Top Junior Golf Tournaments You Need To Know About

Top Junior Golf Tournaments

Introduction

Fellow golfers are probably aware of the pressure of competing in golf tournaments whether its a Sunday afternoon club tournament or World Junior Golf Championship. Watching your junior golfer compete can be a nail-biting process, however, as a parent, it is essential to adopt a supportive attitude so that your junior does not pick up unnecessary stress from the side-lines if you are watching or from the bag if you are caddying. The more junior golf tournaments your child competes in, the better he/she will get at the game and the more they will enjoy competing in junior golf tournaments.

junior golf tournaments

While there are many junior golf tournaments available to your child, look for age and skill appropriate tournaments. Also look closely at the different tour policies and guidelines as well as archived scores.  You don't want to place your junior golfer in over his/her head where the competitors are playing at a significantly higher level, or in junior golf tournaments where they do not have any real competition. That is no fun for anyone.

As juniors get older and start getting a junior golf national ranking on Junior Golf Scoreboard,  the "strength of field" becomes even more important. It is possible to win a tournament and actually move down in the rankings (i.e. get worse) if the strength of field is not good or the course is very short for the junior's age. Parents sometimes ask where their child can play golf if their school doesn't have a golf program. The junior golf tours set out below offer some great opportunities for juniors golfers to get tournament experience. Read more about Junior Golf Rankings here.

Top junior golf tours and tournaments

Quick Navigation

International and National Tournaments & Tours 

U.S. Kids Golf (5-14 Years)

U.S.Kids Junior Golf Tournaments

U.S. Kids Golf is a largest, very competitive and well run junior tour for younger kids. USKids holds local tournaments in many US States. Their tournaments include Local Tours, Regional Tournaments, State Tournaments, Junior World Championship at Pinehurst, Teen World Champs.

USKids also has International junior golf tournaments in many locations including Europe, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Asia, Mexico and the Caribbean. In addition, USKids has local tours in approx. 30 cities around the globe.

Some States such as Atlanta, Florida and Texas have Local Tours that operate year round or at least for 3 seasons (split into Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter Tours). If you are looking for competitive local junior golf tournament near you then this is a great place to start. 

Their Local Tours are the perfect way to introduce tournament golf to your child with course lengths and individual age groups designed to make it fun to play and meet new friends. The Regional Championships are Multi-day invitational events that are typically held at premier destinations making them a great family destination and vacation! These events are typically scheduled around holidays and 3-day weekends and juniors need to qualify through local tours to get into these premier events.

The US Kids tournament information and schedule can be found here.


Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (8-18 Years)

Hurricane Junior Golf Tournaments

The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT)  is the one of the largest junior golf tours in the United States hosting more 2-day nationally ranked events than any other tour (over 250 tournaments in 32 States). There are 4 boys age groups and 2 girls age groups at the appropriate ages to suite most juniors looking for a competitive tournament experience.

HJGT's division ambassadors include Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake, Justin Rose, Will Smith and Ernie Els – each representing a different division within the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour as it furthers its mission to grow the game of golf among juniors. Each year two juniors from each division can earn the opportunity to meet their division ambassadors.

HJGT can be found in most large cities and this is a good place to find a golf tournament near you. The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour schedule can be found here.


Drive Chip Putt (7-15 Years)

drive chip putt junior golf tournament

The Drive, Chip and Putt Competition is a very popular annual event hosted by the PGA.  The overall winners play a competition in Augusta during Masters week.  Qualifying competitions are hosted throughout the country. It is not a junior golf tournament in that juniors do not actually play a round of golf but rather are score based on 3 drives, 3 chips and 3 putts. This is a really fun way to get new golfers a taste of competition.

The qualifying schedule and other information can be found here.


Dustin Johnson World Junior (13 to 18 Years)

Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Champs

The Dustin Johnson World Junior is an elite, invitational event usually played in early March at TPC Myrtle Beach, home to the Senior PGA Tour Championship & NCAA Men’s Regionals. The boys and girls field is comprised of 90 elite junior golfers from around the world (field of 60 boys and 30 girls). Applications are usually due by the first week of January. There is a one-day, 18 hole qualifier available on a first come first serve basis, applications typical open in early November with the qualifier played in February. The number of spots for qualifiers is very limited, usually only 1-2 for boys and girls. 


