Thank you to Manolo and Alltroo for their continued support of our chapter! Please rally with Manolo to help support the challenges we faced during the Eaton Fire. For more information about this great opportunity, please click HERE.
Brookside Golf Club – Pasadena, CA (December 9, 2024) – Through the great community sponsorship by East West Bank highlighted by the wonderful smiles on the faces of youth, First Tee – Greater Pasadena and the Pasadena Police Activities League met together at the beautiful Brookside Golf Club for an afternoon of golf instruction, and lots of visible and palpable joy.
Since the inception of First Tee – Greater Pasadena, PALS has been and continues to be an active participant for these types of fun golf events. At these events, First Tee – Greater Pasadena and their home facility Brookside Golf Club host golf clinics to provide instruction to the PAL’S participants. For many of the attendees, it’s their first exposure to the game of golf. At First Tee – Greater Pasadena, we take on a huge responsibility of introducing the game to the members of our community. Through their programming and partnerships, First Tee offers seamless activities that share inherent core values such as respect, confidence, honesty, and courtesy as well as a life-skills curriculum that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.
First Tee – Greater Pasadena is very grateful to East West Bank for their generous community support and sponsorship that provides youth such as PALS participants the opportunity to impact their lives by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
(September 21, 2023) Yesterday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger met with youth participants and executive leadership of First Tee – Greater Pasadena (FTGP), a community-based program whose mission is to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. October 24, 2023 will be FTGP’s annual invitational golf tournament at Brookside golf course presented by the Rose Bowl Operating Company. This tournament raises funds to provide life enhancing
values and teach golf to thousands of youths.
For more than 16 years, First Tee – Greater Pasadena has served thousands of members from cities and communities in their San Gabriel Valley service area. Within the structure of the youth program, members are introduced to core values and life-skills that are inherent in the game of golf. Its primary members aged 5-18 experience activity-based learning that seamlessly integrate the game of golf with a life skills curriculum that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.
In addition, as a community service organization, First Tee – Greater Pasadena partners with programs including Special Olympics Southern California, Wounded Warrior Project, Latina Golfers Association, as well as other recreational youth programs such as Pasadena Police Acti9vies League, the Boys and Girls Club, and Pasadena’s Parks and Recreation. These partnerships have flourished over the years with many of these groups experiencing the game of golf for the first time and introduced to our program curriculum.
Supervisor Barger’s commitment, support, and advocacy for recreational and after-school programs that serve local communities has been paramount for programs like First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s and their success. Thank you, Supervisor Barger for your dedication to your communities, its members, and the programs that support them.
This meeting took place at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, home site of First Tee – Greater Pasadena.
As Published on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 in Pasadena NOW
On Monday, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and First Tee – Greater Pasadena welcomed a group of youth and adults from First Tee Korea.
First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s mission is to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges by seamlessly integrating the game of golf with life skills curriculum. It operates at the Brookside Golf Club.
The Greater Pasadena chapter is the only First Tee Chapter in the 150 Chapter network to have an International ‘Sister’ Chapter partnership. The visitors from Korea will be staying through Thursday and are experiencing a whirlwind of local activities.
They visited the Rose Bowl on Monday, hosted by the Rose Bowl Operating Company. On Tuesday, First Tee Korea and First Tee Greater Pasadena youth were to play a ‘fun’ nine-hole tournament at Altadena golf course, with dinner to follow.
On Wednesday, both Chapters were to attend the U. S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and Thursday First Tee Korea group was set to visit Universal Studios.
“Our Chapters have been ‘zooming’ over the past four years learning about each other’s cultures and talking about their First Tee experiences,” Master Executive Director of First Tee – Greater Pasadena Robert Baderian told Pasadena Now. “This has been and continues to be a great partnership strengthening both Chapter’s ‘Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Accessibility’.”
For more about First Tee – Greater Pasadena, click here.
For the past few months, First Tee – Greater Pasadena has been highly anticipating the first major golf tournament held in Augusta, Georgia thanks to social media superstar Manolo who is hugely popular on Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, and Facebook with his highly entertaining golf instruction videos. Manolo selected First Tee – Greater Pasadena and all their youth participants to be the sole beneficiary of a fundraising campaign raffling a golf getaway and celebrity meet and greet at this year’s opening major golf tournament. With all the incredible support from his more than one million social media followers, Manolo and Alltroo presented the youth of First Tee – Greater Pasadena with a check for $48,562.70.
Manolo greeted First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s participants with the massive donation at golf class held at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena on Tuesday. Upon arrival, Manolo spent time taking photos with the kids, signing autographs and of course, sharing words of wisdom and inspiration. Along with this donation, Manolo has also previously provided our kids with brand new golf apparel to wear. First Tee – Greater Pasadena and all their youth members want to say thank you so much to Manolo! This generous act will allow us to do impactful work in the Greater Pasadena community.
