Events Archives - First Tee

3rd Annual Participants vs Parents Tournament

(3rd Annual Participants vs Parents Tournament Published 11/26/25) The 3rd annual Participants vs Parents Tournament delivered everything we hoped for and more—a fun, spirited competition packed with energy, laughter, and just enough friendly rivalry to keep everyone on their toes. Despite stormy forecasts earlier in the week, the golf gods were clearly on our side, holding back the rain for a beautiful, competition-ready day at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course.

The morning kicked off with warmups on the driving range and putting green, where both kids and parents shared smiles and encouragement before stepping into competitive mode. With the Participants holding a 2–0 record over the Parents from the last two tournaments, there was anticipation, determination, and a whole lot of playful pressure.

A New Format for 2025

This year featured a new twist: Stableford scoring, with different point systems for Participants and Parents:

PARTICIPANTS	PARENTS
Eagle = 4	Eagle = 3
Birdie = 3	Birdie = 2
Par = 2	Par = 1
Bogey = 1	Bogey = 0
Double Bogey = 0	Double Bogey = -1

The format added strategy, suspense, and a fresh dynamic to every hole. The fun kicked in right from the start: closest to the pin on hole #2 & longest drive on hole #4. The excitement didn’t stop there—special challenge holes made sure everyone stayed on their game: hole #6: parents spun a wheel to determine a random club for their tee shot. Hole #8: kids could swap their tee shot with one parent’s or guardian’s—strategy at its finest.

This year’s competition brought out some outstanding individual performances from the winners:

Closest to the Pin

Parents: Matt
Participants: AJ

Longest Drive

Parents: Brent
Participants: Johnny

Though the Participants came in as two-time defending champs, the Parents arrived ready to rewrite the story. And rewrite it they did! With impressive teamwork, clutch shots, and maybe a little motivation from that -1 double-bogey penalty, the Parents secured a thrilling 11–8 upset victory—their first win in the tournament’s three-year history. The day wrapped up with an awards ceremony, slices of well-earned pizza, and plenty of smiles across all ages. As always, the real win was the community spirit on display. A huge thank-you goes out to all Participants, Parents, and families who make this annual event something truly special.

SAVE THE DATE

We’re already excited for next year’s showdown.
Mark your calendars: November 14th, 2026!

FTSV Girls Golf Play Day

(FTSV Girls Golf Play Day Published 11/26/25) First Tee – Silicon Valley hosted its Girls Golf Play Day on November 15^th at Rancho Del Pueblo. Twenty of our participants enjoyed a fun, collaborative day enjoying a variety of activities. The theme of the day was Snoopy and the Peanuts team!

Working as a Team

Coach Gracie challenged the players to a team building activity where they needed to work together by chipping towards hoops without “waking” Snoopy and Woodstock from their winter nap. For the girls to complete their goal, they needed to be masters of collaboration, have open communication, and show confidence in their chipping skills.

The Dryvebox Experience

Thanks to the Dryvebox team, our girls were introduced to a high-tech simulator where they were able to hit full swings into a detailed screen and see their results based on their swing plane and club head speed. Our girls enjoyed the fun and goofy game modes while learning a bit about their swing mechanics.

Visiting Snoopy’s House

Our group of golfers took part in a fun maze on the putting green. The team was tasked with navigating through the hurdles of this puzzle to reach Snoopy’s house. This was a challenging endeavor for our participants. Many worked as a team to help identify and avoid the dead ends of the maze. A big thanks to Coach Khaton and Alonso for creating such an in-depth and elaborate puzzle to putt through!

Range Time with Coach Angelina

The final activity concluded with a mini golf clinic with one of our amazing coaches – Coach Angelina. Our participants were able to work with and ask questions of Angelina, a former junior tournament competitor. Each participant was given a short lesson that catered to their specific golf swing.

Pizza Time!

