Our mission
To impact the lives of young people by providing CHAMP (Comprehensive Health and Mentoring Program) educational activities that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
Through its Family Learning Center, First Tee – Miami is focused on impacting the lives of 5,000 young people annually. We provide educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
History of the Dade Amateur Golf Association
In 1981, the Dade Amateur Golf Association (DAGA) began a year-round program of weekly tournaments for Junior Golfers. They were played on a variety of Miami-Dade County golf courses. At that time, this was considered one of the most ambitious Junior Golf programs to be undertaken in the entire United States.
Early in 1982, the DAGA officials approached the owners and management of the world-famous Doral Golf Resort & Spa. They proposed a major Junior Golf tournament be staged annually at Doral Golf Resort & Spa during the Christmas school break. Junior Golfers from all over the world would be invited to participate in Doral’s famed courses, This generated world-wide publicity ensuring significant room sales at the resort during a normal slack period.
Doral management was most receptive to the idea and, as host, agreed to donate the use of as many of its’ golf courses as would be required. Initially, the tournament was a 36 hole, stroke-play event that drew more than 200 entries, representing 23 states and 6 foreign nations. However, as a result of its’ immediate popularity, the 1983 tournament was expanded to the present 54-hole, stroke-play format.
Today the tournament attracts over 120 entry applications, with over 600 young golfers being accepted into the field. In all, all US states and 43 foreign countries are represented annually making this one of the world’s largest and most prestigious tournaments in all of Junior Golf. In 2013, the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) agreed to add the Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic tournament to their list of approved and rated events making this event even more prestigious.
The First Tee – Miami – Dade Amateur Golf Association (DAGA) is internationally recognized as one of junior golf’s strongest and most innovative supporters, raising funds to stage its many organized events through strong community support and various fund-raising activities. The majority of our support for our programs is given by Publix Super Markets, the Trump National Doral Golf Resort & Spa, and The Nat Moore Foundation.