YMCA To Build First Tee Short Course At Rogers Park In Tampa

TAMPA, FL — First Tee – Tampa Bay, a part of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, is partnering with the Tampa Sports Authority to design and build a nine-hole, par-3 short golf course at Rogers Park, 7910 N 30th St., Tampa.

The short course will consist of holes ranging from approximately 60 to 120 yards in length, using the land that sits between the 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th holes of the current Rogers Park 18-hole course.

The layout of the short course at Rogers Park was designed by renowned golf course architect Steve Smyers and will be built by ABM Industries during the summer and fall. The short course will have natural fairways and greens, and artificial tee boxes to help reduce the wear and tear that comes with course play. When not being used for First Tee – Tampa Bay youth programming, the short course will be open to the public for a nominal fee.

“The First Tee is an amazing program that is helping millions of kids all throughout the country,” said First Tee – Tampa Bay board chairman Gary Koch. “Here in Tampa, we have one of the largest and most successful chapters in the network, and a big reason for that is our incredible board of directors and other volunteers. With their help, we were able to raise the funds to create this new short course, which will allow us to serve even more kids in the program.”

First Tee teaches children a series of life skills and Nine Core Values through the game of golf. As a long-time West Tampa resident and volunteer at the First Tee – Tampa Bay at Rogers Park, Lionel Ballard has seen first-hand the positive impact that the program has on kids.

“I saw many of our kids improve their grades, improve their study habits. Also, I’ve seen kids that came out here that couldn’t get the ball off the ground at first, and now they’ve developed their skills and are actually playing professional golf," he said.

“We are really excited about being able to build this family-friendly golf course, both for the kids of the First Tee and for the community in general,” said Tampa Sports Authority President & CEO Eric Hart. “We think the short course will be a fun experience for all players, from beginners to advanced. It will hopefully also bring out people who have never experienced the game to give it a swing.”