IMG Junior World Championships (6U-18 Years)

img junior golf tournament

Founded in 1968, the IMG Junior World Championships attracts over 1,200 participants from almost 60 countries and over 40 States. Qualifying tournaments are held around the country.  This is also known as the Junior World Golf Championship San Diego.  

The tournament includes age groups from 6U through an open age group for high school juniors under the age of 19. Players living in the US must qualify for the tournament (see the list of qualifying tournaments by age group). 

This is an elite level tournament for younger juniors and is often compared to the US Kids World Championships held annually in Pinehurst (see above).


Optimist Junior Golf and Optimist International Junior Golf Championship (10-18 Years)

Optimist Junior Golf tournament

The Optimist Junior Golf Program is an exciting and unique junior golf program for ages 10-18.  It hosts one of the largest and well-renowned junior golf tournaments in the world. In order to play in the Championships, golfers must qualify.  Qualifying tournaments are held all around the world and the USA. It also hosts a number of regional and national events that are well run and well attended with a high level of play.  

Past winners of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships can be found here. Past winners of the Optimist Tournament of Champions can be found here.

Information for Optimist Junior Golf Tour events can be found here. The schedule for State and District Optimist Junior Golf Championship qualifiers can be found here.


Press Thornton Future Masters (10-18 Years)

Future Masters Junior Golf Tournament

The Press Thornton Future Masters Golf Tournament is one of the most traditionally rich junior tournaments in the world. It has an impressive list of golfing greats who have competed in the tournament including past U.S. Open champions, Masters winners, PGA champions, British Open winner and many current PGA Tour Professionals.

It is not only a proving ground for golf's junior stars, but more importantly it is about the spirit of competition, friendships and sportsmanship on the course. It has been going for over 70 years with the first event held in 1950. It is held annually in Dothan AL. Entrance is through an application process.  Applications can be submitted January through April.  The field is announced in May each year.  

Results of Future Masters tournaments in previous years can be found here.


AJGA - American Junior Golf Association (12-19 Years)

State PGA Junior TourDrive, Chip and Putt competition
amjga

AJGA, started in 1978, is the premier golf tour for older juniors (mostly high school golfers) who aspire to play top level golf. Most junior golfers in the USA who want to play high level college golf (e.g. D1 - DIII) will play a few AJGA events. AJGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. It should be noted that there are many facets of this tour and the tournaments themselves are not easy to qualify for and gain entry to. Applications and entry to tournaments are based on a performance points system which is described in detail on the AJGA site.

The AJGA has 116+ tournaments annually at some very good courses. The AJGA places high emphasis on code of conduct and pace of play. AJGA tournaments, membership and programs are one of the best ways for junior golfers to get exposure to college coaches. The AJGA has tournaments focused on various levels including open tournaments, junior series, invitationals, international tournaments etc.

The AJGA tournaments are extremely well run with professional staff, volunteers and interns who do a great job. They typically have great sponsorship of the events, treat the kids really well and have nice tee gifts.

The tournament schedule is available in the drop down menu at the top of the AJGA website. 

www.ajga.org

National Junior Golf Association (NJGA) (4-18 Years)

junior golf tournaments

The National Junior Golf Association (NJGA) has been in operation since 1999 providing affordable and competitive junior golf tournaments to both members and guests. Tournaments are played year round at some of the best courses in the world across the United States of America, Central America and South America. 


International Junior Golf Tour (IJTA) (9-19 Years)

IJGT junior golf tournaments

The International Junior Golf Academy (IJTA) organizes a series of prestigious golf tournaments around the world. Junior Golfers are made to face high-level competition and are pushed to showcase their talent. 

IJGT events take place on the leading golf courses around the world such as Pinehurst, Harbour Town Golf Links, Bethpage State Park and famous golf courses around the world. IJTA hosts about 60 events along with three international events. 


Callaway Junior World Golf Championship / Future Champions Golf (FCG) (5-18 Years)

Callaway Junior Golf World Championships

The Future Champions Golf organizes  a series of tournaments primarily in Southern California for beginners through advanced nationally ranked players.The FCG World Series Events has garnered significant attention from junior golfers all around the world.  World Series events are open to all junior golfers worldwide and are highlighted by THE BIG 3 that consist of the FCG National Championship formerly known as the San Diego Junior Amateur (Winter Break / 550 Players), the FCG International Junior Championship (July, 630 Players from 32 Countries), and the FCG World Championship.


