First Tee shows major gains in '02, The

Golf Course News, Jun 2003 by Rice, Derek

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. In its fifth annual review, distributed in late April, The First Tee reported revenue of more than $6.8 million in 2002.

The unaudited review reports that 52 percent of the organization's revenue came from oversight organizations, 42 percent from fundraising and 6 percent from sponsorship. After factoring in expenditures, the organization ended up with a cash surplus of nearly $400,000, bringing its total cash on hand to nearly $6.7 million.

The numbers seem to support what The First Tee staled last fall at its annual meeting (GCN, Dec. 2002). At that lime, executive director Joe Louis Barrow said the organization was well on its way to achieving ils goal of reaching 500,000 people by the end of 2005. The primary objectives for 2002 were to introduce 60,000 youths to golf, open 40 dedicated facilities and establish 75 affiliate relationships. While the number of facilities was lower than anticipated (30), The First Tee far exceeded the other two goals, reaching 100,000 youths and establishing 109 affiliate relationships. This year, according to the report, the organization hopes to reach 90,000 youths, open 45 facilities and establish 100 affiliate relationships.

As for total distributions in 2002, The First Tee received and distributed 22,000 pairs of Nike golf shoes, 20,000 dozen range balls, 8,000 dozen playing balls, 6,000 junior golf gloves, 3,700 sets of The First Tee clubs, 80 computers for database and facility management and more than 3,000 donations of miscellaneous supplies. The First Tee distributed more than $1.4 million in grants to its facilities as well.

The First Tee also recently celebrated the opening of its 100th facility, The First Tee at Elson Redmond Memorial Driving Range, in Richmond, Va. Former President George Bush, honorary chairman of The First Tee, attended the opening and praised the organization.

"I am extremely pleased and proud to be involved with a program that has such a positive impact on the youth in our society," Bush said. "There was no way anyone could have known in 1997 that The First Tee would take hold the way it has, and the fact that this program consistently impacts the lives of 100,000 young people each year is a remarkable achievement."

In May alone, The First Tee opened facilities in Los Angeles, Sarasota, Fla., and central Florida, and announced The First Tee of Dallas. Several new initiatives are on tap for The First Tee in 2003, including the introduction of The First Tee University, launching a new Web-based communication solution and creating The First Tee chapter Web sites.