Fort Worth, Texas – Dec. 10, 2011 – The First Tee of Fort Worth held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the new, state-of-the-art youth learning center, the Ben Hogan Learning Center, the morning of Saturday Dec. 10. The event was attended by Pro Golfers J.J. Henry and Angela Stanford, and by former Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and Lisa Scott, Ben Hogan’s great niece, as well as many participants of The First Tee of Fort Worth.
The Ben Hogan Learning Center is the culmination of a five-year plan and multi-million dollar golf learning facility for youth ages 5-18 that includes an indoor learning center, driving range and putting and chipping greens. This one-of-a-kind facility is exclusively dedicated to the programs of The First Tee of Fort Worth and the community we serve. Major funding for the project was provided by the Ben Hogan Foundation.
“Uncle Ben would be very proud of this Learning Center and the positive impact it will have on so many kids in Fort Worth,” Scott said, reflecting on Ben Hogan’s passion for kids.
Inside of the Learning Center, youth will have the opportunity to perfect their golf skills with the latest electronic swing analysis technology, learn how to fit and repair clubs, learn about the rich history of Fort Worth golf and the career of local golf legend Ben Hogan in the museum or just hang out and play Xbox video games on one of two 70-inch televisions in the Henry House Hangout, a 500-square-foot social haven sponsored by local PGA pro-golfer J.J. Henry’s organization, the Henry House Foundation.
The eco-friendly building itself is an architectural masterpiece as the entire facility was designed and built with spectacular views of a 300-year-old oak that once lined the Chisholm Trail to the east and an eye-catching view of the practice greens and driving range to the south. Visitors walking up from the parking lot will be greeted with a Texas limestone wall engraved with the nine phases of Ben Hogan’s swing coincided with one of The First Tee Nine Core Values, the work of locally-based famed international sculpture Eliseo Garcia.
Children and teens with their parents may visit during the following hours:
- Mon, Tue, Wed – 9:00 to 5:00
- Thurs – 9:00 to 8:00
- Fri – 9:00 to 5:00
- Sat – 10:00 to 5:00 (Special Programming)
- Sun – 12:00 to 4:00 (Special Programming)
