by Rachel Crumbley

Integrity, honesty and sportsmanship. All noble qualities that we as parents want to teach our children. But, as we all know, kids are all about having fun and they don’t always listen. What if there was a way to have fun and instill these important values?

Kids love to hack at balls with sticks. If you aren’t familiar with golf, you’ll be interested to
learn that golf is about much more than hitting a ball with a stick across meticulously groomed grass. Golf is also about being truthful and credible, maintaining composure, not quitting (even if you are playing poorly) … all characteristics that we as parents struggle to teach our children every day.

The Valley area is fortunate to have a very active chapter of The First Tee program. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, The First Tee is a non-profit organization whose
goal is to teach children these important concepts through the game of golf. Started as an
initiative of the World Golf Foundation, this program focuses on nine core values: honesty,
integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and
judgment. First Tee facilities reinforce these values by naming each hole of their executive
courses for a characteristic.

Similar to playing on the PGA tour, participants must earn The First Tee Card. This is the
method used to monitor their progress as they move through The First Tee Certification levels including Par, Birdie, Eagle and Ace, with each focusing on new life skill lessons. When completed, the participant has demonstrated mastery in the areas of First Tee core lessons: life skills application and knowledge, and golf skills application and knowledge.

“We saw an article in the paper for First Tee and signed Warren up to play at Godwin Creek in spring of 2005,” said Dewayne Gallatin of Fortson of his 8-year-old son. Playing weekly since then and after passing requirements both on the course and in the class room, Warren has reached the Birdie Level. Eagle is next. “He loves competing the many tournaments at Godwin Creek and has placed in many of them. His best record at the course is three over par,” said his father.

When asked what he liked about participating in The First Tee program, Warren, who has been hitting a golf ball since age two, said, “It’s fun. You get to meet kids, play golf with them, and golf is a game that you play against yourself.”

But both Dewayne and mom Kristin have appreciated some additional benefits of putting Warren and his older brother Zachary in The First Tee program. “Warren has taken many of The First Tee nine core values with him out on the course and has applied them during tournament situations,” said Dewayne. “For example, he was honest by calling a stroke on himself while he was practicing his putting routine. He did not mean to hit the ball, but he knew the rules of golf and was honest when it came time to mark his score card.”

Dewayne also shared, “As a parent I’m glad to say that he has taken lessons from The First Tee program and applied to them other aspects of his life, such as responsibility of his personal belongings. One day outside he made a comment about taking care of his bicycle and stuff, ‘because you should take care of all of your stuff like coach Rudy says take care of your golf clubs.’ Responsibility is one of the core values. Now I need to talk to his coach about cleaning his room!”

The First Tee of Columbus program is now entering its seventh year and has touched many lives. “We introduced more than 550 new kids to golf last year,” said Master PGA Professional John Godwin, director of golf at the public, nine-hole Godwin Creek Golf Course. The Desmond
Muirhead designed course, which features 1,550 yards from the longest tees for a par of 30, opened in 2000.

Those who participate in The First Tee program in Columbus also benefit from a staff professionally trained in golf and in working with youth. “Our teaching staff of Rudy Thorne and Leon Dunagan have done a great job teaching those young people golf and the life skills program associated with The First Tee curriculum.” Dunagan shared, “Most First Tee chapters are run by volunteers. In Columbus we’re fortunate to have a full-time staff teaching. When
Warren Gallatin comes here, he knows that Coach Rudy is his coach. The continuity and trust we develop with the kids really helps them to learn the values we are trying to instill.”

Pride beamed through Dunagan’s voice as he shared the story of a boy The First Tee Columbus calls their poster player. This 11-year-old boy lives in a lower income area in Columbus several blocks from The First Tee course. He was wandering the streets and getting into trouble. “Some staff at The First Tee had even run him off from there a few times. I asked him if he wanted to play golf and he said ‘yes.’ He is here everyday. We provide him with social skills that he has not been exposed to,” said Dunagan. “He has done a fantastic job. His grades have gone up and he is working to improve them even more to qualify for a college golf scholarship. He has turned into a great kid and everyone knows him, but they have no clue of the rough life that he has had.

“We take him to hockey games and expose him to other things. He has latched on to the new world he has discovered,” said the golf coach. Dunagan attributes the structure, continuity and values of The First Tee program to this boy’s success. “We’ve set parameters, like he’s not going to run the streets. He knows we care. He has taken to kids like Warren, who is a great role model, and we’re very proud of him.” The First Tee of Columbus brochure even features this boy on the cover.

“We’ve got all sorts of stories like that,” said Dunagan. “We teach them to have pride in what you do and how you dress. We absolutely love getting reports back from parents who watch their child’s confidence grow. It is awesome.”

Founded in September 2000, the mission statement of the Columbus chapter is “to bring important, character building life skills to the youth of the Chattahoochee Valley, using the game of golf as the vehicle for such instruction.” Godwin Creek Golf Course serves as the
home for the program and provides yearround access to golf for area youth, including those who might not be able to afford the game. Godwin Creek’s pro shop features the latest offerings from US Kids Golf, the leading manufacturer for junior golf equipment.

Learning to play golf has benefits on so many levels, including playing recreationally for fun or exercise, competitively or for business reasons. It is a game that you can work on with others or by yourself. And, you can play just about anywhere. But more importantly, learning the ethics of golf is a much greater gift to oneself as well as society.