Curriculum

Advancing through the Program  SKILLS chart by age 

At each age group, participants engage with the 5 Key Commitments: Pursuing Goals, Growing through Challenge, Collaborating with Others, Building Positive Self-Identity, and Using Good Judgement, while focusing on mastering golf fundamentals and building upon a golf skill foundation as they advance within the program.

Age 7-9

Players in this age group focus on mastering three golf fundamentals and factors of influence:

• Distance Response: size or length of motion

• Target Awareness: target selection

• Get Ready to Swing: hold, set-up, aim, and alignment

KEY COMMITMENTS:  Be active and have fun with peers in a safe and encouraging manner, Build inner strength and self-confidence, Learn to play golf, and Focus on building relationships with other players while exploring the game of golf

Age 10-11

Most participants in this age group are still in the beginning stages of learning the game, whether they started with First Tee in the Age 7-9 level or they are beginning here at the Age 10-11 level. Coaches will expect that players at this level will still need to be given consistent feedback on golf swing cues, aim and alignment, hold and set up. Coaches will also observe players starting to become more proficient in their golf skills. Their golf swing will start to become more fluid as they continue to master new elements of First Tee’s golf fundamentals and factors of influence.

KEY COMMITMENTS: Explore character concepts in active and collaborative ways that are valuable on and off the course, Develop golf skills and enthusiasm for the game, and Support positive Game Changing behaviors in fun and meaningful ways

Age 12+

Coaches will notice that players’ golf skill movements are more fluid and players start to self-diagnose or explain their golf skills in technical terms. For example, a player may ask a coach to check their alignment as it “feels” like they are lined up to the left or right of their target. As a result of this shift, this age group sees the addition of several new and more complex golf fundamentals and factors of influence. The goal of this level is to keep players engaged in the game while helping them develop their own unique processes on and off the golf course.

KEY COMMITMENTS: Explore both golf skills and characters commitments while having fun with peers, Provide opportunities to demonstrate mastery and growth in golf skills and abilities, Support growth and development of early adolescents, Build character and support personal development, Develop additional golf skills and abilities, Look toward their future and plan their own paths, Evaluate, reflect, and apply their understanding of life and golf skills to new situations on and off the course

When a player is ready to move to a more advanced curriculum, a coach can give the player a "skills assessment" and recommend the player to move up to the next level (FIRST TEE ADVANCED) if they pass it. 

Join our Google Classroom for additional resources including training videos, drills, and fun activities!

Go to:  classroom.google.com or open the Classroom app (if you already use this for school) and click "join a class" or the "+" in the upper right corner. Use the appropriate join code below based on your child's class:

GOOGLE CLASSROOM JOIN CODES:

• PeeWee Putters 4-6 year olds (beginner & advanced):   owsksil

• 7-9 year olds:   zvjnht3

• 10-11 year olds:   ubwoyjm

• 12+ teens:   6jbtrys

• Girls Golf (all ages):   gx7cgnc

COMING SOON -- FIRST TEE BADGING

Badges will encourage participation and give kids incentives to progress through the levels of First Tee. Each student will receive a bag tag and be challenged to earn badges (stickers) if they demonstrate a life skill, key commitment, or golf skill.