The day concluded with our participants enjoying pizza while playing Jenga and taking photos together. Our events are important as our youth experience a day of empowerment, collaboration, and goal setting while building positive self-esteem. Thank you to all of our Coaches and our ACE Junior Council for preparing the activities, managing the Girls Golf budget, and for creating an amazing and safe environment. Thank you to the Dryvebox team, and thank you to all our participants for attending and having an amazing time! We look forward to seeing you at our next Girl’s Golf event on February 28^th.

2025 FTSV College Day Tournament

(2025 FTSV College Day Tournament Published 11/26/25) On Saturday, November 15^th, First Tee – Silicon Valley hosted our annual College Day Tournament, where 33 participants paired up with a collegiate golfer from three schools in the region for an alternate shot tournament. We were so excited for such a great turn out and continued our tradition of inviting 6 participants from First Tee – Greater Sacramento. We also we welcomed a new college team – Menlo College Men’s! Thank you to all the players from FTGS, Menlo Men’s, Stanford Men’s, and Santa Clara Men’s and Women’s, as well as all our FTSV participants, for joining us!

This tournament offers our participants a chance to learn from their college golfer partner and receive mentorship, advice, and encouragement. There was a feeling of positivity and gratitude all around, from the junior players and college players alike.

Not only did everyone involved demonstrate the life skills and character traits that First Tee is all about, but there was some awesome golf out there as well. In a tight competition, we had 2 scores under par, another 2 scores at even par, and some great performances in the individual course contests too.

FTSV College Day Tournament

2025 FTSV College Day Tournament Winners

Closest to the Pin (Hole 2): Yoodham (Stanley) Ko – 10ft

Straightest Drive (Hole 4): Kanoa Vierra – 1ft, 6in from center

3^rd Place: Gabriella Borrego (FTGS), Cooper Stearns (Stanford) – 28 (E)

2^nd Place: Suri Lau (FTSV), Ethan Gao (Stanford) – 27 (-1)

1^st Place: Myles Pena (FTGS), Dean Greyserman (Stanford) – 27 (-1)

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all the participants. An extra thanks to FTGS, Stanford, Santa Clara, and Menlo as well. We can’t wait until next year!

Our College Day tournament next year will be November 14^th, 2026. Please save the date!

To participate in this tournament, and our other pre-season tournaments throughout the year one must be an active FTSV participant. Click here to join our program, and click here to learn about our pre-season tournaments.

FTSV and Community Outreach

(FTSV and Community Outreach Published 11/7/2025) The fall season means back-to school nights, school-wide harvest celebrations, and community resource fairs. FTSV has been dedicated to attending these events and being part of the community that we serve, especially East San Jose. In September, we attended the back-to-school district event at Aptitud Academy at Goss and the National Night Out at the Mayfair Community Center. In October, we attended the Alum Rock Unified School District Parent University resource fair, and in November, we will be attending the SOMOS Mayfair Harvest Festival.

At each event we get to meet and greet with parents and participants, build relationships with other community resource groups and leaders, and showcase our program. We strive to show everyone that our program is affordable, accessible, and welcoming to everyone. We thank our community and school supporters for inviting us to their events.

Beginning on November 6, we will begin hosting 15 school field trips at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course where students will be taking a 1-hour lesson from our staff. For many of the participants, this will be their first time at a golf course.

Community resource fairs are so critical for a connected and supported community. Often resources exist but are not taken advantage of due to lack of exposure. We thank the community and school leaders for their efforts in building these resource fairs and advocating on our behalf.

If you have a fair or event that we should be attending, please contact [email protected].

PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee

(PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee – Published 10/03/25) FTSV participants, Alexis Chu, Brian Yu and Walton Li were selected and competed in the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Everyone played very well, including a 4^th place finish for Alexis and 3^rd place finish for Brian. More importantly, all players conducted themselves with respect and kindness, building lasting relationships while playing golf in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Fantastic work!

