Author: mboelhouwer

Located on the shores of Lac St-Jean, Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac has been a proud First Tee – Premier départ Québec location for three consecutive years.

Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac partnered with First Tee – Premier départ Québec in 2021 to provide accessible pathways to golf and make a positive impact on youth in their community. Since launching, Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac has engaged over 140 First Tee participants.

First Tee – Premier départ Québec strives to break down typical barriers of participation such as affordability, transportation and perception or unfamiliarity of golf. By partnering with golf courses, schools, community centres in underrepresented areas across the province, First Tee – Premier départ Québec reaches a diverse range of golfers and provides a welcoming and empowering golf experience.

Special to this location, all participants can put skills they have learned to the test and experience two rounds of golf at a nearby par 3, 9-hole course, for no extra cost. Thanks to the generous support of Canadian Tire Jump Start, First Tee – Premier départ Québec provides transportation from Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac to the par 3 golf course for all participants.

The impact of First Tee would not be possible without the dedication of coaches striving to make a difference in children’s lives. Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac has four First Tee Level II trained coaches who serve as incredible role models.

“I’m passionate about the values First Tee – Premier départ Québec teaches children,” said First Tee – Premier départ Québec Coach, Lucas Dupérré Vanden Hecke, who has been a part of the program for over three years. “They learn how to handle challenges and setbacks, which are valuable lessons both on and off the golf course. I’ve seen kids grow in so many ways — physically, emotionally, and socially.”

First Tee – Premier départ Québec has close to 100 program locations at golf courses, schools and community centres across the province, with a dedicated staff of over 45 coaches and volunteers.

“Our focus is to create an environment where kids can discover the joys of golf, build lasting friendships, and continue to develop valuable life skills that extend far beyond the golf course,” said First Tee – Premier départ Québec Program Coordinator, Giana Veneziano. “It’s about encouraging their excitement for golf while equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in all aspects of life.”

Looking ahead, First Tee – Premier départ Québec and Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac aim to provide local schools with field trips to the course and host no-cost events to introduce more children to the sport.

The reach of First Tee – Premier départ Québec across the province, and the community of Lac St-Jean, is made possible by a generous network of supporters who believe and share the mission of championing youth and growing the game of golf.

To get involved in your community, or to donate to First Tee – Premier départ Québec, please visit https://firstteequebec.ca/en/giving/.

MONTREAL, QUE. (August 6, 2024) – The Presidents Cup, Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation are proud to announce First Tee – Canada has been named as one of the 2024 charitable beneficiaries of the upcoming Presidents Cup and will receive a $250,000 donation from the event, returning to The Royal Montreal Golf Club Sept. 24-29.

In conjunction with being named a beneficiary of the Presidents Cup, philanthropists Paul Desmarais Jr., Jean C. Monty and Rémi Racine have each made $1 million USD gifts to support the continued growth of First Tee in Quebec and across Canada.  

Today, at the Presidents Cup media day, two lucky First Tee – Québec participants had the opportunity to caddie for Montreal Canadiens players Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Suzuki and Caulfield put their golf skills to the test as they went head-to-head in a three-hole match play competition, followed by a cheque presentation to Golf Canada Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Martin Barnard.

“Gifts of this nature are pivotal for our program,” said Barnard. “They allow us to implement more programming across all six Canadian chapters, introduce more children to golf and make a bigger impact in local communities. The pace of growth for First Tee in Canada has been incredible and that’s owed to likeminded individuals who share the vision of championing youth.”

First Tee – Canada is Golf Canada’s youth development program that provides accessible and inclusive life-enhancing experiences through golf for children who may have otherwise not had the opportunity.

The launch of First Tee in Canada was announced in 2020 by PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan at a global press conference which revealed the 2024 Presidents Cup would be returning to Montreal.

“It feels like a full circle moment as we celebrate the new announcements today in collaboration with the Presidents Cup and reflect on the growth of First Tee in Canada over the last few years,” said Laurence Applebaum, Chief Executive Officer, Golf Canada. “We are now proudly operational in every province and earlier this year, surpassed 100,000 participants. First Tee – Canada’s success would not be possible without a generous network of supporters like Paul Desmarais, Jr., Jean C. Monty, Rémi Racine and the PGA TOUR.”

