NGCOA HONORS THE FIRST TEE WITH AWARD OF MERIT

St. Augustine, Fla.— (December 9, 2009) – The First Tee will receive the National Golf Course Owners Association’s (NGCOA) Award of Merit for its contributions to the game of golf.

The Award of Merit is the NGCOA’s longest-running award and is designated for long-term and significant contributions to the game of golf. Past year’s recipients include World Golf Hall of Fame member Gary Player and the PGA of America.

“The First Tee is pleased to receive this level of recognition from the NGCOA,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee. “The NGCOA is an influential organization in the golf industry and we appreciate their support in our commitment to positively impact the lives of young people through the game of golf.”

“The Board of Directors of the National Golf Course Owners Association is very pleased to recognize The First Tee with the Award of Merit. It is undoubtedly the most significant youth program in the history of our industry. The scope and effectiveness is unprecedented and it will influence countless young people and our industry for generations,” says Mike Hughes, chief executive officer of the NGCOA.

The award will be presented at the NGCOA annual conference in San Diego in February 2010.

About The First Tee

The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, Fla. at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame.  Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.  Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 3 million participants in 49 states, over 3,000 elementary schools and five international locations – Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore.   Former President George H. W. Bush serves as honorary chairman.  The First Tee Founding Partners are the Masters Tournament, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA.

About the NGCOA

The National Golf Course Owners Association is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The Association represents the key decision makers with ultimate responsibility for golf courses throughout the world. Through advocacy, information resources, purchasing programs and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information, visit www.ngcoa.org or call 1-800-933-4262.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Jane Fader, The First Tee, (904) 940-4009, jfader@thefirsttee.org
Joe Rice, National Golf Course Owners Association, (800) 993-4262 ext.222, jrice@ngcoa.org