Boston's Youth Golf Program Attracting New Generation Of Players

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Kyle Harris of the non-profit First Tee is trying to change the culture of golf one swing at a time.

He knows golf has always been an expensive sport to play between purchasing equipment, lessons, and booking time on the green.

And for the most part, the sport has belonged to the white and wealthy.

Through a new initiative in Boston called the 'Youth Golf Program', Harris is trying to break down barriers and take the game of golf to the inner city. The initiative is a partnership between Boston Public Schools, the Reggie Lewis Center, and First Tee.

At Roxbury's Reggie Lewis Center in a room upstairs, Harris operates a golf simulator providing lessons to city kids who have had limited opportunity, if any, to learn how to play golf. "We are working very hard to serve communities who have previously been discouraged by the game of golf, or outright excluded," he said.

The program teaches golf to young people ages 7-17.

Michael Turner is the Executive Director of the Reggie Lewis Center and talked about how important Tiger Woods has been to attracting people of color to the game. "Golf was just something I never even thought about until I saw Tiger Woods on the main stage."

First Tee started in June. Harris said the plan is to offer the program year-round.

WBZ NewsRadio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.

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