Doral-Publix Golf Classic (7U-18 Years)

doral publix junior golf tournament

The Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic is a premier tournament for junior golfers 6 years old to 18 years old. Around 700 players from all over the world compete every year in December and the field is generally very international. Contestants not only have to be great golfers but must demonstrate excellence in the classroom too. Entry is by application. The tournament is one of the largest for college recruiting and it benefits The First Tee of Miami. 


Donald Ross Junior Championship (10-17 Years)

Donald Ross Junior Golf Tournaments

The Donald Ross Junior Championship is played in December each year in the cradle of golf in the USA, Pinehurst NC. The event has been played annually since 1949, making 2019 the 69th annual event. There are three age groups for both boys and girls: 11 and under, 12-14, and 15-17. 

The course yardages played are slightly shorter than other regional tournaments. Courses played include Pinehurst No. 1, 4, 5 and 8. On the downside, Pinehurst is far enough north that it can be rather cold in December. Entrance applications generally become available in September each year. The beautiful Carolina Hotel is a fantastic place to stay when visiting Pinehurst and their breakfast buffet is second to none!


North & South Junior Championship (up to 18 Years)

North & South Junior Golf Champioships

The North & South Junior Championship is played in July each year in Pinehurst NC, usually on Pinehurst No. 2, 6 and 8 courses. The North & South amateur has been played at Pinehurst for over 115 years. This is an invitation / application only event. with entrance applications generally becoming available in Spring each year. There is also a one-day 18 hole qualifier for juniors who do not gain entry. The number of spots for qualifiers are limited to the number of WD's from the event. 


Scott Robertson Memorial Annual Tournament (13-18 Years)

Scott Robertson Memorial Junior Golf Tournament

The Annual Scott Robertson Memorial Golf Tournament is a 3 day, 54-hole stroke play event. The event is played at the Roanoke Country Club in VA in May. There are certain entrance criteria and also a couple of days of qualifying available prior to the tournament.

The divisions are boys ages 14, boys 15-18, girls 14 and under and girls 15-18. A nice touch of this tournament is that the Boys and Girls 15-18 Champions have a tree planted in their honor on the golf course of Roanoke Country Club.

The Scott Robertson Memorial Golf Tournament is recognized by the AJGA, Golfweek, Junior Golf Scoreboard, and World Amateur Golf Ranking. Past winners include many current PGA and LPGA Tour players. Competitors in this tournament are generally from the South East and Eastern regions of the USA with good representation from VA, FL, NC, NJ, NY etc.


Boys Junior PGA Championship (Open/Elite)

junior golf tournaments

The Junior PGA Championship is one of golf's major championships for juniors. It provides the final opportunity for USA's top junior players to earn exemptions or points towards the Junior Ryder Cup which competes annually against a European squad. The US Junior Ryder Cup Team consists of 6 boys and 6 girls, US citizens, and not yet graduated from high school. 


Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (Open/Elite)

junior golf tournaments

The Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (BCJI) is one of the nation's premier junior championships played at the Country Club of Spartanburg in SC. It is regarded by the AJGA as a top-tiered event in regards to their performance based exemptions. Entry is by invitation to eligible junior golfers age 13 to 18 years old.


Bubba Conlee National Golf Tournament (Open/Elite)

bubba conlee junior golf

The Bubba Conlee National Junior Tournament is one of the mid-South's finest junior events and dedicated to the life of James "Bubba" Conlee Jr. It is played in the summer in the Memphis, TN area and draws some of the top talent across the country. Entry is by invitation and players must have a handicap computed under the USGA Golf Handicap System (boys 8 or less; girls 12 or less).


Jones Cup Invitational (Open/Elite)

Jones cup invitational

The Jones Cup Junior Invitational is an AJGA ranked event played annually at Sea Island Golf Club. It is open to boys 18 and under by application and a through a qualification tournament.


Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club (Open/Elite)

Junior Invitational Golf Tournament

Recognized by Golfweek as one of the top junior golf events, the Junior Invitational welcomes junior boys from around the world to Sage Valley Golf Club in SC. Stringent invitation guidelines ensure the field consists of the game's top 54 junior players.


Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship (Open/Elite)

junior golf tournaments

The Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship is an invitation only event, invites sent mid-September. The field is limited to a total of 65 boys under 19 from the USA and rest of the world.


Southern Junior Championship (Open/Elite)

premier junior golf tournaments

The Southern Junior Championship is for boys between 14 to 18 years old with a maximum handicap of 12.4 and is a top-tiered AJGA event. It is a premier junior event played at top rated golf courses around the South every year.


Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship (Open/Elite)

The Trusted Choice Big I Championship is the 3rd oldest junior golf event in the USA. It is one of junior golf's major events and juniors play in local and state qualifying events across the country to earn a spot in the final, national 72-hole stroke play tournament.


US Junior Amateur Championship (Open/Elite)

USGA US junior amateur tournament

The US Junior Amateur Championship hosted by the USGA is the most prestigious championship in junior golf. Qualifying is open to boys under 19 years old who have a USGA handicap index of 4.4 or less. It consists of 2 days of stroke play with the leading 64 competitors making the cut to then play match play, culminating in a 36 hole match-play to decide the champion. Winners of the US Junior Amateur usually receive exemptions to play in the following year's US Open. Sectional qualifying takes place country-wide in early summer of each year.


Western Junior Championship (Open/Elite)

western junior championship

The Western Junior is one of the oldest national tournaments drawing top juniors across the country and internationally into its 156 player field. There are no qualifying tournaments for the Western Junior. All players are entered either by exemption or invitation.

Western Women's Junior Championship (Open/Elite)

junior tournaments for girls

The Women's Western Junior Championship is open to amateur girls who are 18 years of age or younger, have an up-to-date 18-hole handicap index that does not exceed 14.4 under the USGA Handicap System or state or international equivalent handicap system, and are not college or university students. The WWGA Committee limits the field to a maximum of 78 contestants. The championship begins with 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying, after which the field is cut to the low 16 players for match play. The Women's Western Junior champion receives an exemption into the Women's Western Amateur, as do the runner-up and the top three (and ties) in stroke play. The championship has also been approved under the AJGA's Performance-Based Entry recognition system.

The Junior Tour by Under Armour (6-18 Years)

Under Armour Junior Tour

Started in 2020, The Junior Tour by Under Armour is a nationwide tournament series for boys and girls ages 6 to 18 of all skill levels. Leagues are run in districts across the country. There are 3 coed age divisions (6-9, 10-13, 14-18). This is a great low pressure way for kids to start playing tournament golf. After paying a league entry fee, the events themselves are relatively inexpensive when compared to most other junior golf tournaments.

Juniors play in up to six, 9-hole matches held on Saturday or Sunday afternoons from March through May and September through November. The 6-9 and 10-13 age groups are allowed caddies. Yardages are age appropriate (generally similar to USkids yardages) and max score is double par which takes the some of the stress out of a "bad hole" and keeps the pace of play up. 

The top points leaders in each age divisions from each region earn a spot in the National Championship. The 3 overall regional division winners earn a free spot in the National Championship. 


Regional Tours

Golfweek Junior Golf Tour (12-18 Years)

Golfweek Junior Golf Tournaments

The Golfweek Junior Tour organizes competitive tournaments for junior golfers. These tournaments take place primarily in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. The organization's goal is to provide junior golfers national exposure and high visibility through media outlets in Golfweek.


IMG Junior Golf Tour (10-18 Years, Certain Events 6 and up)

IMG Junior Golf Tournaments

The IMG Junior Golf Tour provides an elite setting for junior golfers to compete and gain exposure to college golf, professional golf and national junior rankings. Tournaments are professionally-conducted and are for appropriate for intermediate to advanced juniors.

Junior golfers 10 - 18 years old are eligible to compete in four separate age divisions: Boys 15-18, Girls 15-18, Boys 10-14, and Girls 10-14. Tournaments are typically held on weekends during the academic year (September – May).

This tour also hosts the Junior World FL Challenge in December in Florida (not to be confused with the IMG World Championships in San Diego per above) where age divisions are slightly different (G11-14, G15-18, B11-13, B14-15, B16-18).


Junior Golf Championships (JGC) (10-18 Years)

JGC junior golf tournaments

The Junior Golf Championships Series (JGC) presented by PGA Superstore, is a series of approx. 4 events annually held in Texas and one in Georgia. The tournaments qualify for AJGA Performance Based Entry (stars) and are Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked. The tournaments are highly competitive and you can usually find some of the top juniors in the country at these events. Tournament information can be found at Bluegolf.


Notah Begay III Junior Golf Championship (~12-18 Years)

Notah Begay Junior Golf Championship

The Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship is an open qualifying series for juniors to get into the National Championship that will be televised on Golf Channel in a 2 hour prime time broadcast. 