For more than 20 years, the PURE Insurance Championship has provided selected First Tee participants from around the country with the unique opportunity to showcase the skills and values they’ve gained through their respective First Tee Chapters. The tournament pairs 80 standout teens from First Tee Chapters nationwide with PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs from the business community. The teens were selected by a national panel of judges who evaluated their essays, letters of recommendations, and golf resume. Throughout the week, our three participants competed in the prestigious tournament, got to eat meals with the professional golfers, and were able to network with their peers and tournament golfers. The annual event was broadcast internationally on Golf Channel and took place September 19^th – 21^st.

In addition to our participating teens, our chapter organized a field trip and brought 30 FTSV teen participants to cheer on Alexis, Walton, and Brian. Thanks to the generous grant by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, our field trip teens rode to Monterey in style with a charter bus. While there, they enjoyed their time walking the course, watching the pro’s and supporting dedicated young First Tee players. They made sure to get autographs and soak in this unique experience.

Congratulations to all the athletes and thank you to the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for hosting First Tee – Silicon Valley!

Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Supports FTSV’s Girls Golf

(Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Supports FTSV’s Girls Golf – Published 10/03/25) Boulder Ridge Ladies Golf Club held its 4th Annual Member-Guest Tournament on September 26th. They celebrated with “Talk Birdie to Me” as their theme and chose First Tee – Silicon Valley’s Girls Golf program as the beneficiary. Varnika Arun, FTSV Participant, Junior Council member, and Junior Coach, spoke at the lunch program to share the impact FTSV has had on her self-confidence, and how she is driven to show other girls that they belong. Development Director, Judy Deaton was also in attendance and spoke to the ladies about getting involved as volunteer coaches so the girls have female role models and mentors. Speaking to the group, Varnika talked about her experiences at First Tee – Silicon Valley.

Thank you!

We would like to thank the very generous Presenting Sponsor: Hsing Family Foundation, Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Raffle Donors, and all the Hole Sponsors who donated a total of $10,000 directly to FTSV.

Hsing Family Foundation
Jillian & Timothy Conroy
Applied Materials
Fields In Motion Physical Therapy
Sobrato Charitable Fund
Meadow Outdoor Advertising
SBG
Material Motion
Kelly Family
Mintz
Colonial Life
Ken’s Solar and Pool
The Wilshire Group
Fremont Fire Department
HELO Energy

Special thanks to Tournament Chair Candace Caballero and Co-Chair Jillian Conroy for her continued support!

First Tee – Silicon Valley’s Girls Golf Program is an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the game of golf while empowering participants to feel confident, build self-esteem and make new friends in an all-girl environment. Girls Golf seasonal events are open to all FTSV Participants – click here for more info.

KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV!

(KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV! – Published 10/03/25) The 2^nd Annual KRTY Writers Cup benefitted FTSV in a BIG WAY by raising $40K! 124 golfers, including 6 Nashville Songwriters, came out to Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on a cloudy Wednesday for a day of golf, guitars and giving back!

“We are very proud to be able to produce this event for the benefit of First Tee – Silicon Valley” said Nate Deaton, KRTY.com General Manager. “We are lucky to have 6 amazing songwriters with us this year, Trent Tomlinson, Luke Dick, Ben Williams, Casey Brown, Chris Bandi, and the last-minute entry, Matt Stell. One night at the end of last year, I mentioned to Cole Taylor that I had an idea to do a Charity Golf Event with Songwriters. He looked at me and said, we could call it the Writers Cup! And here we are.”

After a full day, players and sponsors were treated to dinner and a show. The songwriters told stories, played guitar, and sang some hit country songs. Smack dab in the middle, First Tee – Silicon Valley participant and junior coach, Adam Rosa, spoke about his experiences. Adam shared how FTSV helped him set his own goals and grow at his own pace instead of comparing himself to others, which gave him a new positive perspective about his self-worth and his accomplishments.

