Parents play a crucial role in preparing for an AJGA tournament.
Your
son or daughter has just been accepted to an AJGA tournament.
What is your next step as a parent before heading to your
childs tournament with your tennis shoes and sport seat
in tow? Acceptance Information via E-mail
Once your child receives the AJGA acceptance information via
e-mail, it is advised that you and your child read all the
provided information thoroughly and in its entirety. As you
begin planning for the tournament, you will find that this
information serves as a key reference guide and resource.
All acceptance information will also be posted on the AJGA
website.
Travel and Lodging
To ease the planning process, the e-mailed acceptance information
provides detailed information regarding transportation and
lodging. Driving directions and distances to and from the
airport(s), host facility and host hotel are all listed, as
well as contact information for both the host facility and
hotel. It is suggested that all tournament participants and
families stay at the host facility for the convenience of
attending AJGA Player and Parent Meetings, AJGA socials and
utilizing the provided AJGA transportation, if needed. It
is also recommended that you book hotel and flight reservations
as soon as you receive your acceptance information because
room blocks and discounted room rates are limited.
Schedule of Events
A tournament schedule of events will be among the information
provided in the acceptance e-mail, which will list tee time
blocks, player and parent meetings and socials. Before reserving
transportation and lodging, please look carefully at dates
and times to avoid arrival and/or departure conflicts. Also,
when arranging travel plans, please allow enough time to attend
all first-day events (practice round, mandatory Players Registration
and Meeting and Parents Meeting).
First Day of the
Tournament
Practice
Round
Juniors,
get to know the golf course as you play a practice round
with some of your fellow competitors. Your tournament information
will provide details as to when and where to sign up for
the practice round, which is usually a shotgun start.
Junior-Ams
Depending
on the type of tournament, a Junior-Am may also be conducted
on the first day of the tournament. If the Junior-Am is
listed in your schedule of events, and your child has been
invited to play, please encourage your son or daughter to
participate. If your child is interested in playing