Upcoming 2020 Winter Events

We can’t believe we are coming to the end of our fall session! We know it is has been an interesting year, and we want to thank you all for continuing to support us and for doing your part to keep all of our students, staff, and families safe. And thank you all for always coming to class with a fun and positive attitude! While we may be wrapping up regular programming for the year, we have plenty of fun events coming up this winter that we would love you to be a part of. Check out the details below. You can find more on our website. Also, don’t forget to follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages to stay up to date. Thanks for a great year!

First Tee — Tulsa Golf League

The First Tee — Tulsa Golf League is open to students 12 & up who can walk 9 holes, keep score, and have a good pace of play. League play takes place every Tuesday (weather permitting) starting November 3rd and ending December 22nd from 2-4 p.m. You must register with Coach Gibson at [email protected].

STEM Class

Our free STEM class will be held at the First Tee Learning Center on November 6th and 13th from 3-6 p.m. This class is open to First Tee — Tulsa students 12 and older and focuses on a deeper understanding of the STEM behind the game of golf. We dive into numerous topics: why there are grooves on a club, what do dimples on a golf ball do, how does rolling resistance affect a putt, etc. These classes look at the physics behind the game and the students get to see a whole different side of golf. SPACE IS LIMITED To sign up, email Coach Marla at [email protected].

Parent/Child Golf Camp

Parents, here is a chance to join your child for a fun family golf camp! November 6th, 13th, and 20th, from 10-11:30 a.m., First Tee — Tulsa is hosting our parent/child golf camp. Come learn golf skills, life skills, and, most importantly, spend some fun time with your family learning the game of golf together. SPACE IT LIMITED To sign up, contact Coach Marla at [email protected].

Free Club Giveaway

First Tee — Tulsa is holding our Free Club Giveaway every Monday in November! Starting Monday, November 2nd, and ending Monday, November 30th, First Tee — Tulsa students and their parents can come to our Learning Center from 12-5 p.m. No reservation is needed

Certification

Would you like to try and certify and go to the next level? November 5th, 12th, and 19th, from 9-5, First Tee — Tulsa is helping our students get ready for certification. Need to know what level you’re in or what you need to complete? Email Coach Stella at [email protected] to sign up or for more information.

Thank You Southern Hills Ladies And Guests!

We here at First Tee — Tulsa want to send a huge thank you to the Southern Hills Country Club ladies and their guests. On Tuesday, October 19, 2020, on Women’s guest day at Southern Hills, they hosted a fundraiser to support First Tee — Tulsa. They raised more than $2,000! Thank you all so much for your support. This will help us continue to build game changers as our students learn life and golf skills through our program. We are so thankful!

2020 Fall Session Scheduling Update

The week of October 26th is scheduled to be our last week of the fall session, but due to inclement weather in the forecast we have decided to postpone the Monday, October 26th; Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28 classes. Instead, those classes will be held Monday, November 2nd; Tuesday, November 3rd, and Wednesday, November 4th. Because of the time change, some of the classes will be shortened. A full schedule for these classes can be found below. The classes for Thursday, October 29th and Friday, October 30th will be held as normal. If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at 918-591-4168.

Schedule Change

Monday, November 2

The Sorenstam/Jones class normally from 3:30-5:00 at Page Belcher will be held from 3:30-4:15.
The combination class normally from 5:30-7:00 at Page Belcher will be held from 4:15-5:00.

Tuesday, November 3

The Sorenstam/Jones class normally from 5:30-7 at Mohawk will be held from 4:15-5:00.
The Special Needs class normally from 6-7 at Mohawk will be held from 4:15-5:00.

Wednesday, November 4

The combination class from 12:00-1:30 will remain at the same time.
The Hogan/Whitworth/Palmer class normally from 5:00-6:30 will be held from 4:15-5:00.

First Tee—Tulsa Student Gets First Hole-In-One

Getting a hole-in-one is something every golfer thinks about, but the odds of getting one are not completely in your favor. According to the National Hole-In-One Registry, the odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one are 12,000 to 1.

