by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Little did Harry Trevett know, years after he learned to play golf at Brentwood in the 1960s, he would be back at the same site serving as chairman of The First Tee’s board of directors.
Trevett, president of Trevett Mock Companies Real Estate Services, learned to play golf when he was 12 years old at the old Brentwood Golf Course on Jacksonville’s north side.
Today, Brentwood is gone, but some of the land belongs to The First Tee. A PGA Tour initiative, The First Tee focuses on giving children ages 8-18 and of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop through playing the game of golf and relating that to real life skills.
Trevett went to live with his grandfather at the age of 6 and grew up on the Northside. During the day, his grandfather would drop him off at Brentwood, give him some cash to play golf and later pick him up to go home.
“Brentwood Golf Course reached out to me, so it is easy for me to be a part of The First Tee,” said Trevett, also the chairman of the First Bank of Jacksonville.
In a way Brentwood treated Trevett the way children are treated today at The First Tee. He said they were always friendly and they reached out to children.
Trevett remembers an older man who worked behind the counter who collected the greens fee. He would print out the receipt and write, “rain check for 18 holes” on the back.
“It gave me the opportunity to save my money to by gloves or a sleeve of balls,” he said.
Trevett was one of a few children who played on the course where a majority of the golfers were adults.
“A lot of significant men in the community played at Brentwood,” he said. “I was paired with adults and that was great, being around grown-ups and picking up their skills both on and off the course. I think that’s what The First Tee does, too.
“It gives children a positive role model in their lives instead of negative, and that’s a great thing.”
Often, those on-course lessons transcended golf.
“I picked up some wonderful skills but I also benefited on a business level - I know I did,” said Trevett.
It wasn’t until about two years ago that Trevett became more familiar with The First Tee and its impact on the kids in Jacksonville.
Pepper Peete, executive director of The First Tee in Jacksonville, said she first met Trevett at one of the organization’s fundraisers, “Taste of Golf.” Trevett has previously donated some golf items to The First Tee, so Peete’s fundraising and marketing director invited him to the “Taste of Golf.” Soon after, Trevett became a board member and this year he was named chair.
“This brought back memories to him,” said Peete. “He was able to utilize the facility (Brentwood) the way kids are using it today.
“He has the passion and understanding of what The First Tee program can do.”
Peete said she admires and appreciates Trevett’s passion toward The First Tee.
“He is a community leader and he has taken ownership. He is a rare gem,” she said.
Trevett knew The First Tee was on the original Brentwood course and he was happy to discover it serves almost the same purpose it did when he was a 12-year-old.
“It had a special tug at my heart,” he said. “I wanted to give back to the location, the game and the objectives I benefited from.”
Currently, The First Tee is in the middle of a capital campaign to raise $2.8 million to build a facility that will house a golf shop and its learning center. Today, The First Tee operates out of two trailers, both of which are too small to accommodate the golf operations and administrative sides of the organization. Peete said along with the golf shop, the learning center will be a place for children to learn life skills as well as golf skills. There will be two classrooms that can each fit 25-30 children, a library and a computer lab.
“So every afternoon we can reach out to 50-60 kids and teach them life skills and golf skills,” said Peete, the wife of former Players Championship winner Calvin Peete.
Trevett said they take care of about 300 kids annually.
“He recognizes that kids are our future and he has embraced the project,” said Peete.