Assessment Certification Requirements
The First Tee of Greater Charleston curriculum offers seven progressive levels of golf and life skills instruction: TARGET, PLAYer, Advanced PLAYer, PAR / Teen, BIRDIE, EAGLE, and ACE. Coherent with the classes listed below; certification ensures that each participant can successfully complete and demonstrate the golf and life skills acquired during their previous classes. Successful completion of certification is required to move to advanced program levels.
Advancement in the program is solely up to the participant and his/her aspirations. The length of time needed to certify from one level to the next will vary from participant to participant. Certification Requirements are posted to help participants and parents follow along with progression and preparation for certification, while encouraging practice and play outside of scheduled class time. Please note that the only exception is the TARGET level, which is an optional class for 5 and 6 year olds and does not have a Yardage Book or assessment. Participants simply age out to the PLAYer level on their 7th birthday.
The First Tee of Greater Charleston recommends a minimum of 16 hours (36 required for Birdie and 64 required for Eagle) at each level before attempting the assessments. Participants must also have reached the required minimum age of the next level to successfully certify. Any assessments that are taken before that minimum age is reached or before any mandatory hour requirements are completed will be viewed as practice, and the participant will need to take the assessment again when he/she is eligible to certify.
Assessments are offered at the PLAYer-Birdie levels by appointment only at the completion of each Core Golf & Life Skills Programming session for participants enrolled in the current season’s classes. Assessment schedules are released during week 6 of each season and are emailed directly to families participating that season by the Program Director, and registration is done by email.
| The First Tee Certification Requirements Quick Glance | ||||||
| Progressive Levels | PLAYer Ages 7-12 |
Advanced PLAYer Ages 8-13 |
PAR Ages 9-14 |
Teen (combined level PLAYer, Adv. PLAYer, PAR) Ages 13-18 |
Birdie Ages 11-18 |
Eagle Ages 13-18 |
| General Requirements to Certify to the Next Progressive Level | ||||||
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Class hours per level We encourage participants to assess each season as an extra opportunity practice the skills they have learned! |
Minimum of 16 hours (2 seasons) suggested before certifying | Minimum of 16 hours (2 seasons) suggested before certifying | Minimum of 36 hours (3 seasons) suggested before certifying | Minimum of 36 hours (3 seasons) suggested before certifying | Minimum of 36 hours (3 seasons) required before certifying | Minimum of 64 hours (4 seasons) required before certifying** |
| Certifying Age | 8 yrs. or older | 9 yrs. or older | 11 yrs. or older | 13 yrs. or older | 13 yrs. or older | 15 yrs. or older |
| Volunteer Hours | 0 hours | 0 hours | 0 hours | 0 hours | 0 hours | Minimum of 32 hours |
| Golf Skills Assessments | ||||||
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Walking Playing Requirement Only the PLAYer level’s walking requirement is played during the assessment. All other level requirements must be played on participant’s own time, outside of class, and the scorecard(s) must be brought to the assessment. Scorecards must be dated within one year of the assessment date. |
One 3-hole round 45 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score No score limit Minimum Yardage: |
One 9-hole round 2 hours and 15 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score No score limit, but PLAYers are encouraged to pick up and move to the next hole at double par Minimum Yardage (or Level I Junior Tees): |
One 9-hole round 2 hours and 15 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score Maximum of 63 strokes Minimum Yardage (or Level I Junior Tees): |
One 9-hole round 2 hours and 15 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score Maximum of 63 strokes Minimum Yardage (or Level I Junior Tees): |
Five 9-hole rounds 2 hours and 5 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score Maximum of 57 strokes Yardage Minimum: 2500 yards |
Ten 18-hole rounds 2 hours and 5 minutes or less/play Keep accurate score Maximum of 100 strokes Yardage Minimum: 5500 yards |
| Putting |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 33 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 27 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 24 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 24 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 21 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 18 strokes Distances: |
| Short Game | N/A | N/A |
One 3-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 12 strokes Distances: |
One 3-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 12 strokes Distances: |
One 6-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 21 strokes Distances: |
One 9-hole round Keep accurate score Maximum of 24 strokes Distances: |
| Full – Swing (Greens) | N/A | N/A | 3/6 (45 yards from center of green) |
3/6 (45 yards from center of green) |
3/6 (75 yards from center of green) |
4/6 (100 yards from center of green) |
| Full – Swing (Fairways) | N/A | N/A | 2/6 (ball travels a minimum of 100 yards to fairway 45 yards wide) |
2/6 (ball travels a minimum of 100 yards to fairway 45 yards wide) |
3/6 (ball travels a minimum of 150 yards to a fairway 45 yards wide) |
4/6 (ball travels a minimum of 175 yards to a fairway of 45 yards wide) |
| Written Assessments | ||||||
| Life Skills & Healthy Habits Knowledge |
LEARN: 83% or higher on 12 questions (10/12) | LEARN: 83% or higher on 12 questions (10/12) | 83% or higher on 18 questions (15/18) | 83% or higher on 18 questions (15/18) | 83% or higher on 24 questions (20/24) | 83% or higher on 30 questions (25/30) |
| Golf Skills Knowledge | APPRECIATE: 80% or higher on 10 questions (8/10) | APPRECIATE: 80% or higher on 10 questions (8/10) | 80% or higher on 15 questions (12/15) | 80% or higher on 15 questions (12/15) | 80% or higher on 20 questions (16/20) | 80% or higher on 25 questions (20/25) |
| Life Skills/Golf Skills Bag Tag checklist (measured by observable behaviors) | ||||||
| Learned Core Values & Life Skills |
1.Showing Respect 2.Courtesy Towards Others 3.Responsibility for the Course 4.The Honesty of Players 5.Modeling Sportsmanship 6.Developing Confidence |
1.Showing Respect 2.Courtesy Towards Others 3.Responsibility for the Course 4.The Honesty of Players 5.Modeling Sportsmanship 6.Developing Confidence 7.Using Good Judgment 8.Playing with Perseverance 9.Living with Integrity |
1.GAME 2.Respect 3.Meeting and Greeting with A-L-R 4.Three Tips for Having Fun 5.4 R’s 6.Personal Par |
1.9 Core Values at Advanced PLAYer 2.GAME 3.Respect 4.Meeting and Greeting with A-L-R 5.Three Tips for Having Fun 6. 4 R’s 7.Personal Par |
1.Dreams and Goals 2.Important and Positive Goals 3.Specific Goals 4.Goal Under Your Control 5.Goal Ladder 6.S.T.A.R. |
1.Wellness 2.Go-To Team 3.Appreciating Diversity 4.C.A.R.E 5.Go-To Person 6.Planning for the Future |
| Golf Rules | ||||||
| Yardage Book and Rules of Golf | PLAYer (up to page 30) and USGA Rules of Golf | PLAYer and USGA Rules of Golf | Par and USGA Rules of Golf | PLAYer & Par and USGA Rules of Golf | Birdie and USGA Rules of Golf | Eagle and USGA Rules of Golf |
** Please note that Eagle assessments are not held each season but every other year to certify to the Ace level. The Ace level is the highest opportunity for participants of The First Tee. Participants work to complete four projects over a 1-2 year span to help them prepare for their future on and off the golf course. To learn more about the Ace level, please click here. The next Eagle assessment will take place in August 2019.
