Yankees hit the green with First Tee for HOPE Week 

NEW YORK – The students participating in the First Tee golf program abide by a set of nine core values intended to instill qualities like integrity, sportsmanship and perseverance. Those hours spent on the fairways and in tee boxes are simply the delivery vehicles.

The Yankees know a thing or two about those traits. On Day 3 of HOPE Week, a group of players and coaches spent a memorable afternoon practicing their putting with the First Tee Metropolitan New York chapter at Mosholu Golf Course in the Bronx.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt. “Sports are so unique, because it breaks the barrier of that awkwardness. You’re able to just kind of be competitive and have fun and interact with the kids.”

Nine players traded their gloves for caps and putters prior to Wednesday’s game against the White Sox: Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Ryan McMahon, Trent Grisham, Jake Bird, Brent Headrick, Tim Hill and Ryan Weathers.

Assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes and assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel also had the opportunity to learn about First Tee, which was founded in 2001 and aims to foster character in young people, particularly in communities that have historically lacked access to golf or enrichment opportunities.

As part of HOPE Week, First Tee Metropolitan New York received a $20,000 donation from the New York Yankees Foundation.

For participants ages 6-18, playing golf is just the introductory act. First Tee’s program pairs the sport with a structured life skills curriculum that encourages academic empowerment and long-term success, said Matt Rawitzer, the group’s executive director.

“Our goal is not to produce the next PGA Tour player,” Rawitzer said. “Golf allows people to be somewhere they’ve never been, to be outdoors. You’re going to come across all walks of life. The game is difficult, it’s challenging, it’s frustrating. So we center it around core values that golf has inherently built in.

“Rather than just reading a book or teaching you in a classroom, let’s go play a game and instill those values in a more organic way. We’re really lucky, because golf has blessed a lot of us in our lives. We want to instill that in our kids.”

Standing on Mosholu’s putting green, where the chirp of birds replaces the din of traffic, it can be difficult to believe that such a place exists within New York City’s limits. That’s part of the charm, said Lizzy Blomgren, the group’s NYC/Westchester program director.

“They’re playing golf, hanging out with friends, and they’re building community in a safe place to hang out,” she said. “How many areas in New York City can you just hang out and run around and play tag, golf, ride a bike? That’s the magic we do at First Tee.

“We’re really proud of that. That’s why none of us leave -- because we love it.”

One signature local chapter initiative is the “Path to College” program, which is designed to equip middle and high school students as they pursue higher education. During Wednesday’s event, the Yankees group heard from two students who recently received scholarships to prestigious universities.

Nationwide, eligible First Tee alumni can receive annual scholarship aid for college, along with access to internships and professional development workshops.

“That’s changing kids’ lives,” Schmidt said. “I know it changes these families’ lives, being able to have an outlet where these kids can go for hours throughout the day and not feel like the parents have to worry. To come to a safe space here, that impact is going to be decades long.”