The First Tee Course Reporters

Editor's note: First Tee members Darius Davis, Nick Griffin, Kayla McClendon and Taylor Smith will be serving as Course Reporters from THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola on Wednesday and Thursday.

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The adventurous last day at East Lake
Darius Davis

The last day at East Lake was one that will always be remembered. Today was unbelievable and filled with life changing experiences. This is an exciting opportunity because I met Brad Faxon, Billy Schroder and many other important people who help out the PGA TOUR. One of the best highlights of today was witnessing Martavious Adams from The First Tee of East Lake hit the opening drive to kick off THE TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. I hope in the future to come across this experience for a second time.

To start off with, when we first arrived in the media room, we met Chris Condon, who is a photographer for the PGA TOUR. He was an amazing guy, who talked to us about earning a job that you like. He told us this because when you get older, it wouldn't feel as if you were working at all. Next, we met Chris Reimer, who is the Manager of Communications. He told us about his job and why he decided to pursue it. Chris informed us about how he helps promote stories that the media might want to hear. He also manages interviews, and collects optimistic stories about the TOUR players and charitable foundations. This is a busy occupation because the Communications department is on site all 52 weeks of the year.

Subsequently, we met Billy Schroder, who is the Director of player relations. He educated us about how the TOUR develops opportunities that the players can participate in. In order to have a career in player relations you must be a "people person". You have to be a people person so that you can form relationships with the TOUR players as well as gain their trust.

Finally, we visited Don Wallace, who gave us a tour on the ShotLink truck. This was very appealing because at ShotLink they use different equipment to perform tasks. For instance, to find the number of strokes that the player has, you can use a laser or a hand held device. If I wanted to pursue a job with ShotLink, I would have to use coordinates to discover where the ball is on the golf course. After meeting with ShotLink, we proceeded to the fitness trailers. First, we saw the fitness trailer for players, which is there for rehab and stretching purposes. While we were there we came across Brad Faxon, who is a very exceptional golfer. Next, we proceeded to the fitness trailer for the PGA TOUR players. While there, they explained to us about the importance of exercising and working out before a tournament. One of the most important facts that they had given us is that learning study habits on work routines now can help build endurance on the golf course.

In conclusion, I had an awesome time that I will never forget. From the first day to the last day, I was entertained every moment of this fantastic experience. I would recommend an opportunity like this to anyone who can participate. They will not regret it. Once again, I had an incredible time here and I thank God for blessing me with this opportunity.

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The final day at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola
Kayla McClendon

This was my last day as a First Tee Course Reporter. I would have to say it was also the most memorable. I had a blast. We did a list of things that I never thought were imaginable. We took several pictures with the photographer, Chris Condon.

With the other reporters, I met with the Manager of Communications, Chris Reimer. He described what his job really was. He spends his time promoting and collecting stories about the players and the actual tournament itself. Telling good and interesting stories is key to reporting. Along with THE TOUR Championship come many organizations that benefit from it. Of course, The First Tee of East Lake is a big one. Also the East Lake Foundation and Drew Charter School benefit from this immense tournament.

When the TOUR players come to participate in tournaments around the world, they want great hospitality. This is where Player Relations comes in. They talk and communicate with the players on several topics, such as travel hotels, eligibility for certain tournaments and also give them feedback on what they think. The Director of Player Relations is Billy Schroder. He handles all of the players' complaints, reservations and comments on everything dealing with the TOUR.

As the day kicked off, one of my fellow peers at The First Tee of East Lake, Martavious Adams, hit the first ceremonial tee shot of the day. After catching a bite to eat in the Media Center, we visited the employees and technicians at SHOTLink. We met with Don Wallace who explained how all of the equipment worked. They are very technologically enhanced. All of the volunteers on the course with the scores have handheld devices in which they use to track the players' strokes on every hole, stats, and overall score. Lasers, which are placed all around the course, are used to tell the ball's exact position using a grid system. It was very intriguing to see how the transfer the information from the course to the SHOTLink trailer. In the future, they believe that they will be able to predict player's shots before they happen based on technology and statistics.