But one First Tee—Tulsa student didn’t let the odds bother him as he got his first hole-in-one at Mohawk Park Golf Course. From 143 yards, 16-year-old Noah Pursell took out his 9-iron while playing hole number 6 of Pecan Valley with his grandfather and two younger brothers. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, until it was. As the family stood on the tee and watched Noah swing, they saw the ball end up at the bottom of the cup. “I may retire from golf now since I have nothing left to accomplish,” Noah laughed. It was his first hole-in-one, and he became the 1 in 12,000 to one. “He was very excited about it. As am I,” said Noah’s grandfather. Congratulations, Noah!

Students, Including Aspiring Engineer, Learn STEM Through Golf At First Tee—Tulsa

Let’s play a quick game of word association. When you hear or see “golf,” what are some of the first words that come to mind? Were biomechanics and materials science on that list? You may not realize it, but golf, science, technology, engineering, and math are closely related. Recently, some of our First Tee—Tulsa students learned how having an understanding of environmental science, energy transfer, aerodynamics, measurement and computation, and more can help them be better golfers and students. It can even help them plan for future careers.

“Whenever I grow up I want to be an aerospace engineer,” said 14-year-old Abram Smith. Every year, First Tee—Tulsa offers a class that teaches a variety of STEM concepts and how they relate to golf. Abram was one of the students; and for someone who loves golf and wants to be an engineer, it was the perfect fit. “You can go up and just hit the ball, but if you know how you hit the ball and why it works you’ll hit it more accurately,” Abram said. Through a variety of hands-on, golf-based exercises, students learn about geometric scaling, hinges and joints, Newton’s 2nd Law, energy transfer, and more.

They make a scale map of a putting green, swing golf clubs at different speeds to see how momentum and tempo affect a golf swing, and much more. The exercises are a fun way for students to learn and understand STEM concepts used in careers like architecture, robotics, rocket science, and even engineering roller coasters! The class helps students appreciate how much STEM goes into a golf swing, golf clubs and balls, yardage books, and other tools used for the game. Knowing how these elements work is a skill Abram is thankful he was able to learn. “Like with math, if you know how something works, you’re a lot better off than just doing it,” he said. The STEM class is divided into two parts – the front 9 and the back 9. The next class will be held at the First Tee Learning Center on November 6th and 13th from 3-6 p.m. for students 12 and older. Space is limited. To sign up, email Coach Marla at [email protected].

First Tee—Tulsa Students Volunteer At Iron Gate To Give Back To Community

“Hello, welcome to Iron gate. What would you like?” That was the greeting First Tee—Tulsa students gave to the guests at Iron Gate in downtown Tulsa.

Iron Gate is a soup kitchen and grocery pantry with a mission to feed hungry Tulsans and offer them a welcome place when in need. “On an average week, we help 195 households with grocers, which translates into about 878 bags of groceries every week,” said Ashli Sims, Iron Gate’s Development Director. In January of 2020, First Tee—Tulsa students volunteered their time to give back to their community and help at Iron Gate. “It’s important for them to give back to their community and to bring some positivity into it,” said First Tee—Tulsa Executive Director Janice Gibson. With a smile on their face, each student helped pass out groceries to Iron Gate’s guests – everything from fruits and vegetables, bread and milk, meat, and more. One student who greeted each guest as they walked in the pantry earned a nickname for the day.

“He’s become the mayor of Iron Gate today,” Sims said. At First Tee—Tulsa, we want our students to learn more than how to hit a golf ball. We want them to learn valuable life skills – like giving back to your community and helping someone when they need it most. “About 60 percent of pantry guests come only one time in a 12-month period. That tells us for most of our guests it was an emergency that brought them to us – an unexpected bill, job loss, or health crisis,” Sims said. Overall, First Tee—Tulsa students helped provide 342 bags of groceries for 76 households. We are so proud of our students for taking time to volunteer for this opportunity. Each one showed what it means to be in the First Tee program and how to live by our 9 Core Values. You can find more information about Iron Gate here.

Southern Hills Wins Annual Red Bud Cup; Helps Raise Funds For First Tee—Tulsa

Team Southern Hills captured the annual Red Bud Cup at the Golf Club of Oklahoma, defeating other teams from golf courses around the Tulsa area.