The National Championship showcases the top 70 boys & 70 girls that advance through their respective regional divisions. Juniors play in local qualifiers in order to try to qualify for a regional event. 


Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour (Girls 9 to 19 years)

peggy kirk bell girls golf

The PKBGT is open to girls age 9 to 19 who compete at age and skill appropriate yardages in 9, 18, 36 and 54 hole tournaments through the year. A Collegiate Series of events for 19-25 year olds will begin in the Summer of 2019. Multi-day tournaments are Junior Scoreboard, Golfweek and AJGA ranked tournaments. The tour is played largely in SC and NC, but features tournaments in GA, VA and DE too. 


Red Hills and Pink Links Junior Tour (6-18 Years)

Red Hills and Pink Links Junior Golf Tour

The Red Hills & Pink Links Junior Golf Tour is focused on developing competitive skills and experience for kids aged 6 to 18 years old. 

All two day events are held in north Florida, south Georgia and Alabama – the “red hills” in and around Tallahassee, Florida. The tour has been active since 2009 and is focused on both boys and girls golf programs.  Red Hills Jr. Golf and Pink Links Jr. Golf has helped develop many college golfers.  All events are Junior Golf Scoreboard scored events. 

The Pink Links Jr. Golf’s unique DREAM Series level of plays allows girls to play based on their ability. Not their age.  Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Amber, Mandarin and Sapphire levels are available with the Diamond Series being the only level of play that is Jr. Golf Scoreboard eligible.

More information and the tournament schedule can be found here.


Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour (RMJGT) (6-19 Years)

rocky mountain junior golf tournaments

The Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour features tournaments for competitive players ages 6-19 years old across Arizona, Washington State, New Mexico and Colorado.  Most of the tournaments award AJGA Performance Based Entry and are Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked.


South Eastern Junior Golf Tour (SJGT) (12-18 Years)

sjgt junior golf tournaments

The Southeastern Junior Golf Tour was founded on the principle of giving junior golfers a chance to play competitive golf, while building their resume for a potential collegiate golf career.  It is open to players 12-19.  SJGT events can now be found in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. 

After AJGA, the SJGT tournaments generally attract the top players in the South Eastern region that the tour operates in.


UHY Prep Series (12-18 Years)

UHY Prep Series Golf Tournament

The UHY Prep Series is conducted in conjunction with UHY's official sponsorship of the AJGA. The tournaments are played in various locations including St Louis, Atlanta, Washington DC, Albany NY, Pinehurst NC, Kansas City and Detroit and others. 

The field sizes are relatively small and generally limited to approx. 40 players. A big draw of this series is that the winner of the girls and the boys field earns an exemption into an AJGA event.


United States Challenge Cup (NE) (~13U-18 Years)

United States Challenge Cup Junior Golf Tournament

The United States Challenge Cup is a series of tournaments played primarily in the RI, MA, NY and CT areas. The also act as a qualifier for some of the large national junior golf tournaments. These tournaments are suitable for any level junior and for ages ranging from approx. 11 years old to 18 years old.


Winternational Junior Golf Series at Pinehurst

pinehurst junior golf tournaments

The Winternational Junior Golf Series at Pinehurst is the longest running winter series for high school boys and girls played from November through March annually. The series constitutes eight 36 hole events on the Pinehurst courses including playing the legendary #2 course twice. 


PGA Junior Tours (11-18 Years) - Various States

PGA Junior Tours are found in most States:
PGA Junior Golf Tournaments

Most States in the USA have a State PGA Junior Tour that caters to competitive junior players 11 years old and up. The local PGA chapters are often able to get access to premier courses including courses that are host to PGA Tour events and include great courses such as East Lake in Atlanta GA, Sea Island GA, Copperhead (Innisbrook) FL, Trump National FL, various TPC courses etc. Most of the tournaments are 2 day events with certain ones being one day events. In addition, most are non-caddie tournaments and as such are a great experience for younger juniors transitioning out of caddie tournaments

Below are links to some of the more active Junior PGA chapters: 


PGA Junior League (6-17 Years)

kids golf lessons

Not to be confused with the State PGA Junior Tours, the PGA Jr. League's stated objective is to "bring family and friends together around fun, team golf experiences with expert coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals". Teams are run by clubs that chose to participate. This is a great introduction to tournament golf for younger juniors!

