FOURTH OF 6 PARTS

It took Ken Zitz nine years, but on May 1, 2006, First Tee of Oahu officially became a chapter of the national First Tee program. On its second anniversary, Zitz’s labor of golf love had expanded to Maui and Molokai and was re-christened First Tee of Hawaii.

Zitz’s devotion has not wavered. Today, there are 13 programs across the state with 700 kids registered.

"When I first looked at it, I knew it was a good organization," Zitz said. "It will be my gift or legacy to kids in Hawaii.

"I saw the quality of the life skills it involves. I like working with kids. It became my calling to help get it going and work with the kids. We have a lot of kids from middle-class and lower-income families and a lot of them would have no chance to hold a golf club if it wasn’t for this.

"I saw the value."

First Tee was first established in 1997 as an initiative of the World Golf Foundation 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." Its founding partners are Augusta National Golf Club; the USGA, LPGA and PGA tours; and PGA of America.

Now, after nearly 20 years, it’s easy to see the value of Zitz’s vision.

"He is very passionate about the program and the kids in it," said Janice Blaser, whose son Tripp has been with the program half his life. "He worked hundreds of hours, many for no pay, to keep it going. He started with a handful of kids and one location and grew the program so that now there are hundreds of kids, several locations, including military bases and even programs on the outer islands."

Tripp Blaser became one of the program’s youngest coaches, and in 2014 became one of 102 First Tee Scholars nationwide.

Blaser is now a freshman in the University of Hawaii’s engineering program, with the help of scholarships from Chevron and the U.S. Golf Association — and that First Tee Scholar honor. He helps Zitz’s son, Pat, coach the First Tee program at Hickam’s Par 3 course. Tripp also helps out with the robotics team at Waialua High and Intermediate School, his alma mater.

And he is exceptionally well spoken.

"As I have grown older I realize how valuable the life skills part of the program is," Blaser said. "At the end of the day golf turned out to be only a tool — although a really fun one — that I used to learn the valuable life skills that the First Tee has taught me.

"If it wasn’t for the life skills I learned from the First Tee, like integrity and responsibility, I would have never done so well in high school. If it wasn’t for the life skills like perseverance and judgment, I wouldn’t be pursuing my dream of mechanical engineering at the University of Hawaii," Blaser said. "Overall the golf was a blast, but what I liked most was how the First Tee helped shaped me into the person I am today."

In Hawaii, Blaser’s dream runs parallel with the dream Zitz has pursued since he started working with kids at Kalakaua Golf Course in 1996. Zitz played college baseball, has a master’s in Chinese Language from Georgetown and taught Chinese at the U.S. Naval Academy for four years. He served 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after two combat tours in Vietnam as a tank platoon and tank company commander.

He was looking for golf design work here when he first became aware of First Tee. Zitz was design coordinator for Jack Nicklaus’ Komono Golf Course in Japan, worked on several renovations and practice facilities around the world, and designed the First Tee’s six-hole facility at the Salvation Army Camp in Waialua.

But in the last several years, Hawaii’s First Tee has devoured Zitz’s time. He was executive director until PGA pro Kellan Anderson took over recently, working as a contractor. Zitz was then elected board president.

"I’m still doing a lot of reports from the home office," Zitz said. "More reports than I had to do in the Marine Corps."

Zitz admitted that "at 73, I’m ready to turn it all over to Kellan," but First Tee Hawaii has no employees and although Zitz has drawn many sponsors, including Friends of Hawaii Charities and Pacific Links, the organization still needs volunteer devotion.

He does have a devoted follower in Anderson.

"Ever since I met Ken back in 2008, I felt his passion and dedication toward the First Tee of Hawaii," Anderson said. "Ever since I graduated from UH-Hilo in 2006, I have been teaching junior golf, and when I started teaching with First Tee of Hawaii in 2008 and learned the philosophy and teaching style, I fell in love with the program. I will continue to pursue my goal of making First Tee of Hawaii not only the best junior program in Hawaii, but in the U.S."

Anderson and Zitz share the belief that golf is simply a link to the heart of First Tee and its nine core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

"I simply tell people First Tee teaches life skills through the medium of golf," Zitz said. "We are not teaching kids to be professional golfers, but they will learn a game they can play the rest of their life. It’s a lot of fun; there is no pressure, tournaments or competition. They are out there whether they hit the ball well or not. The main point of every session is to teach life skills."

One of the first things kids learn is to look people they meet in the eye, shake their hand and tell them their name. They are encouraged to mentor, like Blaser, and Colin Laszlo and Justin Williamson, who represented Hawaii at the Nature Valley First Tee Open the past two years, and also to coach.

Williamson played in the Champions Tour event with Scott Simpson, who has promised to help when he moves back to Hawaii next year. Pro golfers Ben Crenshaw and Larry Mize have also donated their time.

Zitz’s goal now is to "integrate the First Tee curriculum into Hawaii’s junior golf program" and get more courses and pros involved. And, always, raise more money.

To that end, First Tee Hawaii will again offer an Ambassador Card in 2015, which offers discounts at 18 courses for a $100 donation to the organization.

Next year’s programs begin around Jan. 10 at Hoakalei, Bay View Driving Range, Hawaii Kai, Turtle Bay, Hawaii Country Club and Hickam Par 3 on Oahu; Kamehameha Golf Park and Makalei on the island of Hawaii; Ironwood Hills on Molokai; Waiehu on Maui; Cavendish on Lanai; and Wailua on Kauai.

See thefirstteehawaii.org for more information.