MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the PGA Junior Golf Association is to develop future golfers by introducing young people to the integrity and values of the game through the camaraderie and spirit of the Junior Golf TOUR and other tournament competitions.
GOVERNANCE
The Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf Committee governs the Junior Golf Association. The operation and management of the Junior Golf Association is made possible from an annual grant from the Connecticut Section PGA Golf Foundation.
ELIGIBILITY
Membership (on an annual basis) is open to any boy or girl between the ages 10-18 who resides within the boundaries of the Connecticut Section PGA (includes Western Massachusetts, excludes lower Fairfield County), and has not yet begun college. There are no handicap requirements to join. A junior can be a member through their nineteenth birthday, but following that date can no longer participate. The membership fee is $75 per junior member.
Upon registration, each junior will receive an email informing them of their membership acceptance to the Junior Golf Association, as well as instructions on how to ACTIVATE their membership. In 2010, there are three requirements that need to be completed before the Junior Golf Association membership is ACTIVE. Only ACTIVE members will be permitted to register on time for the first session of PGA Junior Golf TOUR tournaments.
Members are required to take, complete, and pass an online Rules Test. Members are encouraged to the USGA Rules of Golf book. Member can take the test multiple times until completed. There are separate rules tests for age divisions 10-12 and 13-18.
A member must be Certified by a PGA Professional and return the Membership Certification Form to the Connecticut Section PGA Office.
3. Orientation Day
The Junior Golf Association Orientation Day will be held on Saturday, June 12, at University of Connecticut at the Storrs Campus. The morning session of the orientation will begin at 9:30 AM and end at approximately at 11:30 AM, and the afternoon session will begin at 1:30PM and end at approximately at 3:30PM. The purpose of the JGA Orientation Day is to educate junior members and their parents about the Junior Golf Association, Connecticut Section PGA Junior TOUR, TOUR Rules and Regulations, and give instruction on how to register for tournaments. The Junior Golf Association member, parent/guardian, or representative must attend.
Note: If a player does not attend the orientation, he/she will not be able to register for the first session (June 16) of the TOUR tournaments. They will be suspended until Monday, June 21.
MEMBER BENEFITS
Junior Golf Association members will receive the following:
i. JGA Members' Handbook that includes a comprehensive schedule of junior golf activities, Junior Golf TOUR Regulations, contact information for junior golf organizations, Player of the Year points structure and other information;
ii. JGA Membership ID card, leather scorecard holder and other favors;
iii. JGA Members who have ACTIVATED their membership will be able to enter the 20 PGA Junior Golf TOUR tournaments;
iv. Only JGA Members will be eligible to earn points for Junior PGA Player of the Year competitions for boys and girls, age 13-18, divisions;
v. Player Profile on Connecticut Section PGA website;
vi. JGA Members will have a discounted entry fee into the Jack Kelley Junior PGA Tournament of Champions, the TOUR Championship, if they have earned eligibility;
vii. Complimentary entrance into the Travelers Championship on June 21 - June 27, 2010, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.;
viii. The Second Annual Golf Digest Junior Pro-Am if they have earned eligibility;
ix. Complimentary membership to the CT Golf Clubs for Schools (State of Connecticut residents only) from the Connecticut State Golf Association for free USGA Handicap through the GHIN service;
x. Weekly news and information via email during the TOUR tournament season; and
xi. 50% discount on range balls at Golf Quest Family Sports Center facilities in Southington and Brookfield, Conn., and Copper Hill Golf Academy in East Granby, Conn.
Junior Golf TOUR
INTRODUCTION
The Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR (TOUR) is comprised of 20 tournaments and a season-ending TOUR championship, the Jack Kelly Junior PGA Tournament of Champions. These junior tournaments are held within the boundaries of the Connecticut Section (including Western Massachusetts, and excluding lower Fairfield County).
Each TOUR tournament is owned and operated independently, but aggress to conduct its tournament within the TOUR Rules and Regulations that are established by The PGA. The TOUR Tournament Director oversees each tournament competition and manages the season-long Player of the Year competitions for boys and girls, ages 13-18.
The presenting sponsor for the 2010 PGA Junior Golf TOUR is USA Hauling & Recycling.