The objective is for kids new to golf to get to experience team golf in a fun environment. Play on teams with friends, wear numbered jerseys and compete in a two-person scramble format.  The PGA Jr. League is open to both boys and girls, 13 and under, of all abilities. Recently the PGA Jr. League has started an additional U17 league  for older players of all abilities, 14 through 17 years old. 

The PGA Jr. league also has sectional, regional and a national championship for "All Star" teams that make it through.  PGA Junior League sign ups begin in February so ask in your local pro shop about the possibility of joining one in your neighborhood.


Other State Tours

Arizona

Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) (10U to 18 Years)

Arizona junior golf tournaments

The Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) conducts more than 100 programs and activities, including etiquette clinics, tournaments, and college prep seminars throughout Arizona. 

Tournaments are conducted from January to December and they are open to juniors age 10U to 18 years old. Tournaments are very competitive with many of the State's top juniors playing in them. AJGA performance stars are up for grabs and the tournaments are all Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked. 


California

Junior Golf Association of Northern California (JGANC) (7 to 18 Years)

northern california junior golf tournaments

The Junior Golf Association of Northern California (JGANC) is a non-profit organization that started in 1970. They have a variety of fun, competitive, affordable junior golf tournaments for boys and girls ages 7 to 18.

The JGANC hosts on over 60 junior golf tournaments a year in Northern California at a variety of public, semi-private and private courses, including some very nice venues such as Del Rio, Del Paso, Pasatiempo, Woodbridge, Los Altos Country Clubs, the Club at Crazy Horse Ranch and Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel. 


San Diego Junior Golf Assoc Tour (SDJGA) (8U to 18 Years)

San Diego Junior Golf Tournaments

With over 40 tournaments and also travel teams for national/international events, the San Diego Junior Golf Association Tour (SDJGA) is one of the oldest and most comprehensive junior golf tours in the country. Alumni include Phil Mickelson and Charlie Hoffman. The local San Diego tour is open to competitive juniors age 6 to 18. The SDJGA tournament schedule can be found here.


Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) (10 to 18 Years)

jtnc junior tour of northern california

The Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) is open to competitive juniors age 10 to 18.  AJGA performance stars are awarded to the winners of all Boys and Girls Championship flights.

The Junior Tour of Northern California tournament schedule can be found here.


California Junior Golf Tour (CJGT) (~6 to 18 Years)

Junior golf tournaments

The California Junior Golf hosts tournaments that are single and multi-day ranked junior golf events and are played on courses in the greater Los Angeles area.

Tournaments are tailored for younger beginners from approx. 6 years old through elite teenage junior golfers. 


Florida

Florida Junior Tour "FJG" (FSGA) (13-18 Years)

florida junior golf tournaments

The Florida  Junior Tour (FJT) holds more high-quality, affordable competitions throughout Florida for boys and girls aged 13-18 years old. All of the FJT tournaments are nationally ranked and the winners from each tournament earn exemptions into the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). The tour is run by the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA). 


North Florida Junior Golf Foundation (NFJG) (10-18 Years)

Florida Junior Golf Tournaments

The North Florida Junior Golf Tour (NFJG) is a not-for-profit organization committed to providing opportunities to junior golfers (Boys and Girls) interested in gaining tournament experience and/or to compete for the love of the game. The organization is based in Jacksonville FL. They have a spring, summer and fall series (Oct-Aug) that comprise of one-day and multiple-day events, on some nice courses, including a few junior golf tournaments at TPC Sawgrass. They have approx. 35 tournaments a year.

In order to provide a good environment for junior players within their skill set the Tournament Series is divided into three levels. The levels are: Foundation TOUR, Rising TOUR and Elite TOUR. The yardage and difficulty are adjusted based on skill level and scoring. Foundation is appropriate for beginner golfers, rising for intermediate and Elite for advanced junior golfers.

The NFJG TOUR age divisions are Boys and Girls 7-12, Boys 10-12, Boys 13-15 (usually split into Rising and Elite), Boys 16-18 and Girls 13-18. Certain of the tournaments allow juniors to earn AJGA stars (PBE) and/or exemptions to the FJT (see above).

The NFGT schedule of tournaments can be found here.


Georgia

GSGA Junior Golf (7-18 Years)

GSGA Junior Golf Tour

Through the Georgia GSGA Junior Golf Tour players have access to numerous tournaments throughout the year, including spring tournaments, summer series tournaments, fall series tournaments, MAADA tour series tournaments, parent/junior series tournaments, and a skills challenge series.