Our final stop was the Fitness Trailers. One of the trailers specializes in therapy and rehab, while the other is more for endurance and working out. We spoke with Jeff Hendra and Brad Faxon on keeping in shape and doing proper stretches and exercises before your round. These trucks travel with the PGA TOUR. The equipment included bikes, medicine balls, tread mills, and weights. Most of the players visit these trailers daily.

The week was without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable of my life. I am very blessed to have been a First Tee Reporter and will forever remember the time spent here at THE TOUR Championship. I have learned a great deal of helpful things and am hopeful to have found a future job for me. All of the employees were a complete joy to work with and if I had the option, I would definitely do it all over again. Thank you to the numerous people I have met over these last two days and especially to our "tour guide", Dan Chelel.

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Last day at East Lake an enjoyable and informative experience.
Nick Griffin

With the first round of THE TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola underway, East Lake is in full swing. An abundance of fans and media crammed their way into the gates this morning, all for an opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of the best players on TOUR and watch them battle it out for the desirable FedExCup. After an excellent day yesterday, I was incredibly thrilled for another day at East Lake.

As opposed to Wednesday, the other reporters and I met at the front gates early this morning before the course was even open to spectators. We made our way into the Media Center for breakfast, and sat down to speak with Chris Reimer. Chris Reimer is the Manager of Communications for the TOUR and he explained to us that he serves as a middleman between the media and the TOUR. His main purpose is to make sure that the media gets first-class stories about the players, and he also enjoys working with the players, especially Sergio Garcia whom he knows personally. We were also given the opportunity to speak with Billy Schroder, the Director of Player Relations. Mr. Schroder clarified that he serves as a liaison between the players and the TOUR. His responsibilities include taking complaints, telling players where to stay, conversing with players, and making sure everything goes smoothly during the course of the tournament. In fact, before he spoke with us, he ate breakfast with Camilo Villegas. That just goes to show how closely he and the players work together. Our eventful day was coming to a close, but we still had a small number of more places to visit.

Our next stop was at the SHOTLink trailer and we spoke with Don Wallace. I had little to no prior knowledge before today, but now, knowing what I know, I have a greater admiration for the people who mark off yardages and determine the statistics that we all have come to recognize and enjoy when watching golf at home. SHOTLink is a exceptionally awesome technology and is what allows us to see yardages and statistics at home when we watch a golf tournament. To my surprise, there were only six or seven individuals working inside speaking with volunteers out on the course.

Our final stop was the fitness trailer. I am one who is very interested in physical therapy/sports medicine, so to meet the physical trainers for the TOUR players was riveting. Basically, the fitness trainers provide rehabilitation, stretching, and exercise machines for the players to use. However, they estimate only 30 percent of the players actually use it. We also discussed what type of field or major one would have to enter in school in order to achieve what these TOUR trainers have. In fact, I am even more interested in the field now and am definitely considering it as an occupation in the future if my plans for professional golf do not pan out. Overall, this experience was unbelievable and I am grateful that I was even given a chance to take part in it. If there is one thing I can take away from this, it is that one should always do things that involve something you love, and I love golf.

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Opening ceremony, SHOTlink visit highlight last day at East Lake
Taylor Smith

On day two of my experience as a First Tee Course Reporter, the day began with a meeting with the Manager of Communications, Chris Reimer. He explained what exactly his job entails and how he is known as a "middle man" between the players and the media. It was interesting to find out his opinion on the game and the PGA TOUR itself. While talking to him, I asked him a question about how Tiger Woods' absence will affect the turn out this year. He responded by saying that this tournament is a "good measuring stick" of the popularity of the Fedex Cup rather than just Tiger Woods. Mr. Reimer gave me good insight on the public relations aspect of the game.

After finishing our meeting with Mr. Reimer, we made our way towards the beautiful clubhouse, filled with glistening chandeliers and stunning antique furniture. There we met the Director of Player Relations, Billy Schroder. He spoke about how his job is concerned with the satisfaction of the players and how to make sure players interact with tournament sponsors. He stated that his job involved a lot of stress because of the constant travel, but his love for the game keeps him going. At the end of discussing his job, he gave us his card. I thought that was a thoughtful gesture because it made me feel like I was important and not just a kid who wants to know about the PGA TOUR.