PLAYERS CLUB PREMIUM EDITION
JGA members can register for the Players Club Premium Addition service, which is an interactive way to view an in depth analysis of your game. The Players Club is an easy-to-use and flexible performance analyzer that produces instant reports on your game. The service includes features such as tournament shot history; tournament rounds score history, analysis of tournament rounds, and more tournament stats. The service can be located following JGA registration through your member account for a one-time cost of $22 for a 12-month subscription.
CONNECTICUT SECTION PGA JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Junior Golf Association Player of the Year (both boy and girl awards) will be determined by adding the junior player performance points accumulated from each of the major championships and each PGA Junior Golf TOUR event in which a JGA member participates. The Player of the Year winners will be presented awards by the Connecticut Section PGA and honored along with the Connecticut Section PGA Professional Player of the Year at the section's Special Awards Banquet on Sunday, November 21, 2010.
Player performance points are awarded to JGA members in the 13-18 age group only based on place finish among JGA members. In the case of ties, player performance points will be totaled then divided by the number of places tied and distributed accordingly. The only exception for this is when there is a tie for first place and a playoff determines a champion. Then the champion will receive the total first place points.
The Connecticut Section PGA has created the Jack Kelly Junior Golf Sportsmanship Awards for the PGA Junior Golf Association. TheJack Kelly Junior Golf Sportsmanship Award will be presented annually to the boy and girl JGA Members who best exemplify the PGA and its standards. The Junior Golf Committee will determine the qualifications for this award and it will be discussed at the JGA Orientation Day. The recipients of these awards will be invited to the Annual Connecticut Section PGA Special Awards Banquet held on Sunday, November 21, 2010, at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods.
Participating in PGA Junior Golf TOUR (TOUR) tournaments are meant to instill the positive values, such as honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship, inherent in the game of golf. For this reason, the Connecticut Section PGA has established the following set of Tournament Rules and Regulations that all TOUR participants are expected to follow.
Tournaments are played at scratch, no handicaps. Play is conducted in accordance with the United States Golf Association Rules of Golf and the TOUR Tournament Rules and Regulations.
It is the responsibility of each Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf Association Member and participant to familiarize oneself with the USGA Rules of Golf and the TOUR Tournament Rules and Regulations, as ignorance of the rules is no excuse for breaking them. For any questions on the Rules of Golf, consult with your local PGA Professional or call the United States Golf Association at (908) 234-2300.
TOURNAMENT ENTRY PROCEDURES
All entries for TOUR events will be processed through online registration. Online registration is only available to members of the JGA. All tournament information for the TOUR is included in the JGA Members’ Handbook for reference only. NO PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Steps:
2. Click Junior Golf
3. Use your ID and Password to log in
5. Click “Tournament” tab to view the TOUR schedule
6. Select the TOUR tournaments in which you would like to register
TOURNAMENT WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE
Registration closes five days prior to the start of the tournament. You are able to withdraw five days prior to the start of the tournament with a full refund minus a 10% administration fee. (For example, Ellington Ridge Camera Memorial Junior Tournament is on Monday, June 28. You MUST withdraw before 11:59PM on Tuesday, June 22). Any withdrawal within five days prior to the tournament will result in a forfeit of the registration cost.
Although participants who cancel out of an event after the tournament deadline may not receive a refund, it is mandatorythey cancel out of the event online. This policy is being enforced to help eliminate no- shows and allow players on the Waitlist to participate.
Steps:
- Log in with your Players ID and Password.
- Go to the Tournament Tab.
- You will now see a list of the TOUR tournaments in which you have registered indicating whether you are on the Active Players List or the Waiting List.
- Click the CANCEL button to cancel from any of the tournaments.
- If you do not see the Cancel button next to the event, this means that the deadline for the cancellation has passed.
- If you would like to W/D from the tournament after the deadline, please e-mail Sally Sohn at ssohn@pgahq.com – note that this is still considered a NO SHOW.
NO SHOWS
Any participant who does not cancel online 5 days before the tournament date is considered to be a no show. Two no showswill result intermination of JGA membership, without a refund.