The program is delivered at golf courses, schools and community centres and provides accessible pathways of participation for children from all backgrounds. First Tee – Canada combats typical barriers of entry including affordability, transportation and perception or unfamiliarity to the sport. First Tee – Canada proudly offers over 70 per cent of programming at no cost to participants and over 50 per cent of participants identify as equity-deserving.

By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee creates active learning experiences that continue to foster life skills like inner strength, self-confidence, resilience, honesty, and respect.

“The impact First Tee has on the future of our sport is crucial,” said Ryan Hart, Executive Director, Presidents Cup. “The Presidents Cup is a proud supporter of First Tee and is pleased to showcase First Tee – Canada on our international stage. First Tee – Canada’s focus on making golf courses accessible, inclusive and empowering spaces for children and families is so important. As the Presidents Cup moves on to new stages in 2026 and beyond, we are grateful to have played a role in the greater development of the First Tee – Canada through this year’s event in Montreal and will be proud to see this chapter continue to flourish for years to come.”

The Presidents Cup will be taking place September 24-29 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club. Following the event, on Monday, September 30^th, Laval-sur-le-Lac will play host to the third annual First Tee – Québec Cup, an exclusive fundraising event to help meet the growing demand for programming across the province. More information about the fundraising event can be found at the First Tee – Québec Cup website.

Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation are continuously pursuing gifts to deliver programming to more children across Canada. To date, First Tee – Canada has received nearly $16 million in donations to support the launch and growth of six chapters and the onboarding of over 80 golf facilities, 80 community centres, and 200 schools.

“We are excited the Presidents Cup is coming back to Canada at Royal Montreal Golf Club,” said Paul Desmarais Jr. “As a proud supporter of the event and First Tee I am thrilled that the tournament is giving back to benefit youth in Quebec and across Canada.”

To learn how to support First Tee – Canada, please email Adam Hunter. To find a chapter near you, visit firstteecanada.ca.

Golf Canada recently announced its Junior Golf National Facility Awards, and a First Tee – Premier départ Québec golf location has been proudly named First Tee – Premier départ Canada’s Program Location of the Year.

The criteria for the award included a program location that demonstrated high participation enrollment in First Tee programming, engaged coaching staff, and made a significant effort to grow junior golf in their community.

The winning facility, Club de Golf Municipal Dallaire (Rouyn-Noranda, Québec) hosted 66 youth participants for First Tee sessions during the inaugural season of First Tee – Premier départ Québec in 2022. 

The dedicated staff, Claude Murray, Eric Villeneuve, Maeva Therrien and Emeric Janhevich, were the difference makers for this program location.

“We are so happy to be the recipients of this award. I wasn’t expecting a club from a small town like us to win,” said Coach Emeric Janhevich. “Our coaching staff puts a lot of time and energy into the children. Seeing them develop skills and have fun is rewarding enough, so to be nationally recognized for our commitment to growing the game, it’s amazing.”

Dallaire offered First Tee – Premier départ Québec sessions to children aged five to 13 up to four days a week for four weeks last season. Clearly, it was well received. Dallaire also facilitated two field trips for nearby schools that were operating First Tee in their physical education classes.

“Before First Tee, we had junior camps and programs, but First Tee has brought our junior programming to another level,” said Janhevich. “We attended the First Tee coach training and learned so many new activities, ways to engage with the children, and how to integrate life skill development into our sessions. We ensured our focus for junior programming was to have fun and spread positivity.”

Golf Canada partnered with First Tee in 2020 to launch First Tee – Premier départ Canada and provide youth with affordable and inclusive access to golf along with life-enhancing experiences through the game. First Tee – Premier départ Québec fosters the continued development of life skills such as confidence, integrity, and perseverance through golf at golf courses, schools, and community centres across the province.

Thanks to RBC Community Junior Golf, a funding initiative accelerating the launch of First Tee – Premier départ Canada in equity-deserving communities across the country, children were able to participate in First Tee programming and on-course fun day events at no cost. 

“It’s important to us to involve the next generation of golfers and motivate them to see every aspect of what golf can be,” said Janhevich. “We look forward to offering First Tee and meeting new children again this season.”

Dallaire will offer First Tee – Premier départ Québec again this year, with spring registration open and programming spots almost filled up. To find First Tee – Premier départ Québec programming near you, click here.

If you are a golf facility, school, or community centre interested in becoming a program location, email [email protected] for more information on how to get started.