SURREY, B.C. — Fifty-three young golfers from across the Lower Mainland came together September 4 for the inaugural First Tee – British Columbia end-of-summer tournament, celebrating a season of learning, development and fun on the golf course.
Hosted at The BackYard Golf’s Clayton Hills Par 3 Golf Course, the event brought together First Tee participants ages 7 to 14, ranging from beginners experiencing golf on the course for the first time to more experienced young players.
The nine-hole tournament gave participants an opportunity to take the skills they developed through their First Tee lessons and put them into practice on the course, creating a natural continuation of their participation in the program.
For First Tee – British Columbia, the event also provided an opportunity to introduce young golfers and their families to the course in a welcoming environment, helping participants see golf as a sport they can continue to enjoy and pursue.
“The end-of-summer tournament is a great way for our participants to apply what they’ve learned in their First Tee lessons to an actual round on the golf course,” said Scott Stefani, program manager with First Tee – British Columbia. “It gives them the opportunity to play, learn and have fun with their families, while showing them that golf can be a sport where they belong and continue to grow.”
The tournament also gave participants a chance to build on their skills outside of regular lessons. The day featured coaching sessions, a barbecue lunch and a used equipment sale, creating opportunities for youth and families to connect with coaches and the broader First Tee community.
The event was supported by adidas, First Tee – Canada’s apparel partner. Participants received adidas hats and T-shirts, helping create a shared sense of belonging and giving the young golfers an opportunity to feel like part of the sport.
adidas’ support also helped First Tee – British Columbia subsidize registration costs, making the tournament more accessible to participants and their families, with registration available for as little as $25.
For parent Sanyee Wang, the event offered a chance to see the skills her child had developed through First Tee lessons come to life on the course.
“Everything from the check-in, T-shirt, hat and used equipment sale was great,” Wang said. “It was fantastic to see the kids put their lesson skills to the test by playing nine holes. Lots of golf balls were lost, but they definitely had fun. It gives them something now to go back and work on.”
The day also gave families an opportunity to enjoy golf together, with participants walking and playing the course as they gained experience in a setting beyond their regular First Tee lessons.
The inaugural tournament marked the beginning of what First Tee – British Columbia plans to make an annual end-of-summer tradition, giving young golfers a chance to celebrate their progress while looking ahead to the next stage of their development.