First Tee of Aiken prepares kids for links and life
Apr. 9—Golf, character education and a brand-new practice facility are topics of conversation this month for dozens of students from around Aiken County, by way of their involvement in First Tee of Aiken.
The local program, with volunteers by the dozens and a paid staff of two, dates back to 2009 and is a few weeks away from opening fresh acreage in partnership with USC Aiken, on Gregg Highway.
"I love what they're doing," said Jim McNair Jr., one of the program's top boosters, who is also largely known through his roles as owner of Aiken Golf Club and Cedar Creek Golf Club, and had a leading role in moving the practice facility from concept to reality.
Player Anslee Zielinski, 12, said First Tee "gives a lot of opportunities regarding the game of golf, and you can really get the full experience of the game."
Zielinski has been playing for about six years, usually at Houndslake or Aiken Golf Club. "I feel like it gives me a sense of calmness when I play," she added.
"Core values" play a huge role in First Tee and are consist of nine concepts: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment, all heavily emphasized in program activities.
"It helps me become a better person and spend time with different people and meet new people," said Evan Crooks, 12, who said he took up the sport at age 5. "I've been in it for a while. I've always watched it on TV and I've kind of always been into golf."
Students are provided a variety of opportunities to work on their golf games and "to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges," as described on the website.
"By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with life skills curriculum, we create learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids carry to everything they do," it adds.
Leading the local charge now are Heidi Hoffman, First Tee of Aiken's executive director; and Kristy Wright, the director of programming.
Among the program's enthusiastic alumni is Rachel Kestin, a 2016 graduate of South Aiken High School who is now a few weeks away from earning a doctorate in pharmacy from Presbyterian College. She was a member of the Thoroughbreds' golf team and counts her First Tee involvement as a major highlight of her teen years.
"All teenagers are awkward and shy and everything, and what I really got out of the program is this second family, and they kind of helped me gain my own confidence, not only in the game of golf but also with just who I am in general," she said.
"My parents also went through some health problems during that time of my life. They are healthier now, but it was just really nice to have that outlet and those people who cared for me."
Kestin said she is preparing to have a residency in the Charlotte area, to move into her career, "and also start volunteering with the First Tee of Greater Charlotte."