Each tournament offers competition for many different divisions, giving junior golfers of all ages and skill levels the chance to test their abilities in a safe and positive environment.


North American Junior Golf Tour (NAJG) (7-18 Years)

North American Junior Golf Tournaments

The mission of North American Junior Golf (NGJG) is to grow junior golf throughout the greater North Georgia by providing boys and girls, ages 7 to 18, of all skill levels the opportunity to discover the game, enhance and refine their skills, and advance to the competitive level of school-based competition and beyond. In 2023 NGJG started collaborating with NJGA. to run certain tournaments 


Illinois

Illinois Junior Golf Association - IJGA (8-18 Years)

IJGA Illinois Junior Golf Tournaments

The IJGA is non-profit organization dedicated to providing golf opportunities to juniors from 8 to 18. The IJGA runs over 100 events a year throughout the State, including one-day 9-hole and 18-hole tournaments, and 36-hole and 54-hole major championships.


Indiana

CIJGA (10-18 Years)

central indiana junior golf tournaments

The Central Indiana Junior Golf Association (CIJGA) holds a series of reasonably priced junior golf tournaments annually in June and July for players 10 through 18 years old. Players are required to pass a rules test before tournament play.

HC Junior Golf Tour (5-18 Years)

hc junior golf in

The mission of HCJGT is to provide junior golfers ages 5-18 with an opportunity to compete in tournaments locally, develop friendships, learn more about golf and most of all have fun playing. 

Indianapolis Junior Golf Foundation (6-18 Years)

indiana junior golf

The Indianapolis Junior Golf Foundation's mission statement is to develop character, honesty and integrity through golf. It was established in 1984 to teach golf to young children. A tournament series was added in 2000. Free golf lessons are offered at the beginning of the season to children ages 6 to 11. The tournament series runs through June and July.

Mizuno Junior Golf Tour (6-18 Years)

mizuno junior golf in

The Indiana Mizuno Junior Golf Tour is an affordable (scholarships available) golf tour for juniors in Indiana of all skill levels from beginners to competitive players. 


Michigan

Callaway and Meijer Junior Golf Tour (CJT) (7-19 Years)

michigan junior golf tournaments

The Callaway and Meijer Junior Golf Tour operates in Michigan and offer large, competitive fields for boys and girls age 7 through 19.  Multi-day tournaments are Junior Scoreboard ranked and most offer AJGA Performance Based entry.  The Callaway Junior Tour (CJT) is for ages 15-19 who are accomplished players with previous tournament experience.  Players over 15 years old can play the CJT or the Meijer Junior Players Tour (MJPT).


Nebraska

Nebraska Junior Golf Tour (NJGT) (7-18 Years)

Nebraska Junior Golf Tour

Two day events hosted by the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour are ranked by the Junior Golf Scoreboard.


Nevada

Southern Nevada Junior Golf (SNJGA) (6-18 Years)

Junior golf tournaments Nevada

Founded in 1977, SNJGA is a non-profit organization that introduces Southern Nevada juniors to the game of golf. The SNJGA tour plays at various courses throughout Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City for junior 9 through 18 year old. There is also an SNJGA Triple Crown Series which are one day events open to all juniors ages 6 to 17, that has three different tournaments levels for each event and is designed to introduce golfers to play in 3, 6 or 9 hole events.


North Carolina

Tarheel Junior Golf Tour (11-18 Years)

tarheel junior golf

The Tarheel Junior Golf Tour has the reputation of providing the most competitive junior golf tour in North Carolina.  Players compete for individual tournament championships as well as for the season long Money and Scoring Leader competitions.  All 36 hole events are nationally ranked and most meet AJGA requirements.


Ohio

COGA Junior Tour of Ohio (13-19 Years)

ohio junior golf tournaments

The COGA Golf Tour runs a schedule of 36 hole events in Ohio for players age 13-19 years old.  The tournaments are ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Global Jr Rankings and event winners get exemptions into the Hudson Junior Invitational as well as AJGA performance stars.  

Columbus Junior Tour (10-18 years)

junior golf columbus oh

The City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department conducts a comprehensive golf program that caters for all levels of junior golfer. The Columbus Junior Tour is a series of 8 tournaments played through the summer for players ages 10 through 18.

Women's Ohio State Girls Championship (10-19 Years)

junior golf tournaments

The Women's Ohio State Golf Association (WOSGA) hosts the Ohio Junior Girls Championship annually. The tournament is a 3 day event in 3 divisions depending on the player's age. It is open to female amateur golfers, 19 years and younger. Players must have a handicap, be legal residents of OH and members of the WOSGA. 


