Want to sign your kid up for golf lessons this summer? Here’s how in Modesto
A nonprofit organization in Modesto is designed to help youth learn personal growth and leadership skills through golf lessons.
The First Tee Headquarters, based in Florida, approved First Tee-Central Valley in October 2003 to be managed by the Del Rio Country Club Foundation. First Tee has 150 chapters and more than 1,500 locations where kids can take golf lessons across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Morocco, South Korea and Australia.
Del Rio wanted to bring First Tee to the Modesto area “to positively impact the lives of Central Valley area youth by providing educational programs that ensure character development, healthy choices and the mastery of life skills,” according to its website.
Those enrolled in the program have access to take lessons at Creekside Golf Course, Dryden Park, St. Stanislaus Golf Course and Swing Center in Modesto, as well as River Oaks Golf Course in Ceres and Rancho Del Rey Golf Club in Atwater.
“These kids are learning skills like working together as a team, staying cool — how to keep a cool head throughout difficult situations — and how to collaborate,” said Stephanie Foster, First Tee-Central Valley’s new executive director.
Foster said with her new position, she hopes to help the organization make even more of an impact than it already has and reach more families and more underserved neighborhoods. Not only is golf a lifelong sport, she said, but so are the skills the game teaches children.
“They’re going to grow up with these skills and they’re going to become our neighbors, our co-workers, community leaders,” she added. “I can’t imagine a better scenario for the Central Valley than to have a community that’s healthy because of our investment in the children from an early age.”
How to enroll your child in a First Tee program
First Tee sessions, clinics and camps have a six-to-one ratio, with one coach/volunteer for every six kids. Classes can have anywhere from six to 24 children.
There are multiple age groups in one class, said program director Kayla Deigan. How the age groups are separated varies by class (5- to 9-year-olds, 10 to 13, 14 to 17).
First Tee teaches ages 5 to 17.
“I think that golf is accessible, even just physically and socially, for more kids because not every kid is a football player, you know,” Foster said. “It’s something that you can walk up and ease into.”
Classes have lead coaches and volunteers. Volunteers help the coaches keep everybody safe and learn leadership skills.
Leaders go through “intensive, required and regular” training on how to keep children safe physically and emotionally, including how to spot any signs of inappropriate behavior, abuse or bullying, Foster said.
Registration for summer classes has begun.
All-ages, drop-in clinics are $15 per golfer, per class. They’re held Wednesdays at Dryden Park Golf Course and Fridays at River Oaks Golf Course from June 4 to Aug. 2.
Summer sessions are one class per week for eight weeks and range from $90 to $110. Options are Saturdays, June 7 through Aug. 2 at Dryden Park, or Mondays and Thursdays, June 5 through July 31, at Rancho Del Rey.
Summer camps are $150 to $200 and are held at Dryden Park. The one-week-long camps run from June 2 through Aug 1.
If a child does not have personal equipment, First Tee supplies everything from clubs to golf balls to tees.
First Tee donation drive and pop-up sale
First Tee and Del Rio are hosting a donation drive through late April and are accepting new and gently used golf clothes, golf shoes, golf clubs, golf bags, golf balls, range finders and accessories. All sizes of men’s, women’s and children’s items are accepted.
The donations will be sorted and then sold at a pop-up event April 25-27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be held next to Vallarta Supermarkets, 3900 Pelandale Ave., Unit 175, in Modesto.
The money earned from selling the donations will go back to the First Tee program.
Drop-off locations are:
- Del Rio Country Club - 801 Stewart Road, Modesto. Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Dryden Park Golf Course - 920 Sunset Ave., Modesto. Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- First Tee - Central Valley - 812 14th St., Modesto. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Other upcoming fundraisers include the Corporate Challenge on May 2 and a ladies-only golf tournament Aug. 28. For more information, visit firstteecentralvalley.org.
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