In the News
 | GOLF TO PARADISE – FIRST TEE CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE SET TO KICK OFF CHUBB CLASSIC WEEK IN NAPLES February 5, 2024 Click here to read more. |
 | IAN HAPP TALKS ABOUT FORE THE KIDS FUNDRAISER ON 670 THE SCORE January 12, 2024 Click here to listen! |
 | PARTICIPANT KAYLEE DWYER WINS STATE TITLE! October 10, 2023 Click here to read more in the Chicago Tribune. |
 | EMPOWERING YOUTH AT BMW CHAMPIONSHIP WITH FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO AND KMPG September 18, 2023 First Tee Game Changers Pavilion, an interactive experience inspired by First Tee’s mission to empower young people to become game changers in their communities, was full of action at the BMW Championship on August 15-20 at Olympia Fields Country Club. Click here to read more on Crain’s. |
 | PARTICIPANT JEREMIAH AGUINIGA ATTENDS FIRST TEE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IN MONTANA August 1, 2023 Jeremiah was one of 40 First Tee teens from across the country who will experience the wonders of Montana, sharpen their leadership skills during a two week-long retreat. Click here to read more on PGATOUR.com. |
 | PARTICIPANT KAYLEE DWYER SELECTED TO PLAY IN PURE INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP AT PEBBLE BEACH June 10, 2023 Congratulations to Kaylee for being selected to represent First Tee – Greater Chicago in the Golf Tournament! Kaylee has been a First Tee participant since 2017 and has been competing in junior golf tournaments for the last nine years. We are so proud to have Kaylee represent our chapter and First Tee at Pebble Beach in September. |
 | GROUNDBREAKING FOR CANAL SHORES 2ND CENTURY June 3, 2023 Click here to read more from Chicago Golf Report. |
 | AHMAD RAOUL PLAYS WITH THE PROS TO TEE UP FOR THE BIG STAGE May 31, 2023 Click here to read more on CBS Chicago. |
 | LOCAL GOLF ORGANIZATIONS UNITE TO REVITALIZE CANAL SHORES February 2023 Click here to read more in CDGA Magazine. |
 | CANAL SHORES AND KEMPERSPORTS ANNOUNCE MAJOR GOLF COURSE IMPROVEMENTS WITH EMPHASIS ON YOUTH GOLF AND CADDYING February 6, 2023 Click here to read more. |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO WELCOMES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS! January 30, 2023 Brittany Matthews, Bain & Company Mike Brennan, Waterstreet Healthcare Partners Angela Cobb, FirstGen Partners, LLC |
 | THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO JOINED US AT FIVE IRON GOLF FOR OUR SECOND FORE THE KIDS FUNDRAISER WITH CUBS PLAYER, IAN HAPP! January 14, 2023 |
 | WELCOME BRANDON WHITE! Brandon will be joining the First Tee – Greater Chicago team and VP of Programming & Operations (South Side) January 9, 2023 |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO PARTICIPANT MAURICIO GOMEZ EARNS A DANIEL MURPHY SCHOLARSHIP! December 20, 2022 Click here to read more about Mauricio! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO BOARD MEMBER JOSH LESNIK’S NAMED ONE OF GOLF INC’S MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN GOLF November 2022 Click here to read more! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO AWARDED $100,000 GRANT FROM LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION November 10, 2022 Click here to read more! |
 | USGA AWARDS 25 FIRST TEE CHAPTER GRANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY October 13, 2022 Click here to read more about the 2022 IDEAS Grant. |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO OPENS $2 MILLION GOLF FACILITY ON LAKEFRONT September 19, 2022 Click here to read on Block Club Chicago. |
 | IAN HAPP JOINS FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO, CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT AT GRAND OPENING September 16, 2022 Click here to watch on Marquee Sports Network! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO FEATURED ON WGN’S ‘AROUND TOWN’ WITH ANA BELAVAL! September 15, 2022 Click here to watch on WGN! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO HONORARY AMBASSADOR LUKE DONALD NAMED RYDER CUP CAPTAIN August 1, 2022 Click here to read more. |
 | A RECORD-BREAKING CORPORATE CHALLENGE! July 12, 2022 We had a record-breaking 50 foursomes and were able to raise over $350,000 in support of our mission to help thousands of kids and teens throughout Chicago build their resilience and strength of character through golf! Click here to view photo gallery! |
 | CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS July 2022 Madison Miller: Illinois Wesleyan Andrew Cadiena: University of Wisconsin Aidan Vazquez: Valparaiso University Mallorie Clifton: North Central College |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO’S CEO LEA JESSE ON ESPN CHICAGO 1000’s KAP & J. HOOD PODCAST July 11, 2022 Click here to listen! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO WELCOMES TAYLOR LAMBERTSEN AS DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION March 1, 2022 Originally from Palos Park, IL, Taylor attended Tusculum University in Greeneville, TN where she was a four year letter winner on the women’s golf team. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management. Upon graduation, she went on to be the Tournament Director for the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour, then an assistant golf professional at Kemper Lakes Golf Club in 2017. Taylor joined the team at Exmoor Country Club in 2019. There, she grew the women’s and junior programs to record numbers. Coach Taylor delivers playful and personal instruction that incorporates fun games and drills. Her unique approach to teaching has earned her U.S. Kids Top 50 Coaches Class of 2021! |
