Kā‘anapali and First Tee Hawai‘i to host Maui Junior Golf Kickoff

Ahead of the 2025 edition of The Sentry, Kā‘anapali Golf Courses and First Tee Hawai‘i will host a free interactive event for juniors aged 3 to 18 in support of First Tee Hawai‘i. All are welcome on Dec. 30, 2024 from 2 to 4 p.m. on the Kā‘anapali driving range. Golf clubs for juniors will also be available for use. A Q&A will be hosted by NBC Sports/Golf Channel analyst, First Tee Hawai‘i board member and longtime Maui resident, Mark Rolfing.

“Kā‘anapali embodies warm hospitality and a strong sense of community. The club has been a wonderful ally of junior golf in Hawai‘i for decades,” reflected Chris Noda, Executive Director of First Tee – Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association. “We are thrilled to create this memorable experience for keiki and their ʻohanas ahead of the new year.”

First Tee Hawai‘i integrates golf with a life skills curriculum to create active learning experiences for juniors that builds self-confidence and resiliency. Raised on Maui, First Tee Hawai‘i recently welcomed its new program director, Joie Ruggiero.

During the Maui Junior Golf Kickoff on Kā‘anapali’s driving range, children can enjoy games to inflatable targets, discussions about First Tee Hawai‘i programs and more. Short game drills will feature “chipping darts” to different yardage circles.

Maui Big Wave Shave Ice Company will provide free desserts, Maui Soda & Ice Works will pour beverages and guests can play corn hole and other lawn games.

Hawai‘i men’s golf team head coach and former US Open champion, Scott Simpson, will be in attendance, as will prominent Rainbow Warriors Blaze Akana, Anson Cabello and Chris Salem. Akana, who holds the No. 2 all-time scoring average in program history, has qualified for next month’s Sony Open in Hawai‘i for the second consecutive year. Cabello, a Maui native and Kamehameha Schools–Maui graduate, won the 2024 Kaua‘i Amateur. Salem, a 2025 UH golf team commit, was a key contributor on Maui Prep’s 2022 HHSAA Boys Golf Championship-winning team at Kā‘anapali, finishing T4 in the individual competition.

“I feel tremendous joy when interacting with children, parents and community members at one of Maui’s most enjoyable junior events,” recalled Rolfing after emceeing the 2023 Maui Junior Golf Kickoff. “Mahalo to First Tee Hawai‘i, Kā‘anapali, Sentry and all volunteers for your heartfelt support again this year.”

Also noteworthy, Karl Reul, general manager of Kā‘anapali Golf Courses, will present two checks. The first check of $5,000 will be donated to the Warrior Golf Booster Fund at the University of Hawai‘i to support travel for student-athletes. Stemming from the 2024 Kā‘anapali Classic, where monetary gifts were pledged by fans for each birdie and eagle made, a second check of $2,700 will be presented to Kā‘anapali Golf Courses’ employees who lost everything during the 2023 Maui Wildfires.

“Giving back to the communities in which we play is core to what the PGA TOUR and The Sentry are all about,” said Max Novena, Executive Director of The Sentry. “Since becoming title sponsor in 2018, and a proud trustee of the First Tee since 2021, Sentry Insurance has formed strong relationships with Maui community leaders, and alongside The Sentry, is deeply committed to advancing the accessibility of recreational golf across Hawai‘i.”

• To register for the Maui Junior Golf Kickoff, visit this event page.
• To learn more about the First Tee – Hawai‘i, visit www.firstteehawaii.org.