Gearing Up for Fall Season

The tease of the crisp cool air over the last week has everyone buzzing about the start of Fall and what’s to come. My vision of Fall includes light weight jackets, homemade tomato soup with a thick grilled cheese ready for dipping, Friday nights under the lights, rec league soccer on Saturday morning and college football on the tube all afternoon; plus my daughters cowgirl boots with tights to church on Sunday and as many bon fires with oversized marshmallows as you can possibly squeeze into a hectic work week and activity filled weekend. With Fall comes the race to outrun daylight savings before we ‘fall back’ during our sugar induced coma on Halloween night. A perfect marriage in time where the fairways are lush, greens are smooth and temperatures are perfect for a round of golf or evening of practice. It’s an exciting span of eight weeks at The First Tee of the Sandhills when the new participants from summer meet returning participants from spring and all make friends with our newest incoming ‘class’ of youth excited for an adventure in the fall. It gives me flashbacks to the days of girl scouts; singing ‘make new friends and keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.’ Fall becomes that capsule of time where we try to squeeze every minute out of the sunshine we can to stay out on course as long as possible and make enough memories to warm us through the winter. This fall looks to be extra special at The First Tee of the Sandhills. Holding true to the Girl Scouts motto, we have had the opportunity to ‘make new friends’ with area golf facilities. On Monday afternoons we will be offering a new PLAYer program at Beacon Ridge Golf Club in West End. This program is open to youth age 7 and older who may or may not have been exposed to the sport or The First Tee. In partnership with the Village of Pinehurst Parks and Recreation we have relocated our TARGET program with five and six year old participants to Rassie Wicker Park. A perfect spot for these youngsters to let their personalities shine while exploring The First Tee and learning the game of golf with our SNAG equipment while their parents and siblings can play on the playground or enjoy a walk through the village trails. And, if you spot a ‘new’ face out at programs this fall, it’s probably Coach Ross! We are excited to have Ross Tooley join us from The First Tee of Charleston where he spent the last two years coaching, executing community outreach programs and working with PE teachers through the National School Program initiatives. Coach Ross brings tons of enthusiasm, new games and ideas plus a passion for The First Tee in his relocation to the Sandhills, next week! So, if you’re looking to squeeze a little more into your families schedule this Fall or you yourself are looking for a new way to get involved in the community, join us on course at The First Tee! Registration for participants closes on Wednesday, September 2 but there is never a deadline to get involved and volunteer!