Our purpose is more than just a sports program for kids and teens.
It is to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, we create learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids carry to everything they do.
Our History!
First Tee began in 1997 as a partnership among the LPGA, the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America, the PGA TOUR, and the United States Golf Association (USGA) to make golf affordable and accessible for all kids. As we introduced the game, we also introduced a life skills curriculum that supported the development of values inherent within the game of golf, including honesty, integrity, perseverance, and respect. This was a game changer for the kids, and for our organization.
Now for over two decades, First Tee has remained committed to shaping character, building confidence, and providing a safe, fun environment where every child can grow and thrive. What started on golf courses expanded into schools, community centers, and after-school programs, ensuring that every child, no matter where they live, has access to the opportunities they deserve.
Here in Charlottesville, the First Tee story is one of resilience, dedication, and a relentless belief in the power of golf to change lives. Originally founded as First Tee – Charlottesville in the early 2000s, our chapter made an incredible impact for 14 years at Meadowcreek Golf Course. When those programs came to an end and the chapter’s license expired, the mission could have faded, but our community refused to let that happen.
A passionate group of local golf and youth advocates came together, determined to keep the spirit of First Tee alive. In September 2015, they started a locally funded, 501c3 tax-exempt, non-profit organization called the Blue Ridge Youth Golf Foundation, Inc., reigniting the mission with a renewed commitment to local kids and families. Just one year later, in April 2016, First Tee – Virginia Blue Ridge officially became a licensed chapter, stronger and more determined than ever.
Even through the challenges of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the organization never wavered. First Tee – Virginia Blue Ridge rebounded, adapted, and continued serving youth in the City of Charlottesville and across the surrounding counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, Culpeper, and Orange.
Today, we stand as a testament to the power of perseverance, community, and belief in a brighter future for all young people. With the organization’s first established indoor facility opening to the public in January of 2025, our journey is still being written, and with dedicated supporters like you, we know the best chapters are yet to come.
Legal Name: Blue Ridge Youth Golf Foundation, Inc.
DBA: First Tee – Virginia Blue Ridge
EIN: 47-4863433
Main Office: 943 2nd St SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902