For Carlos Carter, golf is more than a game — it is a way to build character, community, and opportunity for young people. As Interim Executive Director and Board Chair of First Tee Birmingham, Carter is guiding a rapidly growing youth development organization while keeping its mission firmly rooted in service.
“First Tee is a youth development organization that teaches kids life skills, collaboration, good judgment, and how to make decisions,” Carter said. “Those key commitments are seamlessly integrated into the golf lessons.”
Founded nationally more than 27 years ago, First Tee now operates more than 150 chapters across the country. Alabama’s chapter, however, is relatively new — and one Carter helped build from the ground up beginning in 2022, when it formed a 501(c)(3) before officially becoming a First Tee chapter in May 2023.
“When we started, there was no chapter. A group of us came together, met with headquarters, and the rest is history,” he said.
Today, First Tee Birmingham serves youth across multiple counties, with locations in Birmingham City Schools, Jefferson County, and Shelby County. The chapter operates at six sites, including Roebuck, Woodward, Oak Mountain, PGA Superstore, and Topgolf, reaching thousands of young people. While Carter, 40, serves in an interim executive role as the organization searches for a permanent leader, he remains involved in day-to-day operations.
“Any time I’m not working my full-time job [a local banking institution], I’m working on First Tee,” he said. “There’s always something to do — supporting coaches, meeting with partners, or working behind the scenes to make sure the program runs smoothly.”
“LOVE THE GAME”
A former multi-sport athlete who played basketball, baseball, soccer, and football, he picked up golf in his early 30s.
“I’m not as great a golfer as people think,” he said with a laugh. “But I love the game. A friend convinced me to try it, and I got hooked.”
That late start helped shape his passion for First Tee’s mission. “I wish a program like this existed when I was younger,” he said. “It’s another positive option for kids — something that keeps them busy, teaches values, and gives them opportunities.”
Those values are already inherent in the sport, Carter explained. “Golf teaches honesty, integrity, and perseverance,” he said. “First Tee just amplifies that even more.”
One of the chapter’s proudest achievements came in 2024, when First Tee Birmingham received the Barbara A. Douglas & Dr. William J. Powell Community Award, presented in partnership with Golf Digest. The recognition placed the young chapter among the top programs nationwide.
“Out of more than 150 chapters, we were recognized for our impact,” he said. “Eighty percent of our kids are children of color, and our coaches reflect that too. When kids see someone they can relate to, they want to come back. That makes all the difference.”
“I didn’t even go on a golf course until I was an adult,” the Anniston native said. “A friend of mine … got into golf when we were in our late 20s. He kept trying to get me out there, kept trying to get me out there, because we used to do a lot of things together. Play basketball. Shoot pool. We used to do things. We were very competitive, and he got into golf.
“He was telling me just how fun the game was, and I still wasn’t listening,” Carter said. “He finally got me out there. He had taken some lessons and was much better than I was. It just kind of got me hooked. I took some lessons; I got some clubs, and then I have been kind of hooked ever since.”
Carter can relate to the boys and girls served by the First Tee chapter. Golf was never considered an option when he was growing up. He only knew one person who played the sport — his barber.
“I didn’t know anybody my age, or anybody that looked like me around my age, who grew up playing golf,” he said. “We played basketball, football, baseball, even some soccer, but never golf. It provides these new experiences and giving kids something to do and to stay out of trouble as well, while instilling those values and life skills that they will take in whatever they do to make sure that they stay on the right path.”
FAMILY PLAYS A ROLE
Accessibility is a key aspect of the program, Carter said. “If a child qualifies for free or reduced lunch, they pay nothing,” he said. “We’re removing barriers and creating access.”
Originally from Anniston, Carter graduated from Alexandria High School, Alexandria, Alabama, before earning his degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
As a resident for over 20 years in Birmingham, his favorite part about the city is the “small town feel,” he said.
“It is the largest metro area in the state… It is easy to find your community. Also, it is an important city. You cannot overlook its importance in the Civil Rights movement and what it has provided to not only people in this city, but across the nation.”
Carter has built a professional career in finance but finds his nonprofit work especially fulfilling.
“Nothing compares to helping young people,” he said. “Hopefully the lessons they learn here carry over into their careers, their families, and their communities.”
His family also plays a role in the mission. His wife, Breanna Carter, brings a nonprofit background and supports their organization, while his seven-year-old daughter recently completed her first First Tee session.
Looking ahead, Carter has a vision for the organization’s continued growth that includes expanding programming locations, offering teen leadership and career development initiatives, and building a pipeline for students interested in competitive golf and scholarships.
As First Tee Birmingham prepares to welcome a new executive director, Carter will continue to serve as board chair, guiding the organization at the strategic level.
“Leadership is about stewardship,” he said. “We want to keep building something that truly serves this community.”
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