In the commencement of The 2010 TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola, there was a remarkable opening ceremony that included a ceremonial tee-off by Bobby Jones IV and 16-year-old First Tee golfer, Martavious Adams. Following the tee-offs, there was a wonderful representation of the colors and the national anthem sung by the chorus from Drew Charter School. This was definitely an eventful moment of this day. To hear the innocent voices of the young singers and to see the drive hit by a First Tee golfer was truly inspiring. This inspires me to practice more and strive to be best.

We then embarked on a long and strenuous walk to hole no. 16 where the Birdies for the Brave Patriots' Outpost was located. Upon arriving we saw tubs of delicious Mayfield ice cream. As a result of our hot and strenuous walk this ice cream really helped cool us down. The tent was amazing and something that showed an immense amount of gratitude towards the veterans and the fallen.

Our last stops of the day included SHOTlink and the fitness trailers. It was very interesting to learn about SHOTlink and how it is used to view the game of golf. Don Wallace explained to us the inner components and how every group has a scoring device that record the number of strokes a player for each hole. He also explained how they use lasers to track the distance of each shot of each player. Mr. Wallace believes that in the future SHOTlink will be used to show predictions of shots for each player. The fitness trailers included a physical therapy trailer, which is used to maintained and treat different injuries, and a workout trailer, which was mainly for exercising purposes. The trailers were very nice and they included all the equipment needed.

As I sign off for the last time, I would like to give thanks to my parents, my First Tee Chapter director, Mrs. Vanessa Hawkins, and Mr. Daniel Chelel for providing me with this wonderful opportunity. This was truly a chance of a lifetime.

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Meeting Watson, Villegas highlights first day at East Lake
Taylor Smith

The sound of birds chirping and the smell of freshly cut grass encompassed the air as I arrived at the practice round for The 2010 TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. I knew that I would have a fun and interesting day at this event. The first building I entered upon arriving was the Media Center. The Media Center is essentially where all of the journalists and columnists are housed during the event to post up-to-date information about the tournament. This is where I would write and post my blogs for the next two days. I was nervous but excited of what was next to come.

The first item on today's agenda was a 9 a.m. press conference with the No. 2 golfer in the world, Phil Mickelson. When Mr. Mickelson arrived I noticed that one of my colleagues literally dropped his jaw, he was so thrilled to see him! While in the press conference Mr. Mickelson repeatedly talked about his win at the Masters stating "And the Masters kind of made the year for me. It meant a lot to us emotionally; it meant a lot to me personally." It almost looked as if he was teary eyed when he spoke about his wife and his family. This was a great experience for me to see someone who I always see on television, actually in person.

We then ventured to the media dining room to eat a small breakfast, which consisted of Toucan Sam's Fruit Loops and reduced fat milk. It was simple and delicious. The next press conference that we sat in on was focused on golf as a global sport. This conference was The World Golf Hall of Fame announcement, inducting professional golfer Ernie Els among others. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR, Tim Finchem, who is a big supporter of The First Tee program, had the honor of inducting Mr. Els as a new member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. During the ceremony Commissioner Finchem reminisced on the first time he met Ernie Els and how two months after this meeting Mr. Els won the U.S. Open. Mr. Els commented that this brought a lot of joy to his homeland of South Africa. Following the announcement, my fellow junior reporters and I had a small one-on-one conversation with the commissioner himself. I asked him about what he envisions for the PGA TOUR in the next five to ten years. He talked about the growing popularity of golf around the world from Asia to South America. Commissioner Finchem was a sincere and respectful man that has done a lot for the PGA TOUR and its players.

After leaving Mr. Finchem, we causally walked through the parking lot for the players and their sponsors. We ended up stopping at the wonderful and famous TaylorMade Golf truck. As I stepped into the truck, the smell of rubber filled the air. I met a man named Wade Liles who was in charge of replacing and repairing clubs for the golfers that they sponsor. It was amazing to find out that it them five minutes to make a one of a kind TaylorMade golf club and thirty minutes to make a set of irons.

