Arthur Blank

Giving Kids a Chance

Getting clubs in the hands of kids at a young age is important, but it’s equally important to keep them engaged through their teens. That can be a diffcult task. Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons, created a $9.5 million grant with PGA Tour Superstore to help expand and improve The First Tee’s offerings for teenage golfers. The investment isn’t just in The First Tee’s teen curriculum, it will also fund an annual summit in which 40 teens selected from The First Tee’s 150 chapters will meet in Montana for a week to develop leadership skills. For those not selected for the summit, there will be local leadership programs offered at PGA Tour Superstore locations. A total of 1,300 First Tee teens will get the opportunity to participate. With more teen curriculum and opportunities, the hope is for more teens to engage with the game and benefit from the values it teaches. Whether it’s identity, self-confidence or knowing how to make the most of their lives, Blank says, “I think this is a perfect answer to a lot of the issues that these young people are looking for.” —Keely Levins