HARWICH, Massachusetts – The First Tee of Massachusetts has launched a second program location on Cape Cod, adding Cranberry Valley Golf Course to the mix. The program is currently open only to students from Monomoy Regional Middle School but will begin offering public programming in spring 2020.
The expansion of the program furthers the reach of the Mass Golf’s junior program which currently impacts more than 30,000 children annually through a combination of its on-course Life Skills Experience Curriculum, in-school programming and community group outreach.
Kyle Harris, Director of Operations for the The First Tee of Massachusetts, is excited to see the organization’s programming expand to a second location on Cape Cod, the place he grew up.
Cranberry Valley Golf Course in Harwich is now the seventh program location throughout the state, joining The Links at Mass Golf (Norton), D.W. Field Golf Course (Brockton), KOHR Golf (Natick), William J. Devine GC at Franklin Park (Boston), Fenway Golf Center (Springfield) and Hyannis Golf Course (Cape Cod). Hyannis has hosted The First Tee program since 2007, but Cranberry Valley will now serve Lower Cape communities. Cranberry Valley is owned by the Town of Harwich and offers incredible practice facilities and an 18-hole course.
“It is an absolutely ideal site for the growth of our chapter,” said Harris, an Eastham native and 1999 Nauset Regional High School graduate. “We sincerely appreciate the Town of Harwich and Cranberry Valley’s Director of Golf, Roman Greer, for providing access to the facility, embracing The First Tee program, and understanding the value we can provide to young people on the Lower Cape. We also must say a big thank you to the membership of Cranberry Valley for sharing their facility and investing in the future of the game. With the terrific success of our program location at Hyannis Golf Club, which primarily serves the Upper Cape, adding a second location on Cape Cod was a natural fit and I’m so excited to watch them grow together.”
The first spring program at Cranberry Valley will feature First Tee PLAYer level classes, which are geared for entry-level players regardless of their abilities. Participants will be introduced to playing the game of golf while learning The First Tee Code of Conduct, The First Tee Nine Core Values, appreciating the rules and etiquette of the sport, and developing a young person’s golf skills. Future programming will expand to Par, Birdie, and Eagle levels as the location grows and participants progress through the curriculum.
“I think it’s good for our youth development in this area to go through this national curriculum,” Greer said. “Our resident members are excited to have a prestigious program on our course.”
Gordon Napier, a band teacher at Monomoy Middle School, is the lead instructor for the fall program, while Jeremiah Nickerson, also a Monomoy teacher, is his assistant. The fall program began last week with 27 kids aged 10-13 and will run from 4-5:30 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through the end of October.
The program started last Monday by simply walking the course, pointing out the basic terminology and features, and learning basic etiquette, such as fixing a ball mark.
“I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of enthusiasm from parents,” Greer said. “We’re excited to see how many kids are out there who want to take advantage of the opportunity.”
CLICK HERE for more information on The First Tee program at Cranberry Valley.
