On The First Tee

In this episode of On The First Tee, we sit down with First Tee participant Zuri Ruiz. Zuri shares her journey in golf, her experiences as a First Tee participant, and the impact of her time at Congaree through The Congaree Global Golf Initiative. Join us as she reflects on the opportunities, lessons, and relationships that have helped shape her path both on and off the golf course.

In this episode of On The First Tee, we sit down with Brandon Luna from First Tee headquarters, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Influencer Relations. Brandon shares insight into the national opportunities available for our teenage participants and highlights the powerful impact of First Tee ambassadors across the country. We dive into how alumni stay connected to the mission, what it mean...

Join hosts Michael Pius, PGA and Jared Crane for another Upstate Update as we walk through everything happening across First Tee — Upstate South Carolina. Tune in for all things First Tee in the Upstate and stay connected to the mission that’s helping kids grow on and off the course.

Join hosts Michael Pius, PGA and Jared Crane for another Upstate Update as we walk through everything happening across First Tee — Upstate South Carolina. Tune in for all things First Tee in the Upstate and stay connected to the mission that’s helping kids grow on and off the course.

We’re excited to welcome back Steve Goforth for his second visit to On the First Tee ! Steve is the Head PGA Professional at Cross Creek Plantation and host of the Goforth and Golf podcast. He brings a wealth of experience from both the teaching and playing sides of the game, along with a deep belief in golf’s ability to shape character and build strong identities in young people. In this episode,...

In this episode, we sit down with Coach Laura Maurer to share her incredible full-circle journey with First Tee — Upstate South Carolina. A former participant turned coach and proud First Tee alum, Laura’s story is rooted in growth, service, and giving back to the game that helped shape her. From attending a national First Tee opportunity as a junior to now leading the next generation as a coach,...

Join hosts Michael Pius, PGA and Jared Crane for another Upstate Update as we walk through everything happening across First Tee — Upstate South Carolina. Tune in for all things First Tee in the Upstate and stay connected to the mission that’s helping kids grow on and off the course.

Join hosts Michael Pius, PGA and Jared Crane for another Upstate Update as we walk through everything happening across First Tee — Upstate South Carolina. We’ll break down our 2025 programming numbers, including a big highlight: over 800 participants with continued growth in girls’ participation. We’ll also share updates on our upcoming Winter Programs, including January classes at Topgolf, plus e...

In this episode, we sit down with First Tee — Upstate South Carolina participant Julia Conroy to celebrate her recent achievements, including being selected for and attending two national First Tee opportunities. We also chat with Micah Candeletta-Burklin, owner of Rana Golf, about his journey, his vision for the brand, and the impact he hopes to make in the golf community. Tune in for an inspirin...

Join us as we dive into the excitement of the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach, CA, and its impact on First Tee. In this episode, we sit down with Paul Ancona, a First Tee – Upstate South Carolina participant who competed in the championship, to hear his firsthand experience on the course. We also chat with Jennifer Weiler, Senior Vice President of Network Relations at First Tee, about...

Join us for the August Upstate Update as we dive into all things First Tee — Upstate South Carolina! This month, we’re sharing exciting updates on programming, fundraising, and upcoming events across the Upstate. In this episode: Programming Highlights: Fall registration is open! First Tee participants Julia and Spencer are attending national opportunities and we’re just five weeks away from the P...

In this episode, we explore the key commitment of Pursuing Goals and our favorite techniques for achieving them. Our featured guest is Spencer Lengel, a true game changer who recently attended the First Tee Game Changers Academy and was selected for the PGA Tour Superstore Leadership Summit in Montana. Spencer shares his inspiring journey, the lessons learned from these transformative experiences,...

In this episode, we dive into one of First Tee’s Five Key Commitments: Collaborating with Others. Join us as we chat with Kaden Conrad, our Summer Intern for Tournament Operations, about the power of teamwork and what he’s learning behind the scenes. We’ll also collaborate with Biff Lathrop, Executive Director of the South Carolina Golf Association, to explore how partnerships strengthen our golf...

In this episode of On the First Tee , Michael and Jared dive into First Tee’s Key Commitment of Growing Through Challenge. Joined by two of our three summer interns Kylie Rehberger and Johnny Schoenmaker, we explore how facing and overcoming challenges can shape character, build resilience, and lead to personal growth. From stepping outside their comfort zones to learning through experience, our i...

Welcome back to On the First Tee with Michael Pius and Jared Crane ! ⛳️ In Episode 3, we dive deep into one of First Tee’s most impactful Key Commitments: Building Positive Self-Identity 💪. This episode is all about helping young people develop the confidence, resilience, and self-worth they need to succeed—on the golf course and in life. We’re thrilled to be joined by two inspiring guests: 🌟 M...

In this episode, we dive into one of First Tee’s Five Key Commitments: Collaborating with Others . Join us as we chat with Star Kinzer , First Tee’s Coach of the Year, about the power of teamwork in coaching. We’ll also collaborate with Tyler Emory , General Manager of our local PGA Tour Superstore, to explore how partnerships strengthen our golf community. Plus, don’t miss our Upstate Update for...

In this episode, we dive into one of First Tee’s key commitments: Pursuing Goals. We explore effective goal-setting techniques like goal ladders and the four key components of setting goals. Joining us is First Tee – Upstate South Carolina participant Paul Ancona , who shares his inspiring journey to Augusta National to compete in the National Drive, Chip & Putt Championship and how goal setti...

Join Michael Pius, Executive Director, and Jared Crane, Program Director of Operations, as they introduce the brand-new First Tee – Upstate South Carolina Podcast! In this teaser episode, we share what you can expect from future episodes, including: 🎙️ Deep dives into First Tee’s Key Commitments—our foundation for teaching life skills through golf. 🎤 Interviews with participants, alumni, coaches,...