The Red Bud Cup is a Ryder-Cup style match with 12 players on each team. The one-day event’s mission is to help raise money for First Tee—Tulsa. The other mission is to win the trophy, which Southern Hills Country Club did for the 3rd time in 4 years!

This year’s event set a record haul of $25,980 – money that will be put to great use for our life skills and educational programs! Thank you to all the participants for their support. And congratulations to team Southern Hills!

First Tee Tulsa Students Play In Inaugural Oklahoma Junior Masters At Southern Hills

Two First Tee Tulsa students recently had the opportunity to play one of the most recognizable courses in the state – teeing off from the same tee as Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Nick Price, and so many other legends. From U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, and U.S. Amateurs, Southern Hills Country Club has hosted its fair share of tournaments and has had memorable golfers walk the grass. Which is why when two First Tee Tulsa students – Emily Vang (16) and Soulai Vang (18) – got an invitation to play, they were excited. “When I first saw the letter I was wondering what it could be,” Soulai said. “I read what was inside and was super surprised and excited.” “We checked our letter and they sent us an invitation to come play Southern Hills,” said Emily. “It was amazing.” The inaugural Oklahoma Junior Masters hosted current college and current junior players. Soulai said it was an honor to be invited. “Being able to receive an invitation to play a tournament felt very special. I never had something like that happen before. I was also very excited to compete against the best juniors,” he said. A golf tournament always stirs up some nerves, but playing on a legendary course that has hosted memorable tournaments and some of the biggest names in the sport magnifies that. But Emily said keeping in mind the First Tee core values helps keep her calm. “I used confidence, because right when I got to the first tee box I was really nervous and I took a deep breath,” she said. “It helps me let go of that pressure and that nervousness and it helps me build up the confidence to get ready for that first shot.” For these two First Tee Tulsa students, the time they spend practicing at the golf course and applying the First Tee core values and life skills put them in a position to be invited to play this legendary course. Congratulations Emily and Soulai! We are so proud of how you represent First Tee Tulsa!

Update On 2020 Summer Programming

Dear First Tee of Tulsa Family, We hope you all are safe and healthy. Summer is just around the corner and we are excited to begin our programming. Due to the Coronavirus, we are taking safety precautions, including reducing our class sizes, which means space will be limited.

Online registration is open and spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Below, you will find information on our revised programming and new protocol that will be in place. You can also find our summer schedule here. Please note the revised programming description and new protocol that will be in place:

When: The target date to begin summer programming is Monday, June 8th.
Duration of Classes: Each student would attend one class per week for 8 weeks in a row. The Sorenstam and Jones level class times would be 1.5 hours in length with programming conducted in the 5 stations. In the Hogan-Ace levels, class times would be expanded to allow more time for on-course lessons. The Hogan class times would be expanded to 2 hours per meeting and the Whitworth-Ace levels would each be 3 hours meeting.
Where: Mondays- 2 beginner level classes will be offered at Page Belcher. At Mohawk, the beginner level classes will be held in the mornings. The advanced level classes, Hogan- Ace, will be held Monday-Friday during the late morning and afternoon at Mohawk Park Golf Course. Exact class times for each level will be determined following the results of this email.

How would it be different?

Each student will be dropped off in an orderly fashion, one vehicle at a time, in a “drive through” manner. In the drop off zone, the parent will be required to complete a daily “Acknowledgement of Health Form” before the student would be allowed to leave the vehicle and participate in the lesson that day. If the student is exhibiting any symptoms do not bring them to class.
Please refrain from enrolling your child in the programming if they or a member of your household: (i) are suffering from the Virus and for a period of 14 days after recovering from the Virus, (ii) have had exposure to persons infected by the Virus and for a period of 14 days thereafter, (iii) have had exposure to other persons who have had close contact with persons infected by the Virus and for a period of 14 days thereafter, (iv) are currently subject to any recommended self-quarantine or isolation for any reason, including recent travel, or (v) are currently suffering from symptoms of acute respiratory infection, including cough, fever, sore throat, or shortness of breath.
Additionally, before leaving the vehicle, First Tee students will have their temperature taken by a First Tee staff member using an infrared temperature gage. If a participant has a fever, that child would not be able to attend the class.

