b'Danny Auffant tookto heart the opportunities of Youth on Courseand First Tee programs, and took dead aimD anny Auffant is a prime example of how importantSebonack on Long Island, as well as Pebble Beach, youth golf programs in the state of Washington canCypress Point, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.be. Danny is currently playing Division I golf at thePlaying on the golf team also helps me to enjoy U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, andmy time at the Naval Academy, which is a very difficult after talking with him, it was clear that programs suchschool with all of the academic, athletic, and military as First Tee and Youth on Course helped him get there.demands on my time and energy.Danny spent 12 years with First Tee, and he readilyDespite these challenges, Dannys freshman year acknowledges that made him a well-rounded individual.was a remarkable success, playing in four events his first My parents first signed me up for First Tee ofseason. Thats huge considering only five players make Greater Seattle when I was six years old, and I grewthe starting lineup on each team. To underscore the up in the program all the way through high school, hesignificance of this, only 1.4 percent of high school golfers says. I spent my last few years in the Ace level program,play Division I college golf. The nine or 10 players on each which was super impactful on helping me develop thecollege team regularly compete against each other for leadership and communication skills that I needed to bethe five spots available for their next tournament. successful at the Naval Academy.After Dannys In his last few summers, he has also been workingfreshman year concluded with First Tee to help fundraise and teach some of thelast spring, he returned younger classes as well. to the Northwest and When Danny was in middle school, his dad signedgot the opportunity to him up for the WA Golf Youth on Course program, andplay in the Chambers Bay thats where his opportunity to play golf expanded withSolstice to raise money only having to pay $5 per round. He and his brotherfor First Tee. would play Twin Rivers Golf Course in Fall City, Wash.This year was my and Bellevue Golf Course all summer.third time participating It really was an amazing opportunity, he said. Iin the fundraiser, he played every chance I could. It really helped me with mysaid. I wanted to continue supporting my longtime game, and I also now have great memories of playingfriend and mentor Evan Johnsen, the program director with my family. for First Tee of Greater Seattle. I love endurance golf He had graduated Summa Cum Laude fromevents, a result of my participation in the Golf-a-Thon Issaquah (Wash.) High School in 2023, where hefundraiser on the Jefferson Park par-3 course in my captained the golf team for three years, and was alsomiddle school years. In my final year participating in the named the team MVP for three years. He had been oneGolf-a-Thon, I played 250 holes in a single day, which of the First Tee participants selected to play in the 2022helped lead to the inaugural Chambers Bay Solstice the PGA TOUR Champions First Tee Pro-Am and First Teefollowing summer.National Championship, held each year at Pebble Beach.Danny had arrived home in Seattle at 11 p.m. the Danny has now moved up to the next level, signing upnight before the Solstice event, fresh off two months of for the U on Course membership, which allows college- summer training with the Navy. He had to wake up at age young adults (18-25) to play participating coursesthree in the morning to get to Chambers Bay in time to at a discount.tee off at 4:45 a.m., but his group was able to play 72 In his first year at the Naval Academy, Danny hasholes before the course closed at 9 p.m. He walked a little been making full use of his opportunities. I loved travelingmore than 30 miles that day, and raised over $1,000 for around the country to compete in tournaments, asFirst Tee.well as the special bond shared with my coaches andThis fall, Danny has returned for his sophomore year teammates, he says. I was incredibly blessed to have theat the Naval Academy, and will again lend his golfing opportunity to play some of the best courses in the worldskills to the Midshipmen. And we will watch for more of with my team, such as American Dunes in Michigan,his contributions to the game. SEPT 2024|PACIFIC NORTHWEST GOLFER15'