Confidence-building S.F. golf program comes to Visitacion Valley
By: Will Reisman
Examiner Staff Writer
June 23, 2009
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| Staying busy: Andrea Wong has participated in First Tee for three years, and says it teaches you how to succeed in life. She plays for St. Ignatius’ golf team. (Courtesy photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Andrea Wong can articulately cite a lengthy list of positive experiences she’s gained via First Tee of San Francisco, a youth golf program, and will sum it up in a blunt statement.
“Playing the game of golf keeps you busy and out of trouble,” said the 14-year-old St. Ignatius College Preparatory sophomore. “I dedicate almost all of my time now to golf and volunteering at First Tee.”
First Tee is hoping to bring the program’s benefits to other aspiring golfers in The City by opening a new facility on the grounds of Visitacion Valley Middle School. The new complex will feature a chipping area, putting green and 70-yard driving range, and will be across the street from the Gleneagles Golf Course, according to Judith Powell, executive director of First Tee.
The program was established in San Francisco in 2004, following negotiations between The City and the Professional Golf Association. City officials approved renovations at Harding Park so the PGA Tour could hold sanctioned events there, under the conditions that $500,000 from each tournament go toward funding First Tee. The program’s mission is to introduce golf and other life lessons to children who normally would not have the opportunity to play the game.
“We really wanted to set up our new facility at the south side of The City because there is not much recreational activity in the area, and there are a lot of nearby children,” Powell said.
Mayor Gavin Newsom will be at the middle school for today’s groundbreaking of the new facility. Powell said the Visitacion Valley program will serve 650 students from nine nearby middle schools. The $300,000 facility — paid for with private donations — should hold its official opening in August.
The cost to participate in First Tee ranges from $45 for a weekly class that runs for six weeks to $100 for a one-week summer camp, according to the organization’s Web site. Scholarships are available.
Wong, who plays golf for St. Ignatius, has been enrolled in the First Tee program for three years.
“First Tee teaches you how to succeed in life,” she said. “I can feel comfortable with any situation I face now.”
wreisman@sfexaminer.com
