Author: amessinger

Evan Harmeling visits Savannah Legacy Academy’s School Program

Evan Harmeling joined the students at Savannah Legacy Academy for a swing training session on December 7, 2023, at Southbridge Savannah Golf Club. The students went through two rotations through the morning session. One rotation saw the students learning putting, with an emphasis on distance control, as they targeted two different holes from the same starting point. The second rotation featured a hitting demonstration by Evan Harmeling and then a chance for the students to discover their own full swing. Evan discussed his routine and critical points of emphasis with his swing as he called his shots for the students. It was amazing to see him call his shot time after time and the ball go exactly as he called it. Overall, this was an excellent experience for these students to get out on the course, meet an aspiring professional, and build relationships with each other and their new biggest fan, Evan.

Evan Harmeling of North Reading, Mass, was the 2013 Mass Open champion and former standout at Princeton who also won the 2020 Savannah Golf Championship. According to a recent article on the PGA Tour Website, Evan holds two subjects near his heart: education and opportunity. We saw his heart first-hand this week. The article outlines his heart for the community and impact on the future of the game of golf, “He speaks passionately and from experience. He spent four months working at an Achievement First charter school in New Haven, Connecticut, during a college gap year. “The teachers in these areas are saints,” he said. Harmeling, 35, feels fortunate to play professional golf for a living. There’s stress in fighting to keep your job on the Korn Ferry Tour and advance to the PGA TOUR, to be sure. But it doesn’t compare to life outside the ropes, he believes. “It’s a complete joke,” he said in comparison. “We live in a complete bubble and can easily get caught up in it,” said Harmeling, who played PGA TOUR Americas from 2013-19 before earning Korn Ferry Tour status in 2020. “I get caught up in it sometimes. Yes, this is my profession, but I’m in a very privileged position to be playing golf and having this as my work. Our purpose for society here is entertainment. We’re entertaining people, and that’s great. But at the same time, I want to do more than that.”

We are lucky Evan shared his time with Savannah First Tee, and we would like to thank him for his commitment to his home community and those students in the community where he plays.

Learn more about Evan’s pathway to golf here in this excellent article by Live Forever Golf and the PGA Tour article highlighting his Foundation and impact on the community.

If you would like to learn more about our school program or volunteering with First Tee-Savannah, please contact us at 912 446 5885.

Georgia Southern Women’s Golf Presents Girls Clinic to 24 First Tee Savannah Participants

On Sunday, October 22, the Georgia Southern Women’s Golf Team presented a clinic to 24 First Tee – Savannah girls at The Savannah Golf Club before they opened tournament play at The Southern Invitational. 

Bonds and friendships blossomed and we know that our participants and their families will follow these athletes through their college years and beyond on social media and other avenues.  Our participants loved engaging with these young ladies as they provided their expertise in the areas of putting, chipping, pitching, and driving.  Thank you to the Georgia Southern Women’s Golf Team and The Savannah Golf Club for making this possible for our kids.

Georgia Southern hosts The Southern at The Savannah Golf Club in Savannah, Georgia, for the second time. The Eagles will host ten other teams for a two-day tournament.

It is the second time Georgia Southern has hosted a fall tournament and the second time the Eagles have hosted an event at The Savannah Golf Club. Georgia Southern won the inaugural tournament last season by 10 strokes and five eagles finished in the top-20. 

Thank you Georgia Southern Women’s Golf for coming out and working with our girls First Tee Program participants.. Memories were made that will last a lifetime. We hope you take home a win this week at The Southern at The Savannah Golf Club.

First Tee Savannah Brings Home First Place at The Mentor Cup in Myrtle Beach

The Mentor Cup in Myrtle Beach, SC was held October 27-29, a Successful Weekend of Golf, Mentoring and Fellowship. First Tee Savannah attended for the first time. It was an incredible experience and enjoyable for our coaches and golfers. The Mentor Cup is an annual golf tournament created because of Gene Weldon’s Dream.

Gene Weldon was a near 50 year PGA Professional in the famous Carolinas section. He was an instrumental figure, alongside golf legend Carolyn Cudone, in the foundation and development of a formidable junior golf program in the Myrtle Beach area. Described by all who crossed his path as a true gentleman who would do anything to help a friend, Weldon is sorely missed as he lost a hard fought battle to cancer in January of 2017. Gene’s passion was youth golf but he didn’t just teach children how to play the game. He taught them how to love it. He believed golf was a reflection of life and that life is about friendship and responsibility. Gene was a passionate supporter of The First Tee chapters of Brunswick County and the Grand Strand through a variety of innovative programs, tournaments and fundraising activities.

First Tee Savannah was a part of 72 participants from 7 First Tee Chapters across 4 States: Coastal Carolina, Greater Charlotte, Charleston, Greater Wilmington, Low Country, Savannah and Central Florida. First Tee Savannah took home a first and second place, two closest to the pins, but more importantly improved our relationships with each other and made lifelong memories.

