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Catching Up With the Inaugural First Tee Scholar

Sixteen-year-old First Tee – Lake County (Hammond, Ind.) participant, Steven Outlaw, was notified during the 2001 First Tee Network Summit, the annual gathering of those within the First Tee network, that he was going to have to make his speech earlier than originally scheduled. The events to follow happened in a way that only fate decides.  

Steven describes it as “being in the right place at the right time.” Using one of the first skills instilled into First Tee participants, as well as taught within his own household, on how to properly introduce yourself to others, Steven walked right up to one of the other speakers of the evening, former president of Georgetown College, Dr. William Crouch, and shook his hand. Steven’s demeanor stood out to Dr. Crouch and gave him quite the idea.  

Following Steven’s speech, Dr. Crouch scrapped his own prepared comments and surprised Steven with a full scholarship to Georgetown College and news that he planned to provide a full scholarship to First Tee participants every year following. This full-ride scholarship would alleviate the financial burden of furthering Steven’s education. 

Bob Krause, former vice president of institutional advancement at Kansas State University, followed suit with Dr. Crouch’s pledge. The First Tee Scholars Program was born and set to begin by 2003 with the inaugural class of Scholars, many of whom Steven is still in touch with today.  

L to R: Christopher Hawkins, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus and First Tee Scholar Class of 2003; Adam Ruegg, Troon Golf; Steven Outlaw, First Tee – Lake County alumnus and inaugural First Tee Scholar; Rod Jackson, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus; Brandon White, current Program Director First Tee – Lake County. 

As the inaugural First Tee Scholar, Steven graduated from Georgetown College with a degree in political science. After college, he enrolled in the PGA, PGM Accelerated Program. After completing two levels of the program, he secured an internship with Troon Golf, a leading golf management company. He has since worked with Troon Golf for nearly 15 years, starting in Arizona and traveling overseas to work in the Middle East, and in Malaysia managing The Els Club Teluk Datai (rated #83 in the world by Golf Digest in 2016).   

More recently, Steven serves as the PGA Director of Golf at Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club, managed by Troon Golf.  Steven has been a PGA Class A Professional for more than 10 years and currently serves on the Southwest Section PGA Board of Directors and is very active with Troon’s D&I Council. Going forward, Steven aspires to ascend the ranks in the PGA of America, with a passion specifically around diversity, equity and inclusion and positive change within the game of golf. 

Though Steven had numerous amazing opportunities during his time as a First Tee participant, he now prides himself in exploring what he can do for First Tee as an adult. He works closely with First Tee – Lake County, often supplying the chapter with donations.  

“These opportunities would not have been possible without First Tee and the core values instilled in me such as perseverance and confidence. Much of what I learned during my time with First Tee I use now to strengthen and empower my team. I am forever grateful and honored to be part of such a great organization. I look forward to the future of First Tee and the path they will pave for the next generation.” 

Eleven years after Steven’s speech, the First Tee Scholars Program continues to thrive. It has since received a face-lift following Greg McLaughlin being named First Tee CEO in 2019.  

Relaunching officially in 2020, President George W. Bush, honorary First Tee chair, congratulated the first class of the revamped program. First Tee College Scholarship Program now extends its impact to alumni beyond financial support, providing personal and professional development throughout their post-graduate careers.  

Each of the Scholars is paired with a dedicated, trained adult mentor who helps encourage and guide them throughout the college experience, including virtual and in-person meetups. The program also provides professional development workshops held in-person throughout the year, and up to $5,000 per year toward tuition.   

“First Tee aims to inspire and empower every young person in the program to set goals and begin pursuing them,” said McLaughlin. “The First Tee College Scholarship Program is intended to motivate young people to stay in the program and support alumni as they matriculate through the college.” 

In recognition of First Tee’s 25th anniversary, the Class of 2022 includes 25 First Tee Scholars. This time, Steven Outlaw has turned the tables, joining as a mentor to one of the Scholars.   

“I was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by great professionals as I progressed through my time with the First Tee.  These individuals helped me grow not only in golf, but personally and professionally.  I consider myself lucky to be able to return the favor to the next generation!” 

We believe in helping youth succeed – on the golf course and in life. Learn more about our programs and how you can get involved. 

