Congratulations to Rye Tifft on his selection as this month’s Participant of the Month! Rye has been a member of the Greater Charleston chapter of The First Tee for more than four years, since his family moved to Mount Pleasant from Maine. Before arriving in Charleston, he was already an accomplished member of The First Tee of Maine at the Birdie level. Since moving to Charleston, he completed certifications at the Birdie and Eagle level, and is now an Ace participant.
Rye is one of our most active participants as he is also a volunteer each season with PLAYer and Advanced PLAYer classes at RiverTowne as well as a member of the Teen Advisory Council.
Rye has had some amazing experiences as a junior golfer, including playing in the Beth Daniel Junior Azalea Golf Tournament at the Country Club of Charleston, the St. Augustine Amateur through a First Tee exemption at St. John’s Golf Club in Florida, and helping the United States team defeat Scotland in the inaugural Watson Cup this fall at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island.
One of his most accomplished experiences to date was his selection into the Congaree Global Golf Initiative this summer. He spent a full week living at Congaree Golf Club, learning about life as a college golfer, perfecting his game, and making friendships and mentorships that will last a lifetime.
“From the first moment we entered the gates to Congaree, I knew this was going to be something special. The entrance itself was what I’d image Augusta to be like, trees overhanging and all. Everything was top of the line from our rooms to the food, and, of course, the golf course and practice facility itself. In the first hour of arriving for CGGI, it had already exceeded way beyond my expectations.
The overall experience really gave me a boost of confidence in myself, my studies, and my game. Being able to work with experienced and world-renowned teachers like Mike Harmon, Jason Baile, and Bruce Davidson, as well as working with other experts in their field whether it be fitness, medicine, mental game, education, even table manners made me feel equipped for not only college, but the rest of my future whether that be in golf or something else that I enjoy.
I really enjoyed meeting everyone who made the Congaree Global Golf Initiative such an incredible experience for all of the junior golfers like me who participated. I felt like I was able to step out of my shell a little and make life long connections with not only the kids that we spent the week with, but the coaches, mentors, and ambassadors that were at CGGI and were there to help us and tell us their story.”
Rye says that his favorite core value is perseverance because it helps him not only in golf, but also in his studies. He will graduate from Oceanside Collegiate Academy Charter School in Mount Pleasant this spring and looks forward to playing golf in college next year. Keep up the great work, Rye!
