It's a hot and muggy afternoon, and a group of young kids are congregating around the main concourse area at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park in Oakland.
In the clubhouse, volunteer Eddie Zhang, 15, of Murrysville, is staying cool while he waits to give lessons to a group of young players.
For Zhang, there's no place he would rather be.
“Golf. It's my life,” Zhang said. “It has helped me in so many ways.”
Zhang credits The First Tee of Pittsburgh as a platform that has empowered him to become a better golfer and learn many valuable life lessons, such as becoming mentally stronger and better at controlling his emotions. Now he is trying to pass those skills on to others.
“I have transferred a lot of the life skills I've learned in The First Tee to school and socially,” he said. “I've learned to be respectful of others — on and off the course.”
Born in Beijing, China, Zhang relocated to Murrysville with his family when he was 2 years old —when his father took a job with Westinghouse. Today, he is an honors student and member of Franklin Regional's varsity golf team.
Since it was founded in 1999, The First Tee of Pittsburgh has grown to offer instruction and playing opportunities to more than 4,000 children throughout Western Pennsylvania in clinics, leagues and camps at the Schenley Park course. It brings programs to schools, community centers and neighborhood organizations.
“Golf is the reason why many kids come to us,” said Marc Field, executive director of The First Tee of Pittsburgh. “It's The First Tee's intention to seamlessly integrate core values and life skills through the game to all of the kids that participate in our programs.”
The First Tee is staffed by certified PGA instructors and trained volunteers who teach and work with children to promote nine skills: honesty, integrity, respect, sportsmanship, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.
The First Tee of Pittsburgh is the featured charity at the PGA TOUR Constellation Senior Players Championship, which begins today and continues through Sunday at Fox Chapel Golf Club.
First Tee participants will be working as volunteers during the event.
Mercedes Epondulan, 18, of Hazelwood, started participating in The First Tee shortly after arriving here from the Philippines in 2006. This year, she will be First Tee's Junior Ambassador, speaking at the Executive Women's Day Lunch, a PGA-sponsored event for 130 Pittsburgh area executive women. The group is raising money to support The First Tee's girls mentor program.
“When I started, I could barely hit the ball. But I stuck with it, had great instruction and became a better player. But most importantly, it really helped me build my self-confidence,” she said.
Epondulan played on the boys team at Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill because it did not have a girls team.
“It was challenging. I had to hit the ball from the white tee like all of the other boys,” Epondulan said.
In addition to support from the PGA Tour, The First Tee of Pittsburgh relies on individual donations, corporations and foundations to fund its programs.
“We do charge fees, but they are based on parents' income,” Field said. “But we will never turn away a kid that wants to participate, and we make scholarships available.”
Deborah Pike of Churchill, whose son, Jeremy, has been involved with The First Tee since 2007, said the organization fills a need.
“Unless you are members of a country club or are able to spend lots of money up front for lessons and greens fees, it can be hard for most parents to find affordable golf opportunities for kids,” she said.
John Krysinsky is a freelance writer.
