Local golf non-profit expanding girls golf program into Pueblo after grant from USGA
Bradley Davis
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – First Tee Southern Colorado said it is expanding its girls golf and Pueblo programming after winning a $5,000 grant from the US Golf Association (USGA).
“Golf has always been male dominant and so really growing the female engagement in golf has been such a huge focus for me and a priority so being able to grow girls golf specifically in pueblo, a county we are really trying to grow and make golf more accessible, it’s been a huge success,” said Director of Operations Emily Ortmeier, who is also a LPGA Pro.
First Tee Southern Colorado is the local branch of the national First Tee non-profit. It has an indoor facility off of N. Academy in Colorado Springs with an indoor putting green, driving range and simulator. It’s open to the public from Nov. 1 through May 1.
The relationships between our coaches and the kids, and that mentorship relationship, and watching them really growing and learning and having somebody walking beside them for their journey. For me, that’s the biggest part of it,” Chief Executive Officer Sandy Johnson said.
First Tee was camps and programming for boys and girls ages three to 18 across four Southern Colorado counties: El Paso, Pueblo, Teller and Fremont. The programming costs money, but the organization said it will never turn a child away because of costs.