First Tee – Florida Gold Coast
First Tee – Palm Beaches / Michael B. Finnegan Learning Center, 7301 N Haverhill Road, Riviera Beach, FL 33407
About
First Tee – Florida Gold Coast offers junior golf programs that include golf instruction and Saturday morning golf sessions. The program uses a practice facility and short course built on 12 acres in Dyer Park, with areas for playing, practicing, and learning the game.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
The program is part of First Tee, a youth development organization that integrates the game of golf with a life skills curriculum. The facility includes expanded tee areas, a short course with many playing options, practice bunkers, and putting and chipping greens, along with a 2,500 square foot clubhouse at the Finnegan Learning Center. First Tee – Florida Gold Coast offers programs for young people with special needs and disabilities, as well as programs for veterans with disabilities.
The Children’s Golf Foundation, Inc. dates back to 1988 and leased 12 acres in Dyer Park in 1996, broke ground on the golf facility in 1998, and officially opened the facility in 2002. Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 caused significant damage, and the economic recession of 2007 reduced the ability to raise funds, leaving the facility operating mainly Saturday morning classes in 2008. Craig Watson was hired in mid-2009, the practice facility was completely renovated in the summer of 2012, and the new facility reopened in January 2013. Funding to replace the badly damaged clubhouse at the Finnegan Learning Center was granted in the summer of 2013, and in February 2014 the organization was awarded a territory expansion into Broward County.
First Tee – Florida Gold Coast serves St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, and Broward counties and began with partnerships with special needs classes from local elementary schools. The Children’s Golf Foundation has worked with therapists from the VA Hospital to serve veterans with disabilities and started programming in partnership with 13 afterschool elementary programs. The Honda Classic is a Founding Partner of First Tee – Palm Beaches, and supporting partners include The PGA of America, Jack Nicklaus, the Michael B. Finnegan Foundation, Wadsworth Golf Charities, and the Caross Foundation. PBAU golf teams practice at the facility, and First Tee – Broward has established new program locations and serves young people with special needs.
The leadership and staff include founder George McGrory of The Children’s Golf Foundation, Inc., CGF Board Member and Chairman Emeritus Dick Sheehan, Vice Chairman Steve Rockoff, and CGF Board Member Ken Kennerly, who is Executive Director of The Honda Classic. Joe Steranka, President & CEO of The PGA of America, is listed in the leadership, along with Craig Watson, who serves as Executive Director, Program Director, and Development Director, and Carl Mistretta Jr., who is an Executive Director. Jack Barrett is a Development Director, and Andrew Hunt is a Trustee of First Tee, President of First Tee – Treasure Coast, and an officer on the CGF Board. Gennifer Garvin is Director of Operations for First Tee – Treasure Coast, Anthony Coletta is First Tee – Treasure Coast Director of Operations, Connie Capanegra is a Program Director, and Jack Bloomfield is Director of Operations of First Tee – Broward. Additional leaders include First Tee Trustee Bob Simses and Leon McNair, President of Wadsworth Golf Charities.
Staff credentials include Craig Watson as a PGA Professional; Gennifer Garvin as LPGA and a First Tee Recognized Coach; Connie Capanegra as LPGA; Anthony Coletta as a Keiser College of Golf graduate; and Jack Bloomfield as a former sales representative for Callaway Golf.
Last updated February 14, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
The program is part of First Tee, a youth development organization that integrates the game of golf with a life skills curriculum. The facility includes expanded tee areas, a short course with many playing options, practice bunkers, and putting and chipping greens, along with a 2,500 square foot clubhouse at the Finnegan Learning Center. First Tee – Florida Gold Coast offers programs for young people with special needs and disabilities, as well as programs for veterans with disabilities.
The Children’s Golf Foundation, Inc. dates back to 1988 and leased 12 acres in Dyer Park in 1996, broke ground on the golf facility in 1998, and officially opened the facility in 2002. Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 caused significant damage, and the economic recession of 2007 reduced the ability to raise funds, leaving the facility operating mainly Saturday morning classes in 2008. Craig Watson was hired in mid-2009, the practice facility was completely renovated in the summer of 2012, and the new facility reopened in January 2013. Funding to replace the badly damaged clubhouse at the Finnegan Learning Center was granted in the summer of 2013, and in February 2014 the organization was awarded a territory expansion into Broward County.
First Tee – Florida Gold Coast serves St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, and Broward counties and began with partnerships with special needs classes from local elementary schools. The Children’s Golf Foundation has worked with therapists from the VA Hospital to serve veterans with disabilities and started programming in partnership with 13 afterschool elementary programs. The Honda Classic is a Founding Partner of First Tee – Palm Beaches, and supporting partners include The PGA of America, Jack Nicklaus, the Michael B. Finnegan Foundation, Wadsworth Golf Charities, and the Caross Foundation. PBAU golf teams practice at the facility, and First Tee – Broward has established new program locations and serves young people with special needs.
The leadership and staff include founder George McGrory of The Children’s Golf Foundation, Inc., CGF Board Member and Chairman Emeritus Dick Sheehan, Vice Chairman Steve Rockoff, and CGF Board Member Ken Kennerly, who is Executive Director of The Honda Classic. Joe Steranka, President & CEO of The PGA of America, is listed in the leadership, along with Craig Watson, who serves as Executive Director, Program Director, and Development Director, and Carl Mistretta Jr., who is an Executive Director. Jack Barrett is a Development Director, and Andrew Hunt is a Trustee of First Tee, President of First Tee – Treasure Coast, and an officer on the CGF Board. Gennifer Garvin is Director of Operations for First Tee – Treasure Coast, Anthony Coletta is First Tee – Treasure Coast Director of Operations, Connie Capanegra is a Program Director, and Jack Bloomfield is Director of Operations of First Tee – Broward. Additional leaders include First Tee Trustee Bob Simses and Leon McNair, President of Wadsworth Golf Charities.
Staff credentials include Craig Watson as a PGA Professional; Gennifer Garvin as LPGA and a First Tee Recognized Coach; Connie Capanegra as LPGA; Anthony Coletta as a Keiser College of Golf graduate; and Jack Bloomfield as a former sales representative for Callaway Golf.
Last updated February 14, 2026.
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