The KRTY Writers Cup raffle, live and silent auctions raised an astounding $40K for First Tee – Silicon Valley’s financial aid program. FTSV would like to thank the Writers Cup sponsors, players, and the staff at Legendary KRTY.COM for their support. Without such support, FTSV could not continue to help MORE Kids!

Writer’s Cup Results Recap:

Songwriter Trent Tomlinson’s Winning Team = Score 679

Tony Damore, Jeff Athens, Rigo Gutierrez, Justin Moles, Ben White, Geno Gingery, Robby Zipp, Shone Freeman, Hayden Freemen, Tom Holt, Kurt Klein, Mark Chiavetta, Lucas Chiavetta, Jeff Narduzzi, Sean Narduzzi, Cathy Smith, Tak Taoyama, Keven Want, Tomoaki Kumagai

Foursome Winners = Score 125

Justin Moles, Ben White, Geno Gingery, Robby Zipp

Putting Contest = Avery Cook

Closest to the Holes = Matt Leslie Lake #2, Matt Moore Lake #8, Adam Craig Mtn #2, Shelley Carr Mtn #8

If you have an upcoming tournament and would like to partner with and make First Tee – Silicon Valley the beneficiary, please click here.

We’ll see y’all next year!

KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV – Photo Gallery

FTSV & Acer – Leadership & Golf Clinic @ Stanford

(FTSV & Acer – Leadership & Golf Clinic @ Stanford – Published: 10/02/25) On Friday 9/19, Acer partnered with First Tee – Silicon Valley to bring a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to 40 FTSV middle school girls hosted at Stanford University.

The mission for the “Build Your Leadership Journey” event/clinic presented by Acer was to empower the next generation through sport, providing leadership curriculum, golf instruction and successful professional role models to the 40 girls.

The morning half of the event was facilitated by Maria Horning, Vice President for Leadership Development at Legatum Foundation. She began by leading a section on the following with the help of group facilitators made up of female executives and leaders, several of which were FTSV coaches!

1. Leading yourself

Knowing your strengths
Building self-belief (4-step process)
Growing through what you love

2. Loving the Journey

Setting goals (process goals & sphere of control)
Developing grit
Being kind to yourself along the way

3. Leading Together

Building belonging
Contributing positively
Making a positive difference

Later that morning the girls then had a Q&A session with a stellar executive female leadership panel. Click here to read the bio of the female leaders and the group facilitators.

After lunch the group moved to Stanford’s Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex. Here the Stanford Women’s Golf Team helped lead golf clinic stations. Once the golf clinic was over, the girls had a Q&A/autograph session with the team.

Last but not least, Acer’s Vice President of Marketing, Richard Black, surprised the girls with Acer laptop workbooks that they got to take home! Needless to say, the girls were over the moon excited.

We can’t thank the following people enough for making this event happen and for including our FTSV participants in this transformational opportunity.

Jennifer Brien

Nicole Lee

Maria Horning

Kyle Gode

Matt Siert

Richard Black

A big thank you also goes out to our FTSV coaches/chaperones/group facilitators – April Kenyon, Tracy Cone, Tiffany Sparks, Ysabelle Lam, Andrea Brenholz, and Angelina Huang.

In the training, Maria quoted the following African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” To this point, the girls all wrote letters of inspiration to younger FTSV girls. Hopefully their messages will inspire, lift others up, and give others a sense of comfort that they are not alone.

For more information about these opportunities and more, visit Our Opportunities page.

FTSV Benefits from the 5th Annual Fund the Kids Tournament

(FTSV Benefits from the 5^th Annual Fund the Kids Tournament – Published 10/2/25) First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) benefits from the 5^th Annual Fund the Kids tournament sponsored by Jacobs. On Saturday, September 27^th, Jacobs hosted 72 golfers at Gilroy Golf Course as they played 18 holes and on-course games, like Cornhole and Connect Four. This tournament was also a special Memorial Tournament Honoring Saeid Vaziry, an Environmental Programs Manager for the City of Gilroy. Saeid’s family was on-hand during the tournament to volunteer and play in a foursome. Players were then treated to lunch, raffle and an inspirational speech from FTSV teen participant and volunteer coach, Julia Villa.

