Before teeing off in the Cox Classic, Nationwide Tour pros made their annual stop Thursday at the graduation ceremonies of First Tee Omaha, helping children better understand golf and beyond.

It is a game that few of us master, but just about anyone can learn to play. No matter your age or size, everyone can play golf. After seven weeks, some of the Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes are pretty good, but golf is just a part of what’s happening here.

“What we're trying to do is make sure these are good kids,” said Mike Rice of First Tee Omaha. “Yeah, we use golf as a hook to teach our nine core values, things we use on the golf course that you can use in life such as honesty, courtesy, sportsmanship."

Steve Hogan started the Hogan Junior Golf Heroes program about 20 years ago with a couple of kids on the golf course. The course at Miller Park is named for Hogan, who died two years ago at the age of 55. Now, there are hundreds of kids and Hogan’s program is part of the nationwide First Tee program.

Six-year-old P.J. Davis was one of the kids taking advantage of the golf and the lessons that go along with it. “My dad taught me when I was four or five and I just like golf. It’s my favorite sport.”

Andrew Shotbolt also likes to golf. His father thought it would be a good idea to put him in the First Tee program. "We thought it was a unique opportunity for him to learn not only golf, but some skill sets, etiquette and different things like that, thought it would be a great opportunity for them,” said dad Jack Shotbolt.

Every year, the Nationwide Tour pros make a stop at the First Tee graduation, to sign a few autographs and to support the program.

"I think it’s great to keep kids off the streets, to show different aspects of life, different sports,” said pro golfer Ryan Hietala. “I think it turns them into gentlemen and young ladies, teaches them a lot of things they won't learn growing up on the streets of this country. I think it’s great for the kids.”

Hietala said his role models were Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus. Now it’s his turn to encourage young golfers to chase their dreams.