First Green to be Featured in New USGA TV Campaign Airing During U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay
June 9, 2015 – First Green announced today that a new TV Campaign developed by the United States Golf Association (USGA) will feature a dedicated TV spot showcasing the unique collaboration between First Green and the USGA.
The 30-second spot will run across the breadth of 21st Century Fox networks, highlighted by presence on Fox Sports and Fox Sports 1 during the United States Open Championship played at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., June 18 – June 21.
Currently available for viewing on YouTube [https://youtu.be/R_j8NLIEjK0], the spot features Steve Kealy, First Green Board Member and Superintendent at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash. In the spot, Kealy is seen conducting science labs with middle school students on the golf course.
Dr. Kimberly S. Erusha, Managing Director of the USGA Green Section, comments, “We’re proud of our collaboration with First Green which is especially valued for its capacity to leverage and apply science and USGA agronomic research at the local community level. There’s great reward in knowing you’re inspiring a next generation of golfers to appreciate the game and the science that informs sustainable golf course resource management practices.”
Karen Armstead, First Green Executive Director, continues, “We are grateful to the USGA for showcasing First Green’s programming to such a broad and influential audience. For many students, a First Green field trip is their first visit to a golf course. As they test soil or water, they see real-world applications to classroom learning, and they also see the role golf course superintendents play as stewards of the environment. We are especially pleased that our program neatly dovetails with the USGA’s efforts to support and promote the health of the game we all love.”
Lending research and resource management expertise, the USGA has been a supporter of First Green programming since 2005.
Under the theme “A Lot to Love About Golf”, the dedicated First Green / USGA spot is part of a broader USGA campaign running on Fox and Fox Sports 1 that kicks off during U.S. Open Championship week (June 15th), and will run across the breadth of FOX’s national broadcast network through the end of August.
About First Green
First Green is an innovative environmental education outreach program that uses golf courses as environmental learning labs – the only program of its kind. First Green provides extensive resources to golf course superintendents, including online lesson plans.
First Green has been providing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning since 1997.
Golf course superintendents and/or local golf course representatives host students on field trips where they test water quality, collect soil samples, identify plants, design plantings, assist in stream bed restoration, and are involved in the ecology and environmental aspects of the golf course. The students are also introduced to many other aspects of golf.
Supporters of First Green include the United States Golf Association (USGA), Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), Washington State Golf Association, Pacific Northwest Golf Association, the Northwest Turfgrass Association, Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association, local golf clubs, public and private school systems, and individual contributors who assist the organization through monetary grants and participation in field trips.
A tax-exempt nonprofit, First Green was founded in the State of Washington in 1997 and is expanding nationally. For more information, or to view First Green introductory videos, please visit thefirstgreen.org.
About the USGA
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.
The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries. For more information on the USGA, please visit usga.org.
