The first hole at Greystone Golf and Country Club, the home of the Regions Tradition, is a typical beginning hole for any golf course. It’s not the hardest one or easiest one, and it stretches some 400 yards to the green. A par-4 that most pros will reach in two shots.
But the young golfers who attended the First Tee Birmingham event at Greystone on Monday, May 6th of Regions Tradition Week in Birmingham probably weren’t expecting the heavy hitters that spoke to them that afternoon.
First Tee, which Regions supports, restarted its Birmingham chapter in 2023. The organization helps develop youth through the game of golf, while also building strength of character and developing life skills that will last a lifetime. The young golfers were attending a program hosted by First Tee Birmingham, the Regions Tradition and Greystone to provide a one-of-a-kind, heavy-hitting golf experience for the participants.
The presentation concluded with a bang. Zack Holton, encouraging the attendees to cheer him on (because that’s cool for long drive pros), uncorked a drive that might have made it to that first green in one shot. He admitted his longest drive would have gone past it. As one of the top long drive professionals in the world, Holton made it look easy, lining up and hitting balls with a clubhead speed well in excess of 140 miles per hour.
But he wasn’t the only heavy hitter for the day.
As part of Regions’ effort to help build financial confidence with young people, Regions Branch Manager Max Kuntsmann also spoke to the kids about some important financial terms – like income and expenses.
“These kids are a little younger, so we want to talk about some of the basics,” he said. “We want to help give them a good idea of how to manage their money.”
But even this heavy hitter had to crack a smile when one of the students raised her hand to tell him that she had her savings account at Regions.
Shane Bertsch, a PGA TOUR Champions pro, encouraged the group about finding something that you love to do. “Whatever you do, whatever you get into, find something that you really like. That’s what happened to me. [With golf] I could practice on my own and get better,” he told the kids.
First Tee began in 1997 as a partnership among the LPGA, the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America, the PGA TOUR and the USGA to make golf affordable and accessible for all kids, with a focus on children from low-to-moderate income areas. Since its inception, First Tee has impacted more than 15 million young people through its character-building programs on golf courses, in schools and at youth-serving locations.
