First Tee – Middle Georgia is excited to announce that registration is now open for its upcoming Spring session, set to begin on March 3, 2025. First Tee offers classes at Historic Bowden Golf Course and River North Country Club. Participants will come together once a week for six weeks. The full schedule of days and times and the reegistration can be found at https://firstteemiddlegeorgia.org/.

First Tee – Middle Georgia is a youth development organization that empowers kids and teens through the game of golf. Our programs focus on building character, instilling core values, and teaching important life skills that help young people succeed both on and off the course. 65 children have already gone through previous six-week cohorts.

“Our mission is to provide young people with opportunities to grow through the game of golf,” said Elliott Ruus, Executive Director of First Tee – Middle Georgia. “Spring is a great time for kids to get outside, develop new skills, and gain confidence, and we’re excited to welcome new and returning participants to our programs.”

This past summer, First Tee – Middle Georgia was one of 25 organizations to receive MVP grant funds. It got $20,000 to launch year-round on-course programming for youth aged 7-18, with a strong emphasis on recruiting children from underserved communities.

Programming will integrate golf with a life skills curriculum to foster inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience in young people. The trained coaches create an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere that fosters personal growth, goal-setting, and a lifelong love of the game.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get involved with First Tee – Middle Georgia this spring! Secure your child’s spot today by registering at firstteemiddlegeorgia.org.

About Macon Violence Prevention
Macon Violence Prevention is an evidence-based, multifaceted program created to address public safety in Macon-Bibb County. Supported and funded by the consolidated government, MVP is a community-wide effort that brings together elected officials, community leaders and representatives from more than 20 agencies, organizations and departments.

This past summer, 25 organizations announced more than $800,000 in grant money to 25 non-profit organizations. Since the inception of MVP in 2021, $1,685,000 has been awarded to 40 different organizations’ missions.

Though MVP is still fairly new in its implementation, it has already helped the community realize significant results in becoming safer. From 2022 to 2023, Macon-Bibb had a nearly 43% reduction in homicides, from 70 to 40. The reduction in homicides for children (those 18 years old and younger) went from 15 in 2022 to 5 in 2023 – which is a 66.7% reduction in just one year.

While other cities in Georgia and around the country also had a decline in their homicide rate, Macon-Bibb County’s 43% far surpassed them. Atlanta had a 21% decline, Columbus a 12%, Savannah a 13%, Mobile, Alabama a 21%, and Jackson, Mississippi a 14%.

The MVP program operates under the guidance of the MVP Strategic Plan, which was introduced in June of 2021. Created by community stakeholders and violent crime experts, this strategic plan combines data and research with community feedback to implement proven solutions that reduce violent crime and strengthen the community over time.