Making a Difference

SPRING 2019 (Florida Coast Magazine) – The First Tee is a junior golf program created to present the game to children who have never been given the opportunity to play. Florida Coast Magazine sat down with World Golf Hall of Famer (four-time Major Champion) and founder of the Els Center of Excellence Ernie Els, First Tee Program Director Connie Capanegra, and PGA professional, artist, and First Tee tutor Amy Lourie to discuss introducing golf to autistic children and the benefits it has had on the children, parents, and teachers.

The Els Center of Excellence is situated on a 26-acre plot of tranquil land in Jupiter, Florida. The school is uniquely designed with high windows for greater natural light to provide a progressive environment to benefit the children who attend. They all have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disability caused by variances in how the brain functions. Every inch of the building’s design is centered around making this a world class charter school.

How It All Began

“Our son, Ben, was diagnosed with autism in 2005,” Els begins. “At that time, he was three years old and we were living in England. After doing a lot of research, my wife Liezl and I found that schools and therapies were more available and further ahead in the U.S. I was playing a lot of tournaments here, so it made sense for the family to move. We started the Els for Autism Foundation™ in 2009, with the thought of putting my name behind our fundraising efforts.”

The concept of having a school that focuses on autistic children’s needs started to become a reality. “The vision for The Els Center of Excellence came as an aspiration to have a one-stop-shop, a place where individuals with autism could get all the services they needed such as education, therapies and recreation, in one location,” Els continues. “We purchased 26-acres in Palm Beach County and construction on the campus began in 2014. Currently, we have two Palm Beach County charter schools on the campus—The Learning Center serves students ages 3-14 and The Learning Academy serves students ages 14-21. Between the two schools, we have around 250 students on the campus.”

The First Tee

In 1997, the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association), the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, and the USGA wanted to know why children were not playing more golf. In order to address the question and find a solution, they formed The First Tee. Program Director Connie Capanegra states, “We teach all kids—with or without special needs. We have a few facilities with the main one being at Dyer Park in West Palm Beach. We also visit numerous schools, including the Els Center of Excellence.”

The First Tee also offers adaptive golf programs for people with disabilities with The Ernie Els #GameON Autism™ golf program. It started in 2013 as a collaboration with The First Tee and PGA REACH®, which developed the pilot program and now visits the school at least twice a week to conduct lessons. The organization has 40 coaches, seven full-time employees, and is set to grow in the near future.

“The golf at Els’ school is specifically designed for children with autism,” Amy Lourie enthusiastically expresses. “We concentrate on clear steps, which are in the same order each time, and we also spend time taking each child’s needs into consideration. It was a learning curve for all of us. We wanted the children to feel comfortable and within a few lessons of 45 minutes, the change was incredible. The children all came out of their shells. We have a ‘question and answers’ session where the children take turns standing up and introducing themselves. Many, including staff, were so excited and thrilled that the children managed to achieve this confidence through the program. We worked on this first and then we got them exercising and carrying out specific, simple drills.”

Els is also overjoyed at the program and its success stating, “This golf program is unique, with each lesson plan focusing on one of four learning concepts targeted to the needs of people with autism—communication, regulatory, motor, and social skills. These learning concepts are presented in fun and measurable ways which are seamlessly incorporated into each lesson and paired with a golf skill, such as aiming to the target, distance control, or getting the ball in the air. So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from parents, educators, and golf instructors.”

Success Through Golf

There is a young gentleman named Joshua Deer, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. The game of golf has been a pivotal part in overcoming the various challenges life has thrown in his path. This young man from Fort Worth, Texas credits golf with helping him reach people, become a leader, and do something important with his life. Els explains, “Josh went to the Golf Academy of America and has a job at the Iron Horse Golf Course in North Richland Hills, Texas. He teaches golf instruction and does outside services. This year, in partnership with Trophy Club, he plans to start a yearly Els for Autism Golf Clinic, which will run in the spring and fall. He will be teaching a passion for the game of golf to kids on the autism spectrum, like himself. Josh is an inspiration and we appreciate him for being a significant autism awareness ambassador.”  

“This golf program is unique, with each lesson plan focusing on one of four learning concepts targeted to the needs of people with autism—communication, regulatory, motor, and social skills.” – Ernie Els

Nine Core Values

Alongside the golf intuition are The First Tee’s Nine Core Values—honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment. These values emphasize skills, which can be used on the golf course and everyday life. In addition to being a Frist Tee tutor and PGA pro, Amy Lourie is an accomplished artist. Lourie has always had a love of golf and art and wanted to find a way to combine her two passions. “I love the fact I get to use my art in a positive way. I have painted the Nine Core Values on large canvases, which are now on the walls of the high school at the Els Center of Excellence. Working with The First Tee and El’s school is a great honor. Not only are we teaching the kids the basic skills of golf, but we are also teaching them life values.” Lourie smiles, “Maybe adults need reminding of these core values too.”

Lourie’s art uses giant graphic shapes and effervescent colors. She captures a lively spirit and places it on the canvas, with each piece being labeled after a core value and a connection to golf. Reviewing these canvases is not only impressive from an art perspective, but there is something very moving about being reminded of morals, sometimes lost in today’s society. If one has a chance to see Lourie’s work, look very closely for her daughter’s name, which is hidden in each canvas. It’s an expansion of Lourie’s caring nature, her attention to detail, and thought process. Lourie’s art is currently exhibiting at The Els Center of Excellence, Els for Autism, The First Tee of the Palm Beaches, The First Tee of America headquarters, and Artlantic Fine Art at Harbourside Place, Jupiter.

Moving Forward

When asking Els if there is a plan to develop his school even further, he replied, “Our near-term plans are to complete the campus in Jupiter, Florida. The capital campaign we are focused on right now is to raise funds to build an adult services center, a medical and research facility, and a sports complex, which will include a gymnasium and swimming pool. Our goal has always been for The Els Center of Excellence campus to be a model to the world of what can be available to individuals on the autism spectrum.”

As a Major champion golfer, Els used his knowledge of the game, along with its technique, passion, and etiquette and injected this into his dream school for autistic children. Golf can be challenging, engaging, and rewarding and with the help from The First Tee tutors the children are learning the sport, shaping their minds, and potentially providing the world with the PGA pros of the future.

For information on The First Tee and their golf programs for all children, please visit www.thefirstteepalmbeaches.org.