I remember my first competitive high school golf round like it was yesterday. I was a freshman, narrowly making the starting squad and still relatively new to the game. That muggy August afternoon, in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, I began the nerve-filled round with a quintuple bogey and finished with a score of 103. The highest on the team and far from my best.

I felt like a failure, letting the team down and wanting nothing more than to quit – maybe this golf thing wasn’t for me. But after the round, my teammates, golf coach and parents encouraged me, “You’ll get’em next time Griggsy,” and, “Keep at it kiddo, you’ve got potential.”

It was those simple words, from these influential people, that taught me the important lessons needed to persevere, work hard, and maintain confidence in myself. And three years later, I returned to that very same course to shoot 70, and earn the low score in the event.

It’s valuable lessons like these that are learned through golf, but carried through life. And for that reason, we're thrilled to support The First Tee.