 | RETIRED NFL PLAYER ALEX SMITH AND CBS NEWS’ RYAN BAKER TALK PERSEVERANCE AT FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO’S TASTE EVENT AT MORGAN MANUFACTURING November 11, 2021 Click here to watch! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO ANNOUNCES NICK HARDY AS NEW HONORARY AMBASSADOR October 5, 2021 PGA TOUR professional Nick Hardy will be joining PGA professionals Luke Donald and Patrick Flavin, Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ and Chicago Blackhawks’ Alex DeBrincat. As an Honorary Ambassador, Hardy will be acting as a spokesperson helping raise awareness for the organization as well as hosting unforgettable events for First Tee kids, such as clinics and more. Click here to read more. |
 | MADISON MILLER AND BRANDON SAVAGE DISCUSS ATTENDING FIRST TEE’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT ON FOX 32 NEWS’ GOOD DAY CHICAGO July 27, 2021 Click here to watch the segment! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO ANNOUNCES DOUG GHIM AS NEW HONORARY AMBASSADOR July 20, 2021 PGA TOUR professional Doug Ghim will be joining PGA professionals Luke Donald and Patrick Flavin, Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ and Chicago Blackhawks’ Alex DeBrincat. As an Honorary Ambassador, Ghim will be acting as a spokesperson helping raise awareness for the organization as well as hosting unforgettable events for First Tee kids, such as clinics and more. Click here to read more. |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO OPENS YOUTH GOLFING FACILITY THAT TRANSFORMS WAVELAND CLOCKTOWER BUILDING INTO A CLUBHOUSE June 10, 2021 Click here to to read the article from Block Club Chicago. |
 | IAN HAPP JOINS FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO AND CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT AT GROUNDBREAKING EVENT February 22, 2021 Cubs player Ian Happ attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new kids clubhouse that will allow more children from different backgrounds to build resilience and character as they learn the game of golf. Click here to read the article from Marquee Sports Network. |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO FEATURED IN BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO February 22, 2021 The 1,250-square-foot facility, 3701 N. Recreation Drive, will house a learning center, lounge and golf simulator open to all kids and teens enrolled in First Tee throughout the year. It will also have outdoor areas designated for putting, full-swing and short game practice. Click here to read more! |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO FEATURED ON NBC SPORTS’ HEADSTRONG SERIES January 19, 2021 We are fortunate to have been featured on the Blackhawks postgame live and on social media as part of NBC Sports’ Headstrong Series, a multi-platform initiative that focuses on mental health, men’s health, and sports. In this segment, our Honorary Chairman, PGA professional Luke Donald, our Honorary Ambassador, Chicago Blackhawks hockey player, Alex DeBrincat, and First Tee – Greater Chicago participant, 14 year old Myles Cobb talk about how the game of golf helps them both on and off the course. Click here to watch the video! |
 | BETTINARDI PARTNERS WITH FIRST TEE — GREATER CHICAGO FOR WAVELAND CAPITAL PROJECT December 2, 2020 Bettinardi and First Tee — Greater Chicago collaborated at the beginning of the Waveland Capital Project, where Bettinardi made specialty headcovers for their Corporate Challenge in September, an annual fundraising event that brings together golf enthusiasts and executives to raise funds for their mission. “We are all-in on working with the First Tee to empower youth through the game of golf, and believe this is a great opportunity to give back to our local community, located only 45 minutes from our headquarters in Tinley Park, Illinois.,” Executive Vice President Sam Bettinardi said. Click here to read the full press release |
 | LUKE DONALD AND FIRST TEE — GREATER CHICAGO’S WAVELAND PROJECT FEATURED IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE October 6, 2020 Luke Donald is helping design a practice area at Waveland for youth golfers. Click here to read the article. |
 | THE WGA PARTNERS WITH FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO August 25, 2020 The Western Golf Association (WGA) and First Tee — Greater Chicago, two of Chicago’s leading nonprofit organizations, have formed a partnership to broaden the scope and reach of their youth development and scholarship programs. The news was announced today during this week’s WGA-run BMW Championship, a PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoff event held at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Read more |
 | TWO NEW HONORARY AMBASSADORS April 2020 Chicago Blackhawks NHL player Alex DeBrincat and PGA Professional Patrick Flavin become ambassadors for First Tee – Greater Chicago! |
 | THANKS TO THOSE WHO ATTENDED OUR FIRST FORE THE KIDS FUNDRAISER AT FIVE IRON GOLF WITH IAN HAPP! January 16, 2020 Read more |
 | CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SIX FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO PLAY IN THE NEW ORLEANS NATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT! September 2022 We’re excited to announce that six of our participants have been selected to participate at First Tee Greater New Orleans National Tournament Sponsored by Hancock Whitney Bank, December 19th through December 21st at Chateau Golf & Country Club! Read more |
 | FIRST TEE – GREATER CHICAGO NAMES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER August 8, 2019 First Tee – Greater Chicago is pleased to announce the appointment of the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer, Lea Jesse. Through her years of business development and leadership experience at various high-profile consulting firms, banks, and most recently another Chicago area nonprofit, Lea Jesse brings a refreshing and unique set of skills to her new role that will greatly benefit First Tee – Greater Chicago in the years to come. Read more |