First Tee – Greater Pasadena has provided positive youth development since 2006. Their mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build
character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. You can show your support to Manolo and visit all the Manolo Teaches Golf pages on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
From article published on Sunday, November29, 2022 in PasadenaNow:
For the quickly approaching holiday season, First Tee – Greater Pasadena, Pasadena Certified Farmers Market and Wounded Warrior Project will team up to ensure that each child from our Wounded Warrior Project golf clinic will receive a token of joy in the form of a toy. Between now and December 15, 2022 we urge our community and its members to bring a new, unwrapped toy to our toy drive events or toy drop-off locations.
You will be able to donate a new, unwrapped toy to the following locations or events: Between Dec. 3- Dec. 15 at the Pasadena Certified Farmers Market at Victory Park (Saturdays) and Villa Park (Tuesdays); Wounded Warrior Project Golf Clinic at Brookside Golf Club on Saturday, December 3rd; or at Brookside Golf Club Pro Shop, 1133 Rosemont Ave. during normal business hours until Dec. 15.
For five years now, Wounded Warrior Project and First Tee – Greater Pasadena have partnered and began with family fun golf clinics. These events hosted by First Tee – Greater Pasadena at Brookside Golf Club comprise of introductory golf clinics teaching putting, chipping, and full-swing instruction for Warriors and their families. Along with the group golf instruction, Warriors are invited into First Tee’s storage areas and outfitted with golf equipment, supplies and apparel that any new golfer would need to get started. In addition to these golf clinics, Warriors have had the opportunity to participate in our Annual Golf Invitational. This year, four members of our community have stepped up and sponsored a foursome of Wounded Warriors Project members to play in our annual Invitational Golf Tournament on Nov. 1. Thank you to Jeff Moscaret, John Sinner, Gretchen Sterling, and Bill Stewart for the indelible impression you have made and your gift to our military veterans and their families.
The clinic on December 3rd will be a special one for both programs. The date marks the first time the focus turns to each Wounded Warrior Project youth. Your support is so greatly appreciated!
To learn more about how to get involved with First Tee – Greater Pasadena, Pasadena Certified Farmers Market and Wounded Warrior Project’s Holiday Toy Drive, contact Executive Director, Bob Baderian at: [email protected].
From article published on Sunday, October 6, 2022 in PasadenaNow:
As a show of full-fledged support for the 2022 First Tee – Greater Pasadena Golf Invitational, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger made a heart-felt appearance to meet with youth participants and executive leadership. The meeting took place at the site of the annual November event, Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, CA, adjacent to the world-renown Rose Bowl Stadium.
The annual event is the program’s largest fundraising event of the year that supports First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s mission of enabling kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. Its primary members aged 5-18 experience activity-based learning that seamlessly integrate the game of golf with a life skills curriculum that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.
In addition, as a community service organization, First Tee – Greater Pasadena partners with programs including Wounded Warrior Project, Latina Golfers Association, as well as other recreational youth programs such as Pasadena PAL, the Boys and Girls Club, and Pasadena’s Parks and Recreation. These partnerships have flourished over the years with many of these groups experiencing the game of golf for the first time and introduced to our program curriculum.
Each year, First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s golf invitational provides an opportunity for its generous donors to give back to their community through sponsorships, purchased foursomes, and large-scale auction items for our golf tournament participants to bid on.
In partnership with Supervisor Barger, who is committed to advocating for recreational and after-school programs that serve local communities, programs like our can sustain success in making an impact in the community. As a result, for more than 16 years, First Tee – Greater Pasadena has served thousands of members from cities and communities in our San Gabriel Valley service area. Thank you, Supervisor Barger, for your dedication to your communities, its members, and the programs that support them.
The 2022 First Tee – Greater Pasadena Golf Invitational will take place on November 1, 2022 at Brookside Golf Club’s C.W. Koiner – Course #1.
To learn more about how to get involved with First Tee – Greater Pasadena’s community programs, contact First Tee – Greater Pasadena Executive Director, Bob Baderian at: [email protected].
From article published on Sunday, October 2, 2022 in PasadenaNow:
The month of October has been recognized as First Tee-Greater Pasadena Month by the Pasadena City Council in a proclamation signed by Mayor Victor Gordo on behalf of the city’s Councilmembers.
First Tee-Greater Pasadena is a local organization helping kids and teens learn life lessons — through the game of golf.
“Every year since the inception of our chapter, October has been, traditionally, the month to hold our annual invitational golf tournament,” Robert Baderian, Executive Director of First Tee-Greater Pasadena, said.
