The Columbus, OH chapter of The First Tee is headed by Gerry Hammond. Gerry has been teaching golf skills to Central Ohio youth since 1994.

From the nine-hole Bridgeview Golf Course, The First Tee Columbus, uses the “Life Skills” curriculum to educate youth through the game of golf. Serving an average of 400 youth per year, The First Tee Columbus offers junior golfers professional instruction, access to a nine-hole golf course, developmental workshops, and tournament funding.

Participants learn about themselves and others through a range of experiences enhancing their golf skills as well as their fundamental values for life. As their opportunities on the golf course expand, so do the opportunities for their futures.

All participants receive The First Tee Card so their progress can be observed as they advance through The First Tee certification levels of Par, Birdie, Eagle, and Ace. Each stage introduces young people to different aspects of golf and life skills.

The lessons learned through the Life Skills Experience are lessons that will remain with young people well into their future, regardless of how long they play golf as a recreation.

Life Skills is a component to our junior golf program designed to help participants learn valuable lessons about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude; how to make decisions by thinking about possible consequences; how to define and set goals and how to transfer values such as respect, honesty, integrity, responsibility, confidence and sportsmanship from the golf course to everyday life.

These lessons are taught through a variety of golf-related exercises designed with the primary goal of having fun!

9 Core Values:

Honesty
Responsibility
Judgment
Integrity
Respect
Courtesy
Confidence
Perseverance
Sportsmanship