*All First Tee staff will have their temperature taken at the beginning of each work day and would be required to leave the premises if they have a temperature.

Students who do not have clubs will receive one club, a tennis ball and a golf ball. They will be required to bring these items to each class time. Parents must sign a release form stating they give permission for their child to receive the equipment.
Strict social distancing rules would be implemented for students and staff during all class times. Social distancing of 6 feet would be required and enforced on the course as well as in the stations. One instructor per group would supervise the students during the on the course lessons. On the course, groups of no more than two students would be allowed. For classes conducted in the practice area, there would be one instructor assigned to each group of 5 students to enforce social distancing rules.
Class sizes would be reduced to no more than 25 students in a class, with 5 students rotating through 5 different stations. There would be no more than 5 students in a station at a time, they would be separated a distance of 6 feet or more with an X marked on the ground for each student to easily recognize their space.
Parents and family members would be not be allowed to spectate in the programming areas or walk the course during class times.
We will meet and conduct all classes outdoors. With classes being conducted 100% outdoors, if inclement weather is predicted in the forecast, or arrives the day of class, we will cancel the class. Entrance into the First Tee building will be restricted to First Tee instructors only. First Tee participants may use the restroom if necessary. If a child needs to use the restroom facilities, one student would be allowed in the building at a time.
Range balls and all equipment will be sterilized in bleach before and after each use.
We will require all participants and staff attending/teaching the class to wear a mask. If a child does not have a mask, The First Tee of Tulsa will provide one mask per child on the first day of class. The child will be required to wear the mask to all First Tee classes and would be responsible for laundering the mask daily.

*We are asking all participants to bring a water bottle with them to every class. If a child does not have a water bottle, The First Tee of Tulsa will provide bottled water for the child. If any participant or family member does not follow the safety protocols put forth by the First Tee of Tulsa during the programming session, that participant will be asked not to return for the duration of summer 2020 programming.

Mondays

Sorenstam @ Page Belcher: 9-10:30
Jones/Hogan @ Page Belcher: 11-12:30
Golf in the Park (Marshall Elementary Students): 1:30-3

Tuesdays

Sorenstam: 8:30-10
Palmer: 10:45-1:45
Birdie: 2:30-5:30
Special Needs: 6-7

Wednesdays

Tulsa Boy’s Home: 9:45-11
Sorenstam (Higher Esteem Only): 2:30-4:00
Eagle/Ace: 11-2

Thursdays

Jones: 9-10:30
~~Hogan: 11-1~~ (THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL)
~~Whitworth: 2-5~~ (THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL)

Fridays

~~Sorenstam/Jones/Hogan: 9-10:30~~ (THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL)
First Tee Club: 11-12:30

*Online registration is open. Click the “Register” button at the top of our website to begin the process. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the First Tee office at (918) 591-4168. We can’t wait to see you this summer! Janice Gibson Executive Director [email protected]

First Tee of Tulsa’s Masters Classic Fundraiser Postponed

Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, we are postponing indefinitely the First Tee of Tulsa’s Masters Classic fundraiser that was scheduled for April 8.

Once everything gets back to some sense of normalcy we will determine whether to reschedule or completely cancel the event. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nancy Acton at [email protected].

Thank you for your understanding and support,

-Nancy Acton

MONITORING CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): Classes Canceled Until Further Notice

Dear First Tee Participants and Families,

We hope you and your families are healthy and doing well.

We were hopeful to reopen the First Tee of Tulsa doors on April 6^th however, as you know, the COVID-19 virus is widespread and continues to be a threat. We will continue to closely monitor reports from local government and public health officials regarding the COVID-19 virus and plan to begin programming at a future date when it is deemed safe by public health authorities.

Updates to the schedule will be posted on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. If you have any questions, please feel free to email [email protected] or reach out to us on social media. We encourage you to take standard health precautions as detailed by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to stay home if you are ill or are a member of an at-risk group. We’ll keep you posted, stay safe!

Janice Gibson Executive Director First Tee Tulsa