NORTON, Massachusetts – With the beginning of active golf season just over a month away, Mass Golf is excited to announce that the First Tee of Massachusetts team is expanding with the addition of Allyson Mollung as Program Manager.
First Tee Massachusetts is the state’s chapter of the international youth development organization that introduces the game of golf and its inherent values to young people by offering affordable junior golf programs to youth and communities across the Commonwealth.
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Mollung, who grew up in Medford, MA, has familiarized herself with the junior golf landscape for over a decade. She played for the Medford High School boys golf team and was a past participant in the Ryder Cup Jr. Academy. While attending college in Delaware, she worked at several golf courses and went on to become a volunteer for First Tee Delaware.
For the past two years, she has served as the Director of Sports Information at Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, promoting all 19 of the college’s varsity teams.
“I am extremely excited to add Allyson to our team,” said Kyle Harris, Director of Operations at First Tee Massachusetts. “She brings an energetic, outgoing, and approachable personality, while her education, professional experience, and First Tee volunteer work make her stand out professionally. I think Ally will be quickly embraced by our participants and their parents, as well as our coaches, staff, and volunteers.”
Mollung was first introduced to First Tee in Summer 2017 while working at Ed Oliver Golf Club in Wilmington, Delaware. There she met the chapter’s Program Manager, Charma Bell, who convinced her to volunteer for the program since she had a good rapport with youth golfers.
“I instantly loved it,” Mollung said. “Just helping the kids learn the very basics of golf is important to me. But also, being able to talk to the older kids and let them know that it’s not just getting up and swinging and club. Something that I learned when I’m playing golf is that the game is really played in between your ears in that golf is a lot more mental than physical in my own personal experience.”
As Program Manager, Mollung will oversee First Tee Massachusetts programming primarily conducted at seven on-course locations, while supporting other outreach and expansion efforts. She will also be focused on deepening the connection with First Tee participants, parents, and coaching teams and ultimately introducing more children across the state to the game of golf and its inherent life skills.
“Our chapter has been on a growth trend for several years, and adding Ally to our leadership team will make sure we continue that trajectory,” Harris said.
Mollung also said she’s eager to add a female presence within First Tee leadership.
“There’s so much opportunity for women in golf,” Mollung said. “I think it’s really important for young women, especially little girls, to see other young women in these roles and in on the golf course. They can really look up to you and say, ‘oh well she’s doing this you know I can totally jump in and do that.’ But I also think we made a huge advancement from the time when I was a young girl to the age that I am now. I see a lot more females in the sports industry, not just golf.”
Mollung graduated from Wilmington University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. At Wesley, she has used her communications skills to promote all of the college’s varsity sports, including managing social media pages.
Though she has lived in Delaware, Mollung has strong golf roots in Massachusetts. Her family has frequented both Unicorn Golf Course in Stoneham and Stow Acres in Stow over the years. Her swing coach growing up was Tom Giles, who has worked with several prominent golf figures such as Greg Norman.
Outside of golf, Mollung also has a wide array of hobbies. She studied Jiu-Jitsu for six years and currently participates in high-intensity gym workouts through Orangetheory Fitness. She also enjoys photography and going on adventures with her dog, Cooper.
Beginning on March 15, Mollung can be reached at amollung@massgolf.org .
For additional information about First Tee of Massachusetts, please visit: massgolf.org/play/the-first-tee/
