We take you out to the green to show you how the organization “Girls Golf of Phoenix” not only teaches girls how to tee up for a good shot on the course but also extend that philosophy to other endeavors in their life.
TED SIMONS: ARNOLD PALMER SAID GOLF IS DECEPTIVELY COMPLICATED. PRODUCER SHANA FISCHER AND ROB MCJANET HAVE THE STORY.
SHANA FISCHER: EVERY SWING. EVERY DRIVE IS PUSHING THESE YOUNG GIRLS CLOSER TO THEIR GOALS. THAT'S THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PHOENIX. GOLF IS THE TOOL I USE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE WITH THESE GIRLS.
SHANA FISCHER: COREY MATHISON HEADS UP THE ORGANIZATION.
COREY MATHISON: THE AVERAGE AGE IS TEN. THESE ARE LITTLE GIRLS. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THE GAME OF GOLF, YOU HAVE TO BE EXPERIENCED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE IN ALL OF THE SKILLS IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT. GIRLS GOLF PROVIDES A PLACE THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE COMING TO ME FRESH. IT'S THEIR FIRST REALTIME ON A COURSE.
SHANA FISCHER: 13-YEAR-OLD OLIVIA FLORENCE PICKED UP A CLUB A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN SHE LIVED IN CHICAGO. SHE COMES FROM AN ATHLETIC FAMILY AND THOUGHT GOLF WOULD BE SOMETHING SHE COULD CALL HER OWN.
OLIVIA FLORENCE: I LEARNED TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE WELL. I USED TO BE REALLY SHY AND I DIDN'T TALK TO PEOPLE A LOT.
SHANA FISCHER: GIRL'S GOLF HELP HER IN SCHOOL.
OLIVIA FLORENCE: WHEN I HIT A GOOD SHOT, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I WORKED SO HARD FOR THAT. THAT'S A CONNECTION I MAKE IN LIFE. I WORK HARD ON A MATH TEST AND YOU GET THE ONE ANSWER RIGHT AND YOU CAN DO BETTER, LIKE YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.
WHEN TEN-YEAR-OLD TATUM PARTRIDGE TOOK UP GOLF, SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A SPORT THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE RUNNING.
TATUM PARTRIDGE: IT WAS A HALLOWEEN GOLF TOURNAMENT WHICH I LOVED IT.
TATUM SAYS SHE'S BETTER AT GULF BUT SHE'S MORE IMPRESSED WITH THE CHANGE IN HER ATTITUDE.
TATUM PARTRIDGE: IT HELPED ME LEARNING AND WITH GOLF, YOU NEED A LOT OF PATIENCE. IT HELPS ME WITH SCHOOL.
SHANA FISCHER: HER MOM COURTNEY AGREES. SHE SEES GOLF AS A WAY FOR TATUM TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT. SHE SMILES AND HAS FUN. SHE GREW UP WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE TECHNICALLY COMPETITORS. THEY LAUGH AND HAVE FUN. SHE'S MADE FOOD FRIENDS FROM GOLF.
SHANA FISCHER: COREY LOVES TO SEE GIRLS LIKE TATUM FIND THE SPACE TO BE HERSELF AND LEARN A NEW SKILL. IT'S WHY SHE JOINED GOLF HERSELF WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER.
COREY MATHISON: IT OFFERED ME A SAFE PLACE TO GROW MY GAME. WHEN I WAS 12, I FELT I WAS PLAYING GIRLS PLAYING COMPETITIVELY. I NEEDED TO HUNKER DOWN TO GET SERIOUS.
SHANA FISCHER: COREY KNEW BACK THEN SHE WANTED TO LEAD THE ORGANIZATION. ONE, TWO, THREE. ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, SHE GOT THE CHANCE. GIRL'S GOLF STARTED IN PHOENIX IN 1989. IT'S SENSE GROWN NATIONWIDE AND THERE ARE SOME 300 CHAPTERS. 50,000 GIRLS AGES 3-17 ARE REACHED EACH YEAR. THEY PUT ON TOUR AND CLINICS AND EVENTS SURROUNDING THE LPGA. THE CORE OF WHAT THEY DO IS TEACH EMPOWERMENT AND HONESTY.
COREY MATHISON: IT TEACHES YOU VALUES AND SKILLS YOU CAN TAKE ALONG. YOU HAVE TO BE SELF RELIABLE AND GET YOURSELF THERE. YOU ARE ONLY RELYING ON YOURSELF.
FOR TATUM AND OLIVIA, THERE'S NO BETTER FEELING.
OLIVIA FLORENCE: IT'S LIKE WINNING -- IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE WINNING A PIECE OF YOUR GOAL.
TATUM PARTRIDGE HERE YOU GO.
COREY MATHISON: GOOD JOB.
TED SIMONS: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GIRL GOLF OF PHOENIX HEAD TO GIRLS GOLF OF PHOENIX.ORG. THURSDAY ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A STATE CHARTER SCHOOL TAKES FIRST PLACE AMONG SEVERAL SPOTS. A TRADITIONAL REPORT SHOWS GIRLS DOING WELL UNDER TRADITIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