“This has also been a month that we have a number of programs that are offered in the community. So having this acknowledgment in October not only continues to add support to our major fundraising event of the year, which is the annual invitational golf tournament, but demonstrates the fantastic partnership that we have and support from the Pasadena City Council, as well as the Rose Bowl Operating Company.”
The proclamation was signed on Sept. 19 and recognized the organization’s 16 years of service. First Tee-Greater Pasadena has been providing a wide range of services, facilities and programs for over 215,000 youth and their families in the last 16 years.
Background
First Tee-Greater Pasadena operates from the Brookside Golf Club, a 36-hole municipal golf facility located close to the world-famous Rose Bowl.
Aside from Brookside Golf Club, which occupies approximately 200 acres of land, the organization also operates programming at other locations, such as the Alhambra Golf Course, Altadena Golf Course, Arroyo Seco Golf Course, Eaton Canyon Golf Course and Marshall Canyon Golf Course.
Its programs are directed towards youth ages 5 to 17, with a specific target for 5th through 8th graders.
Baderian said First Tee-Greater Pasadena is guided by nine core values that First Tee promotes among young golfers: respect, courtesy, responsibility, honesty, sportsmanship, confidence, judgment, perseverance, and integrity.
Aside from golf course-based programming, the organization has also integrated its First Tee School Program into physical education classes in schools across the country and operates a Community Program in partnership with youth centers like the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs.
“First Tee not only promotes and instructs and provides individuals the opportunity to learn a sport – in this case, the game of golf – but it really incorporates having young men and women become very involved in enhancing their life skills through working with each other,” he said.
Over the past 16 years, about 150,000 youths have completed First Tee-Greater Pasadena’s various programs that are adjusted to the individual learner’s age and skill level.
Typically, the programs are offered in sessions that last up to eight weeks, with four sessions every year. Starters can be around five or six years old and begin with the Target program – an Introduction to the First Tee program. After this, the young golfer goes through a PLAYer program, which requires a minimum age of 7, Par at 9 years old minimum, Birdie at 11, Eagle at 13, and Ace, where the minimum age required is 14 or entering 9th grade.
Annual Invitational Golf Tournament
This year, First Tee-Greater Pasadena will hold its Annual Invitational Golf Tournament and Reception, the organization’s biggest annual fundraiser, on Nov. 1. Held at Brookside in partnership with the Rose Bowl Operating Company, the event offers various sponsorship opportunities for individuals and organizations desiring to support their programs for young golfers.
It also serves to connect First Tee-Greater Pasadena with other community organizations that help provide life skills programming to Pasadena area youth and their families.
Baderian said the organization works closely with many organizations, such as Optimist Youth Homes, the Leroy Haynes Center for boys and girls, Special Olympics of Southern California, Villa Esperanza, Latina Girls Golf Association, Pasadena NAACP, and the City of Pasadena Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department, where First Tee programs are offered during the summer at various local parks through the department’s daytime after-school programs.
“So again, our goal is, we are continuing to work with these various organizations to provide individuals the opportunity to participate in the First Tee curriculum,” he said.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for the Annual Golf Invitational Tournament, visit www.firstteegreaterpasadena.org/invitational-tournament-2022.
On Saturday, June 4, nearly 40 participants of the Latina Golfers Association both women and
youth alike were hosted by coaches of First Tee – Greater Pasadena at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena.
This incredible turnout of experienced and new golfers participated in a morning of group instruction
that including chipping tips, putting games, great looking golf swings, accompanied with lots of smiles
and laughs in an atmosphere of palpable community engagement.
This wasn’t the first time these two organizations linked up for a golf clinic. Latina Golfers
Association founder Azucena Maldonado has previously developed events with the intention for
members of the LGA to introduce their daughters, nieces, granddaughters to golf. “My passion for golf
led me to found the Latina Golfers Association. I absolutely love introducing women, especially Latinas,
to golf. It’s a sport that enhances women’s lives on a personal and professional level,” Maldonado said.
And what better organization to team up with than First Tee – Greater Pasadena whose mission enable
kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges.
Derrick Williams, Outreach Coordinator for First Tee – Greater Pasadena was in awe of
atmosphere. “I love how so many of the participants are mothers, and they bring their daughters out to
enjoy the experience with them, it’s a great family event,” Williams said. “They bring so much energy
and excitement to the clinics.” With youth outnumbering the adults 22 to 17, it’s fair to say this was an
exceptionally successful event. The two organizations look forward to many more events to grow this
great game of golf in the future.
A special thank you to Brookside Golf Club for their continued support serving as site hosts for
First Tee – Greater Pasadena and so many other community groups.
For more information about First Tee – Greater Pasadena and how to get involved with the
program, contact Executive Director, Bob Baderian at [email protected].
To learn more about Latina Golfers Association, visit www.latinagolfers.com or you can contact
founder Azucena Maldonado at: [email protected]