South Carolina

South Carolina Junior Golf Association Tour (SCJGA) (13-18 Years)

SCJGA junior golf tournaments

The South Carolina Junior Golf Association Tour (SCJGA) offers different levels of playing opportunity.  They have a One Day Series aimed at the junior golfer new to tournament play and a 12 Major Championship played over the whole year for the highly competitive advanced junior golfer. 


Tennessee

Sneds Tour (4-19 Years)

Sneds junior golf tournaments

The Sneds Tour is Tennessee's premier junior golf tour and is very extensive and well run. It is run in partnership with Brandt Snedeker's foundation (hence the name), who hails from Tennessee. The tour is managed and promoted by the Tennessee Golf Foundation with assistance from the Tennessee PGA and Tennessee Golf Association. They typically put on over 130 events with over 6,000 rounds played per season. An objective of the tour is to provide junior golfers of all levels the opportunity to play competitive golf, in a positive and fun environment, at an affordable price.

The tour has various levels of golf tournaments based on age and skill level and does a great job of encouraging youth golfers. All in there are 8 different levels and various age groups within most levels, ranging from a 4-7 year old division, beginner par 3 division for 8-11, intermediate division and advanced/expert level divisions. Tournaments include local and regional tournaments culminating in season ending championships for each division level. 


Texas

Beltway Junior Golf Tour (6-18 Years)

texas junior golf tournaments

The Beltway Junior Golf Tour is the only junior golf tour that has skill based divisions as opposed to age based divisions.  It can be played all over Texas for all skill levels.  


Texas Junior Golf Tour (TJGT) (11-18 Years)

texas junor golf tournaments

The Texas Junior Golf Tour (TJGT) offers over 70 tournaments per year, all of which offer AJGA Performance Based Entry as well as Golf Week ranking, Junior Golf Scoreboard ranking and top-level amateur exemption at selected tournaments.  Participants come from all over the country as well as internationally to play this tour. 


Legends Junior Golf Tour (LJT) (12-18 Years)

legends junior golf tournaments

The Legends Junior Tour (LGT) is part of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance - a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association.  Legends Junior Tour events give the opportunity to earn AJGA performance.


Virginia

College Prep Tour (12-18 Years)

college prep tournaments va

The College Prep Tour has  two age divisions. One Division is for High School players who want to develop into college level golfers. The courses and the distances are similar to what you would find if you played college golf.  The other age division is for Middle School players and younger who want to develop into High School players.


Washington State

Washington Junior Golf Association (WJGA) (8-18 Years)

Washington junior golf

The WJGA started in 1976 and is one of the largest junior golf associations in the US with 1,100 members. Juniors between 8 and 18 years old can join and play tournaments. They have some scoring guidelines for juniors to make sure that kids are competent golfers and can play independently. In general the guidelines are reasonable and tournaments are suitable for average to advanced golfers. Members must be residents of the WJGA territory (Washington State, North East Oregon, and parts of the Idaho Panhandle) and must be either US Citizens or permanent residents. 

Juniors aged 8-13 are required to have a "walking scorer" to assist in tournaments. The WJGA has localt tournaments in each of the six districts, State tournaments and they also conduct the State Championship. Membership is a very reasonable $45 per year. If you live the Pacific NW and are looking for junior golf tournaments this is a great place to start.


A Last Thought

It is important to make sure your child is tournament-ready for the level of tournament you sign them up for. Many local golf academies hold club tournaments and many States and cities have local golf tournaments where the competition is at the right level for a beginner or intermediate junior golfer. These are good options for a junior starting out in tournament play.  Building confidence and learning the ropes in small, local tournaments sets the junior up for an easier transition to bigger junior tours and tournaments on a regional, national and international stage. The PGA Junior League is also a great place to start.

An interesting option that we saw recently is a junior golf tour that does not use age groups but rather uses scoring to determine which level a junior plays in. For example, if a junior can score in the 80's they move up to the next distance and the same when they can score in the 70's. This is greatly improves pace of play and keeps it fun for juniors.

Check out the Youth on Course program that provides great access to many good courses (over 1,400) at very reasonable price for juniors aged 6 to 18.

Make sure your juniors are up to speed with the rules and take our challenging rules quiz!

Please let us know your favorite junior tours or request yours to be added

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