The most memorable moment of today was meeting and talking to Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson. It was kind of humorous how we were so star stricken by Mr. Watson that we forgot to ask for an autograph! We were able to take pictures with them and talk about the First Tee program. It was great to inform professional golfers about a program that I truly love.

In all, this day was amazing. To be frank, this day was outstanding. From meeting Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson to sitting in on press conferences, this day made me realize that there are many people that help with the process of broadcasting and planning a PGA TOUR championship event. I wonder what is in store for tomorrow. I guess I have to wait and see.

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First day at East lake provides a wealth of great experiences
Nick Griffin

As East Lake prepares to hold its annual TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, the PGA TOUR and its numerous workers are working all around the clock, and many players are getting their final practice rounds in and getting ready to finish up the season strong. Luckily, I was granted the opportunity to venture around the course with other First Tee participants and experience golf from a brand new perspective.

Our day began with sitting in on a Phil Mickelson press conference. I didn't know much about press conferences before today, other than what I had seen on television. Surprisingly, there are many details about press conferences that one cannot notice from watching it. I pictured a large, spacious room filled with various reporters battling for the opportunity to ask a question. Contrary to what I believed, the conference room was quite undersized and filled with roughly twenty reporters who were casually asking questions. I never realized how close these reporters and journalists actually get to the TOUR players, and to see this was an eye opening experience. Phil Mickelson discussed multiple aspects of his golf game and answered many questions about his opportunity to grasp the coveted No. 1 ranking. It was an excellent way to start out the day, but only the beginning to an exciting day at the golf course.

We traveled to many other places such as the TaylorMade truck, in which the employees can design and make altercations to clubs on site, sat in on the World Golf Hall of Fame press conference, and we even were granted the opportunity to speak with Commissioner Tim Finchem. Commissioner Finchem discussed how he used to own a marketing firm up in D.C., where the PGA TOUR was one of his clients, and he was eventually asked to enter the company. He also spoke about how he got into the sport of golf, and even mentioned a few of his role models coming up: Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer. Shortly after that we met a few TOUR players: Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson. They seemed to be really down-to-earth people who liked to hang out, talk, and play a game that they love. It was a great opportunity to see these players in a different light other than what most of us see on television. Later, we spoke with Helen Ross, the Chief of Correspondents for PGATOUR.com. She spoke about what good writing entails, how she got into her field of work, and why she enjoys it so much. Everything we had done so far was enjoyable, but our thrilling day was not over just yet.

Throughout the rest of the day, we navigated around the course, both sighting and speaking to many players, and also were able to speak with the one of the PGA TOUR's meteorologists. He told us what his job was like, and explained that instead of giving a broad, general description of what the weather will be like for multiple counties, his job only concerns the golf course and its perimeter. Also, we met one of the rules officials, who explained that officials are not only responsible for making rulings at major events, but they also determine the pin and tee box placements, and make sure that the spectator ropes are out of all areas. I was also surprised at how closely the meteorologist and the TOUR rules officials work in cooperation, and it was a superb conclusion to my first day at East Lake. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow has in store.

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An Opportunity of a Lifetime at the THE TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola
Kayla McClendon

It is a very exciting week here at the East Lake Golf Course. The whole vibe and feel of the course is breathtaking. It was a great honor to be able to participate in an event like this. Everyone seemed very enthusiastic about the tournament. The beautiful scenery of the course was astonishing. Being a Junior Course Reporter really gives you that behind the scenes look at the tournament itself, the players, and all of the people it takes to put it together.

Today had many highlights. We sat in a press conference with Phil Mickelson. He talked about the different outcomes this tournament could bring upon him and his family. If he wins, he will be the only winner ever to successfully defend his TOUR Championship title. I was very impressed with how comfortable he spoke in front of crowds and cameras the way he did.

I really enjoyed visiting the TaylorMade truck. This truck travels the entire country with the PGA TOUR. It provides the players with any club or with any adjustments that need to be made. They are able to switch out the grooves, grips or soles of the clubs. Dustin Johnson is one of the players sponsored by TaylorMade. If a player wanted to come and try out the new TaylorMade driver, they could. Inside that truck, they could make a whole set of irons in a half hour.

