(Juan Hernandez receives 2025 Dennis Kettmann Memorial Scholarship – Published 08/8/25) First Tee – Silicon Valley participant, Juan Hernandez, was recently awarded the 2025 Dennis Kettmann Memorial Scholarship. Each year golfers in the Dennis Kettmann Memorial Tournament raise funds to remember Dennis. Their generosity underwrites this special $5,000 college scholarship for a standout FTSV participant.
Dennis’s son and co-organizer of the Memorial Tournament, Matt Kettmann, learned the game from his father, Dennis, and knows that he must be smiling knowing that his memory is now helping FTSV’s young people pursue their college dreams.
David Henningsen, who is also a co-organizer shared, “It was so wonderful to have the recipient of the “Big D” scholarship play in our tournament and speak to the supporters about how FTSV has impacted him.”
More About Juan Hernandez
Juan Hernandez first came to First Tee – Silicon Valley as a 6th grader. He was exposed to our program by our long-time youth partner, Redwood City Pal Center. Each season the Pal Center transports up to 13 participants in their van and takes them to our Friday classes at Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto. As Juan aged into high school, he and his brother made the long trip to Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course every Saturday to continue his classes. He is a unifying and positive force in our class and we are grateful to have him with us each and every season. This fall he will be attending Sacramento State University where he plans to study Civil Engineering.
“Including others and being more outgoing are some of my biggest take aways from FTSV. I sometimes see people at school that are by themselves or don’t have many friends, and I invite them to hang out with me and my friends. First Tee has helped me to be a Go-To person for others and realize who my Go-To people are. I have different Go-To people for different situations, people like my brother, my friends, and my coaches.”
“For other kids starting out, I’d say keep going. It’s good to keep an open mind, in the end, it’s worth it. The program will help you a lot. It will help you set your vision and teach you important life skills that will help you right now and for the rest of your life. Don’t knock it until you try it!”
This scholarship will go a long way towards helping Juan pursue his educational goals and more. Thank you to the Dennis Kettman Memorial Golf Tournament, and congratulations to Juan!