LR junior golfer headed to Pebble Beach
September 16-22, 2024
By Jay Edwards
Weston Wakefield to represent local First Tee in Champions Tour event
With only eight years playing golf under his belt, 16-year old Weston Wakefield of Little Rock will be at Pebble Beach this week, teeing it up in the Pure Insurance Championship with some of the legends of the game, as well as 79 other junior golfers, who, like Weston, were chosen from First Tee programs around the country, with even one coming from as far as the First Tee in Morocco.
Weston and the other participants were selected to participate in the event by a national panel of judges, who based their criteria on personal growth and development through First Tee’s programs, as well as their playing ability. This year’s group averages a 3.89 GPA and has spent an average of seven years in First Tee.
Weston says he was introduced to the game by his late father around the age of six at a driving range. As happens to many of us, he was quickly hooked and has been focusing on getting better ever since. He’s made a lot of progress from that first trip out with his dad, as evident by the 3.2 handicap he now carries.
Two people partially responsible for Weston’s growth in the game are First Tee’s Program Director Austin Pfeiffer and Monica Blake, First Tee’s executive director.
“We’re thrilled to have Weston represent us, because he is such a great kid,” says Blake. “There were over 100 applicants this year and Weston was one of the 80 who were chosen. In the 22-year history of our chapter, he will be the fourth to go, which is wonderful.”
“This is a pretty unique tournament in that it pairs a PGA Champion Tour Professional with First Tee participants as well as an amateur. So Weston will get the chance to not only play alongside a Champions Tour player, but he’ll get paired with an amateur. Who are typically Fortune 500 CEO’s. So this is a great opportunity for Weston to meet some pretty impressive people and represent First Tee.”
“It’s why Weston was selected, because he embodies all that we try to really pour into our kids. He’s a grinder, he perseveres. He doesn’t mind putting in the work, and it’s showing in his game right now. He really hasn’t been playing competitive golf until recently. I’d say the last year is really when he kicked it up and has seen tremendous growth in his golf game.”
As part of the process, applicants were required to submit a few short essays. With Weston’s permission we are pleased to print some of his below.
Good luck Weston. We’re pulling for you.
Who has been your First Tee mentor and how have they influenced your personal growth?
Austin Pfeiffer has been my First Tee mentor since I started going to First Tee at eight years old. He was one of the first coaches I met. He has helped me learn many lessons such as goal setting, learning from failure, and self-reflection. Coach Austin is a big part of my go-to team. He is someone I seek for advice on and off the golf course. Austin has provided me with many amazing opportunities. A few of those opportunities are planning a trip to the Alotian Club to meet PGA professionals, arranging matches with the Little Rock Trojans golf team, and inviting me to be a part of the First Tee leadership program. Austin has been a great coach, but he has also been a supportive mentor and friend. Austin is not just a coach, he is a friend. It is fun hanging out and playing golf together. I have been blessed to have him as my coach, and he has truly played a part in shaping me into who I am and will become.
Complete the phrase: Because of First Tee I _______________.
Because of First Tee, I’ve been provided many opportunities that I would not have received anywhere else. As a homeschooler and a kid who recently lost his dad, there are guidance and financial limitations. After my Dad passed away, First Tee covered the cost of all of my tournaments. That allowed me to play in tournaments that I wouldn’t have otherwise. First Tee also set up a caddy for me in the US Kids tournaments. Playing in more tournaments has been a great learning opportunity for me. My Dad battled cancer for three years, so I didn’t get to play much then. I have really improved my golf game from these recent seasons of competitive golf. First Tee has taught me the vital lesson of goal setting. This golf season I made the goal of playing at least 54 holes a week and to play in many tournaments and matches on my homeschool team. Without First Tee, I would not be playing golf right now, or have the opportunities that I have today. Because of First Tee, I get to play the game I love, improve my game, grow in my friendships, and have unique opportunities for my future.
What has been the hardest obstacle you have had to overcome off the golf course? How did you handle it? If you had to experience it again, what would you do differently?
The biggest obstacle that I’ve faced off the golf course is losing my Dad. He battled kidney cancer for three years. He passed away in January of 2023. It happened way sooner than anyone was anticipating. This heartache is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It is not something to overcome, but a great obstacle to learn how to walk through. The first couple of weeks after he passed, I was in shock. I didn’t really know what to think because everything had happened so fast. Death and grief takes a lot of time to process. One of the biggest things that has helped me through this last year is the hope of seeing him again one day in Heaven.
Please list your future aspirations and the goals you’ve set to help attain them. My future desires are to be eligible to play collegiate golf and pursue a career in the golf industry. The goals I have set to attain them start with self-discipline in school, on the course, and my spiritual life. I am studying hard in school to keep a high grade point average for academic scholarships. On the range, I will practice 3-5 hours a week and complete the tournament schedule set up for me by my coaches. It is my goal to play competitively as much as possible and to be as close to a scratch golfer as possible by my senior year of high school. Besides the work I put in the classroom and on the course, my personal relationship with God is the most important. Daily time spent reading my Bible and in prayer will keep me content, at peace, and keep things in my life in perspective.
What accomplishments are you most proud of on and off the golf course? How did First Tee help you with those accomplishments?
I am proud of the tournaments I’ve won at First Tee. The dedication Coach Austin gave me, built my confidence to win the tournaments I wasn’t sure I could win. By Coach Austin creating a Homeschool team, it gave me the opportunity to play other High School teams. This led to one of my best scores, a 72. It was fun sharing the excitement with Coach Austin since he put so much time into coaching our team. Two of my biggest accomplishments off the golf course are completing the Little Rock Half Marathon in 1:39 and running my fastest 5k in 19:13. These races took months of preparation, training, and discipline. I set goals of how many miles to run each week to reach my goals and accomplish them even in the 100 degree heat, rain, and freezing temperatures. The perseverance paid off as I surpassed my goal times!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I like to do cardistry. Cardistry is the art of flourishing playing cards. This included fanning, cutting, and flipping the cards. It is such an amazing hobby because of the endless possibilities. I have many cool decks for flourishing. I’ve also made many videos showcasing the skills I have learned.
Photo Caption:
Weston Wakefield (center) at First Tee with Program Director Austin Pfeiffer and Executive Director Monica Blake. (Photo by Jay Edwards)
