TOLEDO, Ohio — For five decades, the LPGA has called northwest Ohio home for at least one tournament a year.
The Dana Open and the professional golfers who come to town are creating opportunities to grow the sport with the local youth.
First Tee of Lake Erie is a local organization that's providing those opportunities, but golf isn't the only thing being taught.
"I just like introducing kids to the game of golf," First Tee program coordinator Alison Feehan said. "It's kind of a niche sport, it's something a lot of people take on later in life. It's always so fun to get them started young."
Starting them early is what First Tee of Lake Erie specializes in.
The non-profit has 500 area kids enrolled in the program and many of them have been coming for years.
"I started about four years ago," youth golfer Lily Fulop said. "I did an event with First Tee girls golf for Girls Scouts and after that, I really enjoyed it so I decided to keep going."
Kids from ages 7-18 are able to be part of the program. They start with fundamentals and work all the way up to playing the game.
First Tee girls golf coach Danielle Hale Demeo said it's a sport where you can constantly learn and grow.
"Maybe they can play all the way into their 90s," Demeo said. "It's pretty cool because they'll keep that skills for a long time. It's not something that will fade when their youth goes away."
Golf skills are just the beginning, though. Those days on the course also teach you lessons in life.
"You really have to stay positive with things," youth golfer Libby Graven said. "Golf has always taught me to stay positive with things especially when I'm at school."
Feehan having professional golfers come to town gives the kids more to aspire to.
"It's so awesome to be able to show kids what can come of golf," Feehan said. "We can talk to them, but this way they can actually see all the opportunities and all the cool things that can come from playing golf when they get started young."
Not only do the girls get to watch the Dana Open, but a handful of them will also be taking part in the Walk with a Pro program, where they will spend some time with one of the golfers while they're out on the course.