After two years, First Tee of O'ahu has morphed into First Tee of Hawai'i. Programs are now being conducted on O'ahu, Moloka'i and Maui. There are plans to start First Tee on the Big Island and Kaua'i this year.

The chapter started in 2004 as the North Shore Junior Golf Association. First Tee teaches its Life Skills curriculum to kids ages 7 to 18, through the game of golf.

In 2005 there were 20 participants. By 2006 there were 112 and last year the program had 365 participants on three islands.

First Tee of Hawai'i's home facility is at The Salvation Army Camp in Waialua, which has six practice holes. Programs are also being conducted at Hawai'i Country Club (Kunia), Ala Wai Driving Range, U.S. Navy Par 3 Ford Island, Ironwood Hills (Moloka'i) and Waiehu (Maui).

For information, contact executive director Ken Zitz at 478-3466 or kwz711@hawaii.rr.com, or visit www.thefirstteeoahu.org.

NOTES

The 57th annual Francis Hyde I'i Brown Four-Ball Match Play Championship will return its last two winning teams. Jared Sawada and Michael Jay Sato, last year's champions, and 2006 winners Steve Ohira and Marshall Uchida are both in the field. There are 15 teams in Championship Flight, along with A and B flights. Golfers tee off from 6:15 a.m. Saturday at Ala Wai for the qualifying round. Match play begins Sunday and final rounds will be next weekend at Ala Wai. Sunday's finals are 36 holes.

Saturday's "Emily Gail Talks Golf & Other Sports" Big Island radio show will feature Lee Hardy, an assistant pro at Hilo Muni and coach of the BIIF champion Waiakea boys golf team. Hardy will talk about his role as coach and the role of the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association, and his own experiences as a professional golfer. There will also be segments on Monday's American Cancer Society Golf Classic at The Club at Hokuli'a and the second annual Tommy Bahama Big Island Golf Classic, June 16 at Mauna Lani South. It benefits Waikoloa and Waimea Elementary schools, and Kohala and Honoka'a high schools. The show starts at 6 p.m. on ESPN AM850 Hilo and AM790 Kona.