The major golf organizations in the U.S. will announce
this morning in New York the formation of a multimillion-
dollar project called the "First Tee," according to a front-
page report by Clifton Brown of the N.Y. TIMES. Under the
"umbrella" of the World Golf Foundation, the project's "goal
is to make golf more accessible by creating hundreds of new
facilities ranging from small courses to full-sized ones
over the next decade." With the emergence of Tiger Woods,
golf is attracting more "diverse participants, in particular
youths and members of minority groups," which represent
"potential pitfalls the sport has never faced." Brown: "To
answer those questions, the sport must answer even more
basic ones: What steps should be taken to provide children
with equipment, good teaching and access to golf courses?
Will school districts and youth programs that need more
equipment find the money to handle the growing demand?"
(N.Y. TIMES, 11/13). USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand reports
that "First Tee" currently has 15 courses in planning stages
and "hopes to have 100 in two years" (USA TODAY, 11/13).
NEW NAME: MA-based U.S. Golf Society, dedicated to
recreation golfers, with over 250,000 members, has announced
an official name change to the Golf Society of the U.S.,
effective immediately (Golf Society of the U.S.).
