EDMONTON, Alta. — For a group of Edmonton-area youth, a Sunday morning at the CPKC Women’s Open offered a chance to experience golf in a new way — both as a player and as a spectator.
With support from First Tee – Canada’s apparel partner adidas, First Tee – Alberta welcomed 24 children from the BGC Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton, the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta and communities across the Edmonton area to a morning of golf, life skills development and fun during the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open.
Held just outside of Royal Mayfair Golf Club on August 23, the clinic gave participants an opportunity to take part in First Tee programming during the final round of Canada’s only LPGA championship event. Youth rotated through stations focused on putting, chipping and full swing, while also participating in activities designed to build life skills through the game.
For First Tee – Alberta coach Katie Learn, the experience was about giving young people an opportunity to see themselves in golf.
“The goal of First Tee is always bigger than golf,” said Learn. “We want kids to leave our programs with skills and experiences that help them become more confident, resilient and capable in whatever they take on.”
With adidas’ support, First Tee – Alberta was able to create an experience that brought together access, sport and inspiration, showing participants that golf can be a welcoming place for them.
The clinic also demonstrated how First Tee uses golf as a vehicle to help young people navigate challenges, build relationships and develop skills that can extend into their everyday lives.
“Having adidas support an opportunity like this means we can give kids an experience they might not otherwise have — and show them that they have a place in golf,” Learn said.
The experience continued beyond the clinic. After enjoying a pizza party, participants headed onto the grounds with their families to watch the CPKC Women’s Open, giving them the opportunity to see professional golfers compete just steps away from where they had spent the morning learning and playing.
For many of the youth, the day offered a unique connection between their own introduction to the game and golf at its highest level.
The event highlighted the impact that partnerships can have in creating meaningful opportunities for young people. Through its support of First Tee – Alberta, adidas helped bring more youth from the Edmonton area into the game while creating an experience that showed them golf can offer much more than what happens on the course.