Plainfield West Nine Golf Course will host The First Tee of Metropolitan New York’s no-cost program for children of National Guardsmen and Reservists.
The program will offer golf instruction combined with character and life skills education to children of guardsmen and reservists.
The initiative is part of a two-year agreement between The First Tee, a nationwide youth development program, its local chapter, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to introduce our positive youth development programs to children of those serving in our armed forces,” said Joe Louis Barrow Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee. “The First Tee Life Skills Experience teaches young people core values such as honesty and respect as well as important life skills such as managing emotions, goal setting, interpersonal communication, and effective conflict resolution. The program goes far beyond teaching fundamental golf skills.”
Trained coaches and staff will offer a progression of lesson plans that create a fun and safe learning environment. According to The First Tee, the curriculum fosters curiosity about the game of golf and teaches how positive values inherent in the game can be used at home, in school and in other areas of everyday life.
Eight locations from the tri-state area are hosting the program, including Edison’s Plainfield West Nine. The other locations are Eisenhower Park (Nassau, N.Y.), Gulf Have Golf Club (Suffolk County, N.Y.), Fairfield Wheeler Golf Club (Bridgeport, Conn.), Weequahic Golf Club (Newark/Essex County), Mosholu Golf Club (Bronx, N.Y.), Harlem Golf Academy (369th Armory, Harlem, New York City), and Brooklyn Golf Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
For more information on the program or the dates and times it is being offered at the eight courses, or to sign up, go to www.thefirsttee. org/military.