Get Involved

Support our Junior Golf & Character Education Programs

Want to make a difference in the lives of young people? There are many ways you can support the mission of First Tee and help us introduce the game of golf and its inherent values like honesty, respect and confidence, to kids and teens. You can Volunteer and/or Donate.

First Tee Pittsburgh is a registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

At First Tee — Pittsburgh, no child or group is ever turned away for inability to pay. In addition, all equipment is provided, free of charge. Your contribution helps economically disadvantaged children participate in our golf and life skill clinics. First Tee’s program teaches core values inherent in the game of golf, including confidence, respect, judgment, responsibility, courtesy, honesty, sportsmanship, integrity, and perseverance.

Why Donate to First Tee — Pittsburgh?

Today’s children are growing up in a challenging time.

• Public school budget cuts and increased focus on test scores have limited schools’ capacity to focus on social and emotional learning in the classroom.
• Limited resources for after-school programs means 11.3 million youth are either alone and unsupervised, and even more are in programs offering minimal enrichment during the critical hours of 3-6 p.m.
• Sixteen million American youth—one in three—will reach the age of 19 without having had a mentor of any kind.
• With one in almost five high school students dropping out, academic underachievement or failure is a real possibility for many of today’s young people. Those who do not graduate high school are more likely to be unemployed, to engage in criminal behavior and to require social services.

Positive Youth Development Through Golf at First Tee — Pittsburgh

At First Tee — Pittsburgh we provide programs built on positive youth development. Our Golf and Life Skills Clinics provide the proven elements: safe places, intentional and trained caring adults, and developmentally appropriate and empowering curricula.

A Program That Works

Results from an independent, longitudinal study of participants in the First Tee Life Skills Experience, which is delivered through First Tee chapters by trained coaches, confirmed what experts in these arenas are seeing. Students found that they were able to stay positive when frustrated with homework, to set goals to get better grades and to look for solutions to problems with peers. In the same study, 73% reported high confidence in their ability to do well academically and 82% felt confident in their social skills with peers because of their involvement in The First Tee.

First Tee — Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh chapter is based at The Bob O’Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park.  Together with locations in Stowe Township, North Park, South Park, Penn Hills, Butler, Beaver Falls, and Elizabeth, we serve over 1,600 area kids in certifying programs, 3,000 in outreach programs and over 16,000 in our School Program. These young people have fun lessons in putting, chipping, pitching and full swing while they also learn self-management, goal setting and interpersonal communication. Our trained coaches and volunteers maintain a 6:1 ratio so the lessons are activity based and personal. This program creates positive relationships that inspire young people to discover their individual potential.

Today one in four public high school students drop out before graduation. And nearly half of all African-American and Hispanic students never complete high school. It’s a sign that we must do more.

FTP is part of the United Way

First Tee Pittsburgh is a 2016 United Way Donor Choice Agency. During the current campaign, you can direct your annual United Way contribution to benefit the children and teens who receive First Tee’s golf and life skills clinics. To elect to have your annual United Way contribution reach FTP simply select our Agency ID # 436656