Fedex Cup Isn't Only Great Golf Event At Plainfield

While all golf eyes are fixed on The Barclays, the first playoff event in the quest for the FedEx Cup, that's not the only great golf event taking place at Plainfield Country Club. In 2009, Plainfield became the first private golf club in the country to build a First Tee chapter. In a relatively short time, the program has grown to over 250 aspiring young junior golfers who meet at Plainfield's West Nine in Edison, NJ.

In July of this year, The First Tee of Metropolitan New York launched its Path to College Program for First Tee participants at the club. On Tuesday, July 12, Drew University in Madison, NJ, hosted approximately forty 7th, 8th, and 9th graders for an information session and tour around the beautiful Drew campus. The information session focused on educating the participants on what steps they should take to prepare for college, including studying hard to achieve a high GPA and researching colleges to find the right one for each individual.

"One of the great things about being alive today is that we have options, especially when it comes to schools," said Luis Pena, Admissions Counselor at Drew University. "You need to take ownership of your college search. There is a school for every single person."

The participants were eager to gain as much knowledge about the college process as possible and were filled with questions for the counselors. "I learned that a college campus has a lot more to offer than sports," said Quavis Anderson, participant of The First Tee. "I want to find a place where I am comfortable."

Led by Drew University students, the participants went on a tour of the campus and got a taste for what college would be like. For some, this was their first time on a college campus. "I didn't think it would be this nice," said Andrew Gutierrez, participant of The First Tee.

Later in the afternoon, older students of The First Tee attended their first SAT preparation class, taught by Mark Hoyt. Participants were introduced to the math section of the SAT and learned about special techniques to use when solving the tricky SAT math problems. These classes will take place at both the Essex County and Plainfield facilities over the next 12 weeks and will prepare participants for the SAT this October.

The following day, high school students in the Program toured Rutgers University and gained additional information on the acceptance process and setting a proactive timeline for college admission.

For more information about Plainfield CC and the First Tee program there, contact Bill Castner, PGA,
(908) 769-3672 or castnerpga@gmail.com.

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.