First Tee – Tampa Bay

First Tee – Tampa Bay offers Group Lessons, Short Course Club, Advanced Team, Summer Junior Golf Camp, Players Club, and J.E.W.E.L’s Girls Golf. Group Lessons meet once a week for seven weeks for 60 minutes per class; Short Course Club meets once a week for seven weeks on Saturdays for 3 hours each class; Advanced Team meets once a week for seven weeks and includes playing rounds on a regulation golf course; Summer Junior Golf Camp runs for ten consecutive weeks in the summer and on most weeks of school vacation.

Programs

• Group Lessons — 5-17 · Once per week for seven weeks, 60 minutes per class; offered continuously throughout the year every two months
• Short Course Club — 8-18 · Once per week for seven weeks on Saturdays for 3 hours each class
• Advanced Team — 12+ · Once per week for seven weeks · Eligible members continue developing skills, play rounds on a regulation golf course, and learn further First Tee Core Values and Life Skills. Child must be Advanced Team Certified to participate.
• Summer Junior Golf Camp — Ten consecutive weeks in the summer, and on most weeks of school vacation
• Players Club — grades 9-12 · A free program for high school golfers.
• J.E.W.E.L’s Girls Golf

At a glance

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• General schedule: Program schedule page states tentative 2025 schedules are available for Short Course Schedule, Group Lessons Schedule, Advanced TEAM Schedule, J.E.W.E.L’s Girls Golf Schedule, Camp Schedule, and Player’s Club Schedule.

About the provider

The program dates back to 1991 as Urban Junior Golf at Rogers Park Golf Course in Tampa. Urban Junior Golf became an official program of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA in January 1998, and First Tee – Tampa Bay was officially formed in 1999. In 2021, it was the top chapter in the First Tee network for the number of certifying participants, with 10,790 children, and was in the top 10 percent for outreach participants, with 61,550 children. It also provides introductory programs in 140+ Hillsborough County public schools, afterschool programs at several local courses, and week-long summer camp experiences.

The First Tee emphasizes Nine Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. Coaches are trained to create positive relationships and supportive environments. Parents may stay to walk or ride along at most locations if desired, but it is not recommended for safety reasons and as a potential distraction. The golf course has the right to deny spectators according to their policies.

What families say

“I consider my coaches at The First Tee to be some of the most important mentors I had growing up.” — alumnus

Last updated September 9, 2026.