Why Golf?

Experiences are our greatest teacher. First Tee believes in developing the ones that are just as fun as they are meaningful, where kids feel excited to grow, safe to fail, and better equipped for whatever comes their way next. Through our personal growth and junior golf programs, we see kids’ build self confidence, inspiring more active participation in leadership opportunities and events, community involvement, and college scholarships.

Program Locations

Our Programs

First Tee—South Dakota offers programs and instruction which focus on developing life skills using the game of golf as its vehicle. First Tee—South Dakota has programming in Sioux Falls at Elmwood Golf Course, as its main location, and Kuehn Park Golf Course with additional program locations in Aberdeen at Moccasin Creek CC and Lee Park Golf Course, Brookings at Edgebrook Golf Course and Brookings Country Club, Dell Rapids at Rocky Run Golf Course, Madison at Madison Country Club, and Milbank at Whetstone Creek Golf Course.

At First Tee – South Dakota, we’re Building Game Changers by empowering kids and teens to be the best version of themselves.

By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with character-building, we create learning experiences that help kids uncover their inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that they can carry to everything they do.

Our trained coaches not only provide an introduction to junior golf and an opportunity to enhance golf skills, but they also create a safe, supportive, and empowering environment to help your child prepare for life ahead, including friendships, school, college and even their careers.

Through our program, kids will learn skills that stay with them for life:

  • Understanding and managing emotions
  • Resolving conflicts
  • Setting up step-by-step goals
  • Planning for the future
  • Appreciating diversity
  • Golf fundamentals and advanced techniques

Advancing through the Program

At each age group, participants engage with the 5 Key Commitments: Pursuing Goals, Growing through Challenge, Collaborating with Others, Building Positive Self-Identity, and Using Good Judgement, while focusing on mastering golf fundamentals and building upon a golf skill foundation as they advance within the program.

Age 7-9

  • Be active and have fun with peers in a safe and encouraging manner
  • Build inner strength and self-confidence
  • Learn to play golf
  • Focus on building relationships with other players while exploring the game of golf

Age 12-13

  • Explore both golf skills and characters commitments while having fun with peers
  • Provide opportunities to demonstrate mastery and growth in golf skills and abilities
  • Support growth and development of early adolescents

Age 10-11

  • Explore character concepts in active and collaborative ways that are valuable on and off the course
  • Develop golf skills and enthusiasm for the game
  • Support positive Game Changing behaviors in fun and meaningful ways

Age 14+

  • Build character and support personal development
  • Develop additional golf skills and abilities
  • Look toward their future and plan their own paths
  • Evaluate, reflect, and apply their understanding of life and golf skills to new situations on and off the course

Ace
A capstone program for high school teens that integrates the skills and inner strengths they’ve developed at First Tee and points them toward exploring, investing in, and building a clear plan and assets for their next step.

In this program, participants will:

  • Integrate their knowledge & skills into planning for their future
  • Invest in their community
  • Explore who they are and where they want to go next
  • Investigate future paths (education & career)
  • Craft their goals & create a game-plan
  • Build kickstart assets for their next step
Learn More about Age-Based Programming
First Tee App