Arthur Blank Gives Another $10 Million Youth Golf Grant to First Tee

Forbes

6 days ago

First Tee has received a $10 million grant from PGA Tour Superstore owner Arthur Blank through his ... More family foundation, pushing his total donation to more than $25 million to the youth golf development organization.
With junior golfer participation levels at their highest levels in 20 years, the owner of PGA Tour Superstore – the nation's largest golf retailer – has deepened his longtime relationship with First Tee by gifting $10 million to the youth development organization. Arthur Blank, who also co-founded Home Depot and owns the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, has now contributed more than $25 million to First Tee through his family foundation dating back to 1999.
'Junior golf is the fastest-growing segment of the sport, and that's no coincidence," said Blank, the owner and chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses. 'It's a testament to the power of First Tee, which has made the game more accessible and enjoyable for young people, helping them experience golf in new and fun ways.'
Blank joined First Tee as a National Trustee in 2011. Since then, support from PGA Tour Superstore and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation have helped fuel the growth of First Tee's character-building programs across the U.S. that reach more than 3 million kids a year – at golf courses, schools and community centers.
'The innovative and engaging experiences that First Tee provides help kids build self-confidence and inner strength, qualities that will serve them throughout their lives,' added Blank, who has deep ties to the game (including ownership of the Atlanta Drive team that won the inaugural TGL championship) and is one of the nation's most influential advocates for youth golf development.
"We're proud of our deep partnership with the First Tee and are committed to the purposeful impact sports can have in developing and supporting youth.'
Arthur Blank, left, sits with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan during a TGL presented by SoFi match ... More between Atlanta Drive GC and Boston Common Golf earlier this year. (Photo by Megan Briggs/TGL/TGL via Getty Images)
$10 Million Grant
The $10 million gift extends programming established by a $9.5 million grant in 2020 and will support First Tee's efforts to keep teens engaged with the organization, where they have access to safe spaces, educational opportunities and positive role models while gaining greater access to golf and its inherent values.
Almost 3.7 million juniors between the ages of 6 and 17 played golf on a course last year, according to the National Golf Foundation, the most since 2005 and a 48% increase since 2019 (prior to the pandemic).
Blank has helped create a pipeline between PGA Tour Superstore and youth development, with 50 First Tee chapters in markets with the company's retail stores receiving grants to support youth programs. That number will continue to grow as PGA Tour Superstore's footprint further expands.
Store locations in PGA TOUR Superstore markets receive grants to support local First Tee chapters, ... More with 50 chapters already impacted nationwide.
Additionally, PGA Tour Superstore general managers each year lead a five-week, in-store leadership series in partnership with First Tee that helps teens explore potential career opportunities and develop their strengths away from the golf course. The program was offered at 44 store locations in 2024 and there are plans in place to expand it to 70 by 2029.
And perhaps most uniquely, Blank hosts an annual Leadership Summit at his West Creek Ranch in Montana, where 40 First Tee teens experience activities like whitewater rafting and horseback riding while developing leadership skills and learning the importance of relationship building. This week, 48 teens visited Atlanta for a leadership program that included stops at PGA Tour Superstore headquarters and Blank's other sports properties, including the Falcons and Atlanta United.
The annual Leadership Summit brings 40 First Tee teens to Blank's West Creek Ranch in Montana, where ... More they experience activities like whitewater rafting and horseback riding while developing leadership skills.
Blank received First Tee's Founders Award in 2022 for his support of the organization.
'Arthur's vision and commitment reflect a deep understanding that investing in First Tee is truly an investment in the future," said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, Chair of the First Tee Board of Governors. "Through this transformative gift, Arthur is helping open doors for young people nationwide – empowering them to grow as golfers and as people.'