Tiger Woods was just two years old when he was hitting golf shots alongside Bob Hope on the “Mike Douglas Show” in 1978 and the rest of his story, from his first TV appearance, is history.

Not every youngster has such an early start to the game or will go on to win 14 majors and become the world’s highest paid sportsman, but if a kid takes up golf he or she will have a hobby for life. Then again, who knows: perhaps your child could one day be on a winning Ryder Cup team. There are certainly enough places to learn the game.

All over the world programs are springing up in an attempt to lure youngsters to golf, with the reasoning that once they have the bug they are hooked for life. Golf is a byword for honesty and teaches children many lessons that can be used in other aspects of their life.

There are plenty of ways a potential Tiger or Anthony Kim can get involved in the game and one such initiative, the First Tee Program, which is supported by Arnold Palmer, has given more than 500,000 children their first taste of the game.

The First Tee National School Program, set up by the World Golf Foundation in 1997, is an entry level golf course that places an emphasis on the character development of young golfers though the inclusion of its nine core values: honesty, integrity, respect, sportsmanship, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

Before Woods burst onto the scene, almost a decade and a half ago, golf had a slightly staid image but his emergence has made the sport “cool” and appealing for youngsters from all backgrounds.

Dedric Holmes, a senior director of First Tee, says: “People realize the type of person Tiger is and what he represents in terms of excellence on and off the golf course, and so it certainly makes an easier sell when we say we believe the game of golf, rich in tradition, in etiquette and things like that will help kids in the long run be better citizens.

“If a kid plays golf he has the ability to meet people; to network and learn social skills.”

By 2010 First Tee aims to have introduced golf to more than 3.5 million young people and although 99 percent of these will not be seen on the PGA or the LPGA Tours they will have had experiences of the game that can translate to other aspects of their life.

In June 2008, at the Ascarate Golf Course, The First Tee of Greater El Paso program was opened with former LPGA player Kristi Albers, now executive director of the program, cutting the ribbon.

She said, “This is going to help so many kids. This will be perfect for kids who have never touched a club. It will all revolve around the core values, teach kids to make better decisions, to be honest. The kids are getting an education and they don't really know that they are. They are out to play golf.”

That message is being drummed home in more than 250 First Tee learning facilities all over the United States. Palmer demonstrated his support by donating hundreds of clubs to the First Tee of Pittsburgh, where he has strong ties.

Recently Jack Nicklaus got in on the act when, in conjunction with the PGA of America, he donated grants totaling $45,000 to nine chapters of First Tee. Of 206 active chapters, 161 have received funding from the PGA or a PGA teaching grant, donations that total more than $2 million, proving the determination of golf's major authorities to encourage as many youngsters as possible to pick up a club and try out the game.

The rise of First Tee became evident in the summer when Emily Powers, a senior at the University of Kansas, became the first participant of the scheme to qualify for a major championship after clinching a place in the U.S. Women’s Open.

A participant at The First Tee of Great River in Quincy for three years during high school, Powers played in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach with Champions Tour player Peter Jacobsen in 2005. She was a mentor to younger participants at her Chapter and still draws from that experience when she plays. "The First Tee taught me a lot of values, and when I help other kids it reminds me to use a lot of those same skills when I play," she said.

The biggest hurdle that a lot of youngsters, and parents, have to overcome as they start their golfing life is the expense of actually getting on to a course. Big-name courses can charge hundreds of dollars for the right to play 18 holes, providing you can even get to the 1st tee.

The Northern California Golf Association has come up with the answer with the Youth on Course initiative that offers children the chance to play some of the area’s top courses for $5 or less. In addition youngsters can buy balls for a dollar each and some of the courses offer free tuition. The scheme was dreamt up by Adam Heieck, now an executive director of the association, and was recognized by First Tee in 2007 when it was honored with the national “Founders Award.”

With the growth in junior golf, many manufacturers are falling over themselves to get involved at the grass roots levels. Nike has its golf schools, in which Callaway is involved, and Club Car recently celebrated its 50th anniversary by sponsoring Augusta’s first American Junior Golf Association event. As chairman Phil Tralies says: “The golf industry has been good to our company, and we’re honored to give back to the game and our community. We believe golf can be a catalyst for great things in a young person’s life.”

If you still need persuading that golf is the perfect activity for youngsters, then listen to the words of Gil McNally, who has been professional at Garden City Golf Club on Long Island for nearly 30 years. McNally, who taught PGA professional Len Mattiace as a youngster, says: “The game instills integrity. You meet such nice people playing golf and it brings out your better qualities. That’s a pretty good reason to have your son or daughter take a shot at it.”

And while they might not turn into the next Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, they will learn valuable lessons for the game of life.

Spirit of Golf Foundation

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and renowned teachers David Leadbetter and Ed Merrins all sit on the board of the Spirit of Golf Foundation, a non-profit body that aims to improve the skills of coaches, PE teachers or youth counselors.

But the real winners in the SGF Program are the thousands of boys and girls whose first exposure to the game has come through an SGF certified coach.

The SGF motto, Coaching and Mentoring Junior Golfers, specifically pertains to developing a child's character, integrity, honesty, and respect for others by promoting the intrinsic values found in this great game. Thus SGF aim to benefit wider society by giving all boys and girls, not just those from affluent families or those who have advanced skills, an opportunity to benefit from a sport that instills values such as integrity, honor, courtesy and respect.

Earlier this year SGF contracted with Ward Management Group, Inc., a non-profit consultative service.

Principal Michael Ward says: “Young people today have no shortage of temptations to ‘be cool’ and stray from family values. Today’s adults who struggled through their formative years have never heard of some of the choices boys and girls face today.

“Staying active in sports has always proven to be an excellent way of fostering positive mental and physical growth. Golf is one sport in particular that not only teaches discipline to improve as a player, but it also instills traits to improve as a person, such as courtesy, honesty, and respect for others. By simply staying involved in golf, the game itself acts as a strong mentor for today’s youth.

“The greatest single need of the growing ranks of young golfers is excellence in coaching. SGF supports those adults in a position to provide a proper introduction to the game of golf. With the help of corporate sponsors, individual benefactors and other friends of golf, I am confident that SGF will become the premier provider of that excellence.” www.spiritofgolffoundation.org