Three Ways to Help Kids Develop a Positive Self Identity

Experiences are our greatest teachers. They shape how we treat others, how we see the world around us, and how we view ourselves. How we view ourselves is also known as our self identity and is defined as the qualities and potential you possess. It can influence the choices you make, the attitude you have day-to-day, and ultimately, it becomes your inner voice. For youth especially, a positive self identity can have a massive impact on who they become as adults. There are many ways parents can help their kids develop a positive self identity, and at First Tee we pride ourselves in nurturing a positive self identity for youth. Here are three ways you can help your kids develop a positive self identity inspired by our core values. 

Live Your Values

Kids watch and learn from the adults in their lives every day. Studying their actions and responses, they develop their identity based on their guardians and the other mentors in their life. If you live according to the values you want your kids to have, then they are more likely to absorb that into their own independent lives. That being said, having a mentor is a great way to ensure this happens. At First Tee,youth learn from their coaches by:

  • Treating others with respect and honesty 
  • Experiencing the value of teamwork, not just by being told to act as a team but by witnessing their coach lead with teamwork. 
  • Watching their coaches exercise positive self talk and kindness to others around them brings out the best in themselves and their self identity.  

Create a Culture of Acceptance

When there is no room for failure there is no room for growth. Fostering an environment that is not only safe for kids to fail but encourages them to try again, helps kids develop a strong sense of self. Acceptance also transcends just failure; it also means that every person, regardless of their background, is welcome. We work together to actively create a space of belonging for every kid— no matter what walk of life. Through example we encourage youth to accept their team members for who they are, treat each other with kindness, and create that culture of acceptance everywhere, so that when they reflect on themselves and their own identity they treat themselves with the same level of respect and positivity that they give others.

Empowerment Through Experiences

For kids, experiences shape their inner voice that gives them confidence and character. Not all experiences in life are easy, and when we empower youth to persevere and stay true to themselves, we bring out the best that’s inside of them. First Tee exists to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. As time goes on, that empowerment creates a strong sense of self, and encourages a positive self identity even in difficult situations. 

Though a positive self identity may seem like something only some people are born with, it is really something that can be cultivated through leading by example, an open culture of acceptance, and consistent empowerment through all experiences. What do you want your child’s inner voice to sound like when they grow up? Nurturing their self identity can make all the difference in that. We guide kids and teens to strengthen what’s inside and put it into action. If you are interested in getting your child involved with First Tee, you can learn more and sign up today! 

Building Understanding, Trust and Empathy with Active Listening

Every conversation can be an opportunity to learn something new, build trust with someone, and deepen connections. This happens when we build the skill of active listening and learn to treat listening as an active process – not a passive one. 

What is Active Listening?

Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. It’s about being present, listening to understand (not respond), and showing active interest and engagement in the dialogue.  

Why does it matter? 

Active listening is an important skill for all of us to cultivate. Not only is it an important leadership skill, it has been shown to promote mindful thinking, can reduce anxiety and depression, helps build relationships and can promote empathy.  

How do we practice it?

At First Tee, we use a process called A-L-R to help build connection through active listening. This helps us to deepen conversations, keep them going, and get the most out of them. Here’s how A-L-R works:

  • Asking questions: Asking thoughtful questions is not only a way you can keep the conversation going, but it gives you a deeper understanding of the person or topic you are engaging with. 
    • Helpful Tip: Be curious. Try asking questions that dig a bit deeper: How did they feel in that moment? What was going on in their minds during that experience? What would they do differently the next time? These make the conversation richer, rather than closed-ended questions that are typically answered with a simple Yes or No.  
  • Listening to understand: When you ask a question, it is important to listen carefully to what the person is saying. We can sometimes be fixated on what we are going to say next, or when it’s our turn to jump back into the conversation, but try not to think about what you are going to say next.. Your focus is on them and their perspective rather than your own. 
    • Helpful Tip: Make an effort to try to clear your mind first of any distracting thoughts. It can help to jot down a mental or physical note of things on your mind in order to give your full attention. 
  • Reflect & respond to the reply: Keep the conversation going by responding in a way that connects with what they just said. You can try to restate in your own words what the person said, share what you think or feel about it, or ask another open-ended question that connects with what the person just said.
    • Helpful Tip: Show engagement and interest in what they are saying: look them in the eye when they are talking, use body language like nodding your head.


Active listening requires work, but you’ll be surprised at how much reward there is when you approach conversations and communication with this skill. Active listening is just one of the skills we are supporting kids and teens to build at First Tee. Click here to find out more about our programs.