paradise-First Tee Champions Challenge. The two students at Rockbridge County High School in Lexington are long-time First Tee Roanoke participants, Katherine joining in 2008, with Grace being a member since she was 11.

May will bring the 33rd annual Scott Robertson Memorial Junior Golf Tournament to Roanoke Country Club, where it has grown into one of the most prestigious tournaments on the national and international junior golf scene. In 2015, youngsters from 30 states and 17 countries competed in the event. Many former SRM players have graduated to the PGA and LPGA tours.

July is highlighted by the annual First Tee Youth Day at The Greenbrier Classic PGA TOUR stop at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. First Tee members enjoy a luncheon hosted by Greenbrier owner Jim Justice, a clinic with top PGA pros and the always-exciting First Tee Scramble, where First Tee players team up with the pros in a 3-hole shootout, with $10,000 going to the competing First Tee chapters.

The Champions TOUR Nature Valley First Tee Open plays out September 13-18, 2016 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California. 81 Champions Tour players team up with 81 First Tee members for unique experiences at one of golf’s most famous venues. First Tee Roanoke was represented by Vince Wheeler (Patrick Henry High School) in 2015.

Roanoke Country Club will host the 5th annual First Tee of Roanoke Parent-Child tournament September 17-18, This event has become one of the most popular on the First Tee schedule in recent years.

And, even if you don’t qualify as a junior golfer, age-wise, First Tee Roanoke is always looking for volunteers to help with classes and be an integral part of the Scott Robertson Memorial.

“We absolutely are always looking for volunteers,” Rader says emphatically. “You don’t have to know a lot about golf to be a volunteer, it’s more about making it safe and fun for our players. We’re very flexible on using volunteers whenever they can come join us.”

So, come join the fun at First Tee where you’ll learn the life lessons of golf while improving your game from the ground up. No experience necessary, equipment provided and scholarships available.

Contact First Tee at 540-563-1833 for more information.
Bill Turner

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