Why Golf?

On the Golf Course

At First Tee – Indiana, we’re Building Game Changers by empowering kids and teens to be the best version of themselves.

By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with character-building, we create learning experiences that help kids uncover their inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that they can carry to everything they do.

Our trained coaches not only provide an introduction to junior golf and an opportunity to enhance golf skills, but they also create a safe, supportive, and empowering environment to help your child prepare for life ahead, including friendships, school, college and even their careers.

Through our program, kids will learn skills that stay with them for life:

• Understanding and managing emotions
• Resolving conflicts
• Setting up step-by-step goals
• Planning for the future
• Appreciating diversity
• Golf fundamentals and advanced techniques

Advancing through the Program

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

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

Age 10-11

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

Age 12-13

• 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

Age 14+

• 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

Finding a program for you

As we prepare to begin registration for our 2024 season, we ask that you take a few moments to learn about some upcoming changes to our classes. Beginning in 2022, First Tee reformatted its classes to be delivered by age, much like other youth programs. Classes will now be broken up as follows:

• 7-9: Early Elementary School-Aged
• 10-11: Older Elementary School-Aged/Early Adolescence
• 12-13: Middle School/Early Adolescence
• 14+: High School/Middle Adolescence (*still enrolled in high school)

You may be wondering why we are making this change from our current format. As an organization, we are always striving to create a better and more impactful experience for your child through research and feedback. By delivering our program to participants of the same age range, our goal is to create programs and experiences that are just as fun as they are meaningful, where kids feel excited to grow, safe to fail, and better equipped for whatever comes their way next.

First Tee – Indiana has nearly 60 golf course locations across the State offering programs throughout the year. Each location is a bit unique in it’s schedule but the core components of the First Tee remain the same. Learn more about our 2024 programs by clicking on the 2024 Programs tab below and learn more about our First Tee locations by visiting our individual Program Location pages.