Rogers Park unveils new Par 3 golf course in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - On Monday, organizers cut the ribbon on the Rogers Park Par 3 course in Tampa. Officials said the 9-hole course will be the perfect place for kids and beginners alike to learn the game. 

Norman Black takes a swing that takes him back to when he learned the game of golf and a lot about life thanks to First Tee.  

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"The 9 Core Values, just to name a couple, perseverance and persistence," says Norman, who was born into the game. 

His father, James Black, played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 60s, helping bring diversity and open the game to everyone.

"A course like this where the holes are shorter they're more manageable and age-appropriate," says Ian Baxter of First Tee Tampa Bay. "That is the best way for kids to learn and then progress from this course to eventually play on other courses," he says. 

Rogers Park was one of the first integrated golf courses decades ago. The new 9-hole course has been in the works for three years. 

"It's going to be a tremendous asset both for First Tee and also for the community at large," says Baxter. 

The game of golf still has barriers, from private courses with high membership fees to the sheer size of courses, and pressure from better players who are sometimes impatient.

Norman now plays on the APGA Tour, a stepping stone to the PGA. He says there's no other game like it.

"There's something about golf and having it all be on you and whatever decision you make, is solely on you. That's what I love about golf," he says. 

To spread the love, the new par 3 golf course will open to the public on November 5. Many more kids may have the opportunity to connect with the game just as Norman and his father did at Rogers Park. 

For more information on how to register your child for the first  First Tee program, click here.