Participants in The First Tee of Willamette Valley classes will be assessed at each program level using the following methods:

Lessons
For each level of the program,  participants will complete a minimum of six life skills lessons and six golf skills lessons.  For life skills,  the requirement is to complete the core lesson material. Completion of optional topics and activities are a plus,  but are not mandatory. Throughout each First Tee Life Skills level,  participants’ ability to apply life skills they’ve learned to golf and non-golf settings will be assessed; this ability is determined through ongoing behavioral observations that occur during class activities.  If any participant misses a core lesson, the material must be made up, either through one-on-one instruction or a makeup class, before he or she undergoes certification testing and evaluation.

Playing Requirement
At each level, participants will play a certain number of posted rounds on a First Tee of Willamette Valley Chapter course – one round at the Par level  and five rounds at the Birdie level . In addition, at the Birdie level, participants will play a nine-hole putting course to demonstrate basic putting skills. Instructors observe some of these rounds to ensure that the player negotiates the course expeditiously and in accordance with basic rules, etiquette, and safety guidelines. At the Birdie level, participants also will complete a chipping and pitching drill.  Participants will be evaluated at higher golf skills standards as they progress through the Eagle and Ace  levels as well.

Written Evaluation
For life skills and golf skills, each participant will be given a short written evaluation consisting of true-false and matching questions. Where possible, instructors will administer the evaluation for golf skills and life skills at the same time.

Instructor Evaluation
The instructor evaluation is a one-on-one interview in which the instructor watches the participant demonstrate a life or golf skill or talks with the participant about life skills concepts. For the Birdie level, instructors check participants’ Yardage Books to make sure they have completed the required goal-setting activities.