Golf in the sunshine state, flights and board paid for, a week of golf on some of the best courses in Florida, with free instruction on all aspects of my golf game, including mental, training, and nutritional? As soon as I saw the opportunity, I knew I wanted it. And within a few weeks, I was fortunate enough to be accepted.
From the moment I stepped out into the sunny Orange State, friendly First Tee representatives were waiting for me at the airport, and took my back to the dorms we would be staying at. There, I met many of the coaches who would be guiding me through the next week, as well as some of my future peers in the program.
Although the Florida weather wasn’t always what I expected (occasional thunderstorms and pouring rain at unpredictable intervals? I thought Florida weather was perfect!) over the next few days, we played at some of the most beautiful golf courses I had ever seen. The first day was at the Bear’s Club, home to many PGA professionals (some notable ones include Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods). Over the next two days, we had a tournament Seagate Country Club. Next, we played the Palm Beach Par 3 Course (right on the beach) and to finish it off, we played Jupiter Hills Country Club, which is one of the finest courses in Florida.
What I enjoyed the most about the program, however, were the opportunities offered off the course. During our stay, we were instructed one of the most famous golf instructors in the country, named David Donatucci, who teaches professionals like Stacie Lewis and Michelle Wie. We also had the chance to travel to the ESPN West Palm Beach headquarters, where we were shown how to conduct a live interview and were “recorded” as if we were doing a broadcast for highlights of a nearby basketball game. Finally, we were given a great team of coaches and supervisors who were always there to answer questions about playing college golf, give us advice on surviving in college, or to help us with anything we needed.
But there’s one more thing I learned, and this lesson came from a moment of panic I had before coming. I had spent the first four weeks of my summer (before the College Golf Prep) at a program at MIT, and First Tee Academy would start approximately a day after I returned home to California. At first, I thought I would manage it, but by the end of the MIT program, I began doubting myself. I was tired, I was homesick, and more than anything, I was stressed that I wouldn’t be able to endure being home for a day then flying back to Florida for a week of intense golf after the tiring four weeks.
Luckily, the director of the College Golf Prep Academy called me to talk with me one on one about my concerns, and convinced me that I would benefit enormously by attending the program, and that the First Tee would take care of me while I was there. And with her advice, I chose to go. After attending, I learned something huge (message to all you undecided future participants!): going to a new place with people you don’t know is intimidating; no doubt. But by going, you expand your horizons, meet incredible people to network with from around the country, and see the side of The First Tee beyond Silicon Valley. So trust me on this one: take that leap of faith, because you never know where it will take you.
- Sahil K., Ace Participant