Julia shared her journey with First Tee – Silicon Valley and how their inclusive, family-like community helped her feel like she belonged as a latina woman, instilled self-confidence, and gave her tools to help develop professionally.

FTSV would like to thank Presenting Sponsor Jacobs, all the supporting, hosting, and contest sponsors, and players for raising over $16K which will go to help MORE kids in South County. The funds are a big help to First Tee – Silicon Valley.

Thank you to ALL the Sponsors:

Carollo Engineers – Superior Sanitation – Cintas Inc. – Valley Top Inc. – JE Phillips Co Inc & Hartzell Air – Jess Ranch Trucking – United Rentals – Advance Air Flow Measurement – Energy Experts International – Legion – Skylake Tree Services – Novatech Services – Koffler Electrical Mechanical – True Blue Automation – Control Solutions Inc. – Rexel USA – Pan Pacific Supply – Toro Petroleum

Jacobs has been the Contract Operator for the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) plant in Gilroy since 1984. Tournament Coordinator, Kerry Edmonds, said, “Community involvement is an extension of the Jacobs’ and the SCRWA culture. They care about their surrounding communities which is why we felt compelled to sponsor the 5th Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament, benefiting First Tee – Silicon Valley and will do it again next year.”

Tournament Results:

First Place: Kerry Edmonds, John Torres, Scott Stephens, Melinda Stephens

Closest to the Hole – Women: Melinda Stephens

Closest to the Hole – Men: Scott Stephens

Long Drive – Womens: Jackie Torres

Long Drive – Mens: Michael IbarraPutting Contest – “Happy Saeid” Putting contest with Hockey Sticks: Grant Kehrig, John Hernandez, Jesus Begines, Arturo Begines.

If you have an upcoming tournament and would like to make First Tee – Silicon Valley the beneficiary, please Contact Nicole Woodson.

First Tee launches National Alumni Advisory Council to strengthen engagement across its growing Alumni Network

The First Tee National Alumni Advisory Council held its first in-person meeting in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2025) – First Tee has launched a National Alumni Advisory Council, a group of 20 dynamic alumni who are business and community leaders from across the United States. The council will play a key role in shaping the future of the organization’s growing Alumni Network.

The Alumni Council’s primary focus will be to guide and direct strategies that engage more alumni in meaningful ways — helping them stay connected to each other and to First Tee’s mission of empowering young people through golf and life skills programming.

In addition to virtual meetings, the Alumni Council will gather annually, with its first session having taken place Sept. 12-14 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event is sponsored by Gallagher.

“First Tee alumni are an essential part of our story and our future,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “The Alumni Council will help ensure we are creating opportunities for them to continue to grow, give back and lead, while staying connected to the values they developed through First Tee.”

The Alumni Council is co-chaired by Rayshon Payton of First Tee – Metropolitan Oklahoma City, who works as general counsel for Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt, and Sara Diaz of First Tee – San Antonio, a presenter for ESPN+ and PGA TOUR Live and vice president of recruiting for Capstone Hospitality.

“I’m thrilled to come full circle with First Tee, an organization that has shaped not only my life but the lives of so many others,” Payton said. “Serving as board chair of the Alumni Council is a special opportunity to give back, support the next generation and help strengthen a community that continues to inspire growth on and off the course.”

“I’m excited to continue being part of the First Tee, the program where my golf journey began,” Diaz said. “I’m truly honored to be selected as co-chair of the First Tee Alumni Council and look forward to expanding our Alumni Network to foster lasting connections and meaningful opportunities.”

