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The First Tee of Connecticut; Keeping Kids on Course

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On May 5, 2008, Christopher Wall, a junior at Wilby High School and five-year First Tee participant, and Hunter Mahan, 2007 champion of the Travelers Championship, took inaugural shots to launch a new facility to train the golf champions of tomorrow. This new facility will be home to The First Tee of Connecticut, a program that teaches Connecticut children life skills through golf.

Honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, courtesy, judgment, confidence, responsibility and perseverance are the values the First Tee program conveys to young players.

"This practice facility is an excellent example of what happens when you bring together a partnership that truly believes not only in the future of the [annual PGA] Travelers Championship and The First Tee of Connecticut, but also believes in the future of this state," said Raymond Necci, former president and chief operating officer, Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas. "This is a very impressive facility and we are delighted to be able to say we played a part in its creation."

The land for the facility was owned by CL&P but not used for any operational purposes. Previously, it had been used as parking space during the Travelers Championship. In 2007, CL&P donated a total of 104 acres in Cromwell. The First Tee facility is also the newest addition to the Tournament Players Clubs (TPC) and during the Travelers Championship serves as a practice facility for PGA Tour professionals.

A study in 2003, conducted by First Tee and the University of Florida, asked parents of children from around the country about the First Tee program. The study showed that after six weeks of involvement in the lowest level of the program, parents recognized a positive affect on their children.

  • 74 percent of parents observed a positive change in communication skills
  • 74 percent of parents observed a positive change in their child's display of responsibility
  • 74 percent of parents observed a positive change in their child's display of responsibility
  • 52 percent of parents observed that their child made better grades at school
  • 66 percent of parents observed a positive change in their child's social ability

Necci summed up CL&P's goals in supporting The First Tee of Connecticut, "It is our sincere hope that both parents and children will see marked improvement in both their golf game and their life skills."