It was a very well run event with Top Golf Friday Night with a Q&A session with Nancy Lopez, Roger Steele, and Kelly Tilghman.  We played a 2 person scramble on Saturday with 3 teams: (Wil Weldon and Emma Parker), (Al Small and Maya Lilja), (John Parker and Quentin Brooks).  Emma and Wil placed first with a score of 65, Al and Maya placed second with a 67, and Quentin and I placed 6th with a 74.  Maya and Quentin also took home closest to the pin awards.  The course was challenging but also encouraging as there were sponsors at every hole passing out Halloween candy, golf balls, and drinks.  It was a constant positive experience with reminders to have fun and work together throughout the weekend. 

Thank you to our wonderful host and volunteers who made the Mentor Cup possible, First Tee Savannah will certainly be back. Special thanks to Gene’s Dream and First Tee-Coastal Carolinas for making this possible for our mentors and kids. Also congratulations to our First Tee program participants and thank you to our coaches for your unwavering support. If you are interested in becoming a First Tee Savannah coach please contact us.

Ariel Brown has been named the 2023 First Tee National Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year: Aerial Brown

Ariel Brown, an elementary school teacher at Savannah Legacy Academy, has been named the 2023 First Tee National Teacher of the Year. First Tee is an international youth development nonprofit that helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The National Teacher of the Year award is presented to one teacher each year out of all of First Tee’s 150 chapters in the U.S. and overseas who has gone above and beyond in delivering the First Tee School Program. This program brings First Tee’s character-building curriculum to thousands of school gyms across the country.

Brown has been an elementary school teacher at Savannah Legacy Academy since 2014. The Title I school, located in downtown Savannah, was founded and operated by her parents. Savannah Legacy Academy serves 100% minority students, and Brown offers First Tee programming there on Fridays. Brown is also a First Tee alumna and was the first coach at First Tee – Savannah when the chapter relaunched in summer 2021.

“As a coach, Ariel thrived from the beginning,” said First Tee – Savannah Program Director John Parker. “She began encouraging the students in her elementary school classes to enroll in our off-site program. I can without hesitation say that some of our best kids in the program today are there because of Ariel.” 

“It’s indeed an honor to see a former First Tee – Savannah participant become the National Teacher of the Year,” said First Tee – Savannah Board Member Teia Acker Moore. “This recognition shows Ariel’s deep passion for the sport and her desire to share her knowledge and skills with others. As a teacher, she has inspired and guided new generations of golfers, imparting not only technical expertise but also sportsmanship, teamwork, and personal growth. This journey and Ariel’s achievement as Teacher of the Year, highlights the positive impact that First Tee has on shaping individuals’ lives and fostering a sense of community within the golfing world.”

Brown was surprised with the award in her classroom at Savannah Legacy Academy, where she was presented with balloons, flowers and a video with congratulatory messages from colleagues and loved ones. Her achievement was recently highlighted by Golf Digest.

Upon hearing the news, Brown said, “First Tee is important to me because of the values that it has instilled in me and I use these values as an adult. I love that First Tee is actually a program that kids can use outside of golf and when they leave First Tee. I love teaching the game that I love!”

Since launching in 1997, First Tee has grown into a preeminent youth development organization seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum. Its network spans 150 chapters with programs delivered at 1,400 golf courses, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers in all 50 states and select international locations. In 2022, First Tee impacted more than 3.4 million kids and teens with more than 10,000 adults – from volunteers, coaches and board members – as well as teachers from schools across the country working tirelessly to help empower participants.  

Through the First Tee Awards in partnership with Golf Digest, First Tee recognizes the dedicated adults and chapters who go above and beyond to bring its mission to life every day.

“The First Tee School Program reached more than three million kids last year,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “Obviously, it takes a lot of committed adults to make that happen. But our colleagues at First Tee – Savannah told us Ariel stands out for her ability to connect with the kids she serves. Congratulations to Ariel on this well-deserved honor.” 

  

Fall Programming Begins for First Tee Savannah

Our fall programming is underway at Hunter Army Airfield, Henderson Golf Club, Crosswinds Golf Club, Bacon Park Golf Course, Southbridge Savannah Golf Club, and Richmond Hill Golf Club. Our first week’s life skill focus was on ALR where participants asked questions, listened, and then responded. Our golf skill emphasis was on distance control with putting.

Experiences are our greatest teacher. First Tee believes in developing the ones that are just as fun as they are meaningful, where kids feel excited to grow, safe to fail, and better equipped for whatever comes their way next. Through our personal growth and junior golf programs, we see kids’ build self confidence, inspiring more active participation in leadership opportunities and events, community involvement, and college scholarships.

Through our program, kids will learn skills that stay with them for life:

  • Understanding and managing emotions
  • Resolving conflicts
  • Setting up step-by-step goals
  • Planning for the future
  • Appreciating diversity
  • Golf fundamentals and advanced techniques