Council members represent a diverse group of graduates who embody the impact of First Tee programs. They were appointed and will serve terms of two, three or four years. Together, they will guide efforts to recruit alumni, design impactful engagement opportunities and drive alumni reconnection to local chapters. As ambassadors of the program, they will inspire current participants and help grow a powerful, united Alumni Network.

The First Tee Alumni Network includes thousands of former participants who have carried the organization’s values into their careers, communities and lives. Since its launch in 2020, the First Tee Alumni Network has provided career assistance, professional and personal development opportunities and fun events for former participants. It’s free to join and open to all First Tee Alumni.

For more information about the Alumni Network, visit firsttee.org/alumni.

2025 Alumni Council members

Rayshon Payton	Metropolitan Oklahoma City	General Counsel, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester
Sara Diaz	Greater San Antonio	VP of Recruiting, Capstone Hospitality
Anthony Bonales	Central Valley	Finance Manager, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling
Grace Kehoe	Greater Charlotte	Media Logger, PGA TOUR
Karrington Knight	Greater New Orleans	Staff Assistant, Rep. Jasmine Crockett
Steven Outlaw, PGA	Hammond (Historical)	Director of Sales & Marketing, Troon
Colm Parrish	Pittsburgh	Category Manager, Catalent Pharma Solutions
Hannah Rens	Siouxland	Systems Engineer, Boeing
Benjamin Nganga	Tennessee	Real Estate Valuations Analyst, Baker Tilly
Ashley Noda	Greater Sacramento	Director of Outreach & Competitive Activities, First Tee – Greater Sacramento
Alyssa Ramont	Central Valley	Executive Administrative Assistant, San Francisco Giants
David Singh	Tampa Bay	Program Manager, Cleveland Clinic of Florida
Blake Christenson	Tennessee	Designer, Cooper Carry
Michelle Xie	Silicon Valley	Software Engineer, Dave
Mia Bishop	Metro Atlanta	Psychotherapist
Brittany Gill	Greater Richmond	Corporate Partnerships Manager, PGA TOUR
Derrick Ow	Monterey County	Communications & Customer Service Coordinator, Northern California Golf Association
Connor Shooks	Benton Harbor	Sports Management Student, University of Michigan
Callen Williams	Metropolitan New York	Assistant Program Director, First Tee – Metropolitan New York
Taryn Yee	Greater Sacramento	Program Manager, Meta

US AM TOUR 50/50 Raffle Benefits FTSV

(US AM TOUR 50/50 Raffle Benefits FTSV – Published 9/10/25) We’re incredibly grateful that the US AM TOUR and Tournament Director, Dan Cacho has, once again, conducted a 50/50 Raffle at each of their Northern California 2024-2025 tournaments raising $7,500 for FTSV. These funds will enable us to provide financial aid to low-income kids to have access to our youth development program. Our goal is to develop life-long golfers of all levels while teaching life skills.

Andrea Brenholz, FTSV Board Member and former US AM TOUR player said, “As both a former US AM TOUR player and a First Tee – Silicon Valley Board Director, I’m truly thankful for this generous gift. Your support strengthens our ability to positively impact young lives through the game of golf.”

What we like most about the US AM TOUR is that there is a flight for everyone. This encourages golfers of all levels to become part of a golf community that is steeped in passion for the game of golf while providing access to top golf courses.

Dan Cacho, the U.S. Am Tour’s Western Regional Director said, “That’s the ultimate mission for the tour is to try to give golfers a platform to improve their games and test themselves on the tournament level.”

The US AM TOUR is the largest and most trusted amateur golf tour in the country. There are six flights for each tournament, and each also has a respective senior flight, meaning there are 12 different winners at the 700 events across the United States. Members are eligible to play anywhere they wish, they do not have to play solely on their designated home tour. During the year there are 30 tournaments that are labeled as majors, which are 36-hole events. Points and performance rankings are accrued for each local tour and the top players in each division will qualify for the national championship, which this year is September 8-17 at Innisbrook Resort, home pf the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship.