Spring in Full Swing at The First Tee of the Sandhills

Even though Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Thursday, teasing us with the idea of six more weeks of winter, Spring is in full swing at The First Tee of the Sandhills. Remember, Punxsutawney Phil has only been 39% accurate since 1887! This week marked the opening of registration for spring programs across the Sandhills with classes beginning the third week in March. Our spring offerings include six options for families with five and six year olds to join the TARGET program and ten options for families with kids age seven and older who are new to The First Tee in our PLAYer program. As always, our goal is to grow quality and offerings simultaneously; we feel this year is no exception. Some new offerings on the spring schedule include a co-sponsored TARGET 1 program with Southern Pines Recreation Department on Tuesday’s at the Campbell House Field, an additional PLAYer option on Thursday’s at Knollwood Fairways and a new program location in Fayetteville at Gates Four Golf & Country Club where we will offer both TARGET 1 and PLAYer programs on Wednesday’s. In a snapshot, TARGET 1 is a program geared for those youngsters eager to try out golf while still being able to run around and express themselves away from the quieter confines of the golf course. It’s sure to be a fun mix of learning and structure along with challenges and games. PLAYer is the first curriculum level of The First Tee and is a required starting point for any child age 7 and up. During the PLAYer curriculum a child is introduced to playing the game of golf while emphasis is made to learning The First Tee Code of Conduct, appreciating the rules and etiquette of the game and developing a game plan for golf and life. A child will spend between one and three years participating in The First Tee at the PLAYer level. Variations occur based on the child’s age, frequency in attendance and readiness to advance to the next level through our certification process. Every class at the PLAYer level includes a warm-up, focus of the day (golf skill, life skill and behavior), and a wrap-up. In addition, beginning this spring, PLAYer participants will get to interact with a special guest each week, a PGA Member who’s ready to help them hone in on their golf skills while continuing to develop their life skills through the curriculum program and its Nine Core Values, delivered by our nationally trained lead coaches and local volunteers. Whether you have a 5 yr old, teenager, or someone in between, we have 20 programs lined up this spring. Make sure to visit our website now, www.firstteesandhills.org, to find the right fit for your youngster. But Hurry! Registration closes Wednesday, March 1.