Along with the other participants, I meet with the Chief of Correspondents for PGATOUR.com, Helen Ross. She was very inspirational. We discussed what it takes to be a sports reporter and what it is you actually do. She gave us several helpful tips and advice for writing and blogging.

Throughout today, I've gotten the opportunity to do some pretty extraordinary things. Although this day is coming to an end, this is only the beginning of my FUTURE!!!!!

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The first day at East Lake
Darius Davis

This day was very exciting from the start; it was filled with once in a lifetime opportunities, and memorable events. I did many things such as meeting PGA TOUR executives, watching press conferences, and meeting PGA TOUR players. I also received autographs from friendly TOUR players including Camilo Villegas, Ryan Moore, and Jason Day.

First, when I came here, my peers and I went to the media room to watch Phil Mickelson's interview. This was a very extraordinary experience, because I had never seen one of the best in the world just a few yards away from me. After watching his interview, we went to the media "cafeteria". This was an exciting place for me because I could show my true identity and eat gluttonously. After eating a fine, well cooked gourmet meal, we proceeded to the Golf Hall of Fame Induction Announcement. While we were there we met Commissioner Tim Finchem. This was very neat because not a lot of people get a chance to meet the Commissioner of the PGA TOUR.

Next, we visited the TaylorMade truck where they informed us about their company. They told us about important facts such as how they develop the wedges based on how the players want it. The last thing that they said was that they were known to have the best drivers on tour. After leaving the truck, we took a trip to the next trailer where we met the Chief Meteorologist. He gave us valuable information about how they communicate with the players if a storm is about to come. Finally, we proceeded to talk to Robby Ware, who was a Rules Official. He explained to us how their system worked according to the front nine and the back nine. This day was fantastic and I will never forget it.

To sum it all up, I had a wonderful, fun, and an exciting experience today. I learned so much about TaylorMade, meteorology, and the rules of golf. After today, I'm thankful because I know that everybody cannot witness this opportunity of a lifetime. Today was phenomenal and I can't wait until the next day comes.

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Blogger Biographies

Darius Davis Darius is a ninth grader at Arabia Mountain High School, located in Atlanta, Ga. His hobbies are video games, going to the movies, practicing math, and golf. Golf is his favorite hobby as he is a member of The First Tee of East Lake. He has been playing golf for approximately three years. It has been challenging for him because it allows the use of all the nine core values for his daily activities. His plans in the future are to become a professional golfer or a sports agent. Nick Griffin Nick is a 16-year-old who has been actively involved in the First Tee of Atlanta. He is currently a junior at Woodstock High School in Woodstock, Ga., and is a member of the school golf team. He has been on the First Tee A/B Honor Roll every semester. He is a member of the Atlanta Junior Golf Association and has participated in various AJGA tournaments. Nick plans to attend college to major in Sports Medicine or Sports Management. He truly enjoys golf and says It is a great sport that teaches life skills and instills character, which is demonstrated in the First Tee Program. Kayla McClendon Kayla is 14 and a ninth grader who attends Chamblee Charter High School. She has participated in The First Tee of Eastlake for four years. She has a 4.0 GPA and her favorite subjects are Math and Language Arts. She loves writing and expressing herself and her hobbies include singing, dancing, and playing golf. Taylor Smith Taylor is in the 11th grade and is an International Baccalaureate student at Campbell High School in Smyrna, Ga. She played on her high school's golf team for three years. She also participates in several clubs at her school including robotics team and Earth club. She began her involvement with the First Tee organization in 2007 when she was thirteen years old. Since then she has significantly improved her skills in the game of golf. She has also learned a lot about herself as an individual by applying the First Tee life core values to her everyday life. With the help of The First Tee program she has become not only a good golfer but a strong leader. She has realized that the information and knowledge that she has acquired from the program should be shared with others. It is her mission to tell everyone she knows about the First Tee organization and its principles. The First Tee organization has helped her realize that golf is more than just a game; it's a way of life.