Mayor Madeline Rogero, Mayor Tim Burchett, Ambassador Victor Ashe, city and county officials, supporters and representatives from Williams Creek and First Tee of Greater Knoxville participated in a ribbon cutting of the new Wee Course on Thursday.

The Wee Course, dedicated by the First Tee of Greater Knoxville, is a newly constructed three-hole short course located adjacent to the Williams Creek Golf Course. The Wee Course will allow youth enrolled in The First Tee golf program to have a designated play and practice area.

Thanks to the generous support of Ambassador Victor Ashe, Steve and Ann Bailey and the City of Knoxville, the First Tee of Greater Knoxville was able to fund the construction of The Wee Course. The yardage of the short course ranges from 75 to 100 yards.

Since its inception in 2003, The First Tee of Greater Knoxville has enrolled more than 6,000 children in the nationally recognized The First Tee Life Skills Experience Curriculum. In addition to teaching the physical components of golf, this program instills the Nine Core Values inherently found in the game; lessons that can be used by participants their entire lives: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

The First Tee program, including its many outreach initiatives, is expected to expand to serve more than 9,500 children and young adults by 2014. The First Tee of Greater Knoxville serves a nine county area and is headquartered on its 90 acre campus located just two miles from downtown Knoxville. It campus includes the Williams Creek Golf Course, open year-round to the public, the First Tee Learning Center and now the Wee Course at Williams Creek.