Scholarship History

The Scott Robertson Memorial Junior Golf Tournament has made a profound impact on the lives of young people in the last 36 years. Over $200,000 has been awarded to area students for college scholarships from 1984 to 2003. Convinced that golf is more that a game and that its inherent nature can significantly influence youngsters in their character development, the Scott Robertson Memorial Fund board set forth the goal of putting a golf club in the hand of every youngster in the Roanoke Valley – and provide area youth with the classroom and green grass learning opportunities for them to acquire values and skills required for golf and a fulfilling life.

In June 2005, The Scott Robertson Memorial Launched The First Tee of Roanoke Valley, which is dedicated to providing young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. To quote George Bush, Honorary Chair of The First Tee – “Not only is golf a sport of a lifetime but in many ways it is a lesson in life.” We believe that The First Tee Program will help us teach the children lessons that lay the foundations needed to meet the many challenges of life.

In 2013, the Junior Golf Foundation of Virginia was established to provide ongoing support for three of the vital junior golf organizations in Roanoke: The First Tee of Roanoke Valley, The Roanoke Valley Junior Golf Association and The Scott Robertson Memorial Junior Golf Tournament.