WAITLIST POLICY
Juniors on the waitlist will gain a spot in a tournament in the event of a cancellation. Open spots in the field will be filled on a first come, first serve basis from the waitlist according to the age division of other members in the tee time. (Ex. If a spot opens in a 12 & under Age Division tee time, the first participant on the waitlist in that division will be eligible for the spot. A junior in the 13-18 Age Division would not be eligible to fill the opening.) Note: Anyone who is placed on the waitlist will not be charged unless they get into the event.
Walk-On Policy
The Connecticut Section PGA Junior TOUR allows players to walk-on the day of an event. The walk-on is only available to players who are on the waitlist. Once the day of an event has arrived, the spot will be give out on a first come, first serve basis. Although the likelihood of participating as a walk-on player is high, we do not guarantee you will be able to play in any events as a walk-on. If a junior tour member is able to participate as a walk-on, they will be asked to provide all information deemed necessary for registration.
AGE DIVISIONS
|
Division
|
Age
|
# of Holes
|
Tees Played
|
|
Boys
|
10-12
|
9
|
Forward (Red)
|
|
Boys
|
13-18
|
18
|
Middle (White)
|
|
Girls
|
10-12
|
9
|
Forward (Red)
|
|
Girls
|
13-18
|
18
|
Forward (Red)
|
* Only the 13-18 divisions, both boys and girls, are eligible for JGA Player of the Year points
i. A junior player who wishes to compete in a higher age division must get permission from the Junior Golf Committee. Players, who feel that their abilities are excellent and would like to apply for competitive playing privileges in a higher age division, must meet the following criteria. Participants that are between the ages of 10-12 who wish to play in the 13-18 age division, may write to the Junior Golf Committee for permission as long as the following criteria is met:
a. Girls must have a 15.0 or less USGA index and a written recommendation from a PGA Professional
b. Boys must have an 8.0 or less USGA index and a written recommendation from a PGA Professional.
If a player’s performance does not equate to his or her handicap in two or more tournaments, the Junior Golf Committee reserves the right to move the player back down into his/her own age division. Participants must apply for this privilege in June each year.
AGE GROUPS
The TOUR has divided boys and girls into separate age groups, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 for the purpose of prize distribution.
Time of Starting and Groups
The player shall start at the time specified by the Committee (Rule 6-3). In the absence of circumstances which warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification as provided in Rule 33-7, the penalty for failure to start on time is two strokes at the first hole in stroke play, provided the player arrives at his/her starting point, ready to play, within five minutes of the starting time assigned by the committee. If the player does not arrive within five minutes of their starting time, they will be disqualified.
The method of start (starting times, shotgun) will vary for each TOUR tournament. Starting times are produced at random by age division. An effort is made to avoid paring players from the same family or hometown. The Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR does not take or accept starting time requests or changes. Unless otherwise specified, starting times for all Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR events are posted online at www.ctpga.com FOUR (4) days prior to the date of the event. Participants will also receive starting time notifications via email. Players should check-in at least 30 minutes prior to their starting time. If the event is over or under capacity, the production of starting times may be delayed. The Connecticut Section PGA reserves the right to change starting times at any time.
Spectator Policy
All Parents/Guardians are required to read this section.
Unless otherwise specified, the Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR does not allow spectators on the golf course at any time. Spectators may watch from holes within close proximity to the clubhouse (typically the 1st & 10th tees and the 9th & 18th greens). Any spectator caught on the course will be escorted off the course and given a warning. A second offense will result in disqualification of the competitor(s) that the spectator is following. This policy is for the general good of both the player and the game. This policy is in effect for all Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR except Pepsi Junior PGA Championship and Jack Kelly Tournament of Champions.
Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices
The use of mobile phones, two-way radios, pagers or any other electronic device deemed inappropriate is prohibited during event competition. The player will receive one verbal warning regarding this violation. If the player is in violation of this rule a second time, the player will be disqualified from the event competition.
Distance Measuring Devices
For all play in the Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf TOUR, a player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional function is actually used. The use of mobile telephone GPS is NOT permitted.
Policy on Pull Carts
All players are allowed to use pull carts for all Connecticut Section PGA Junior TOUR events. The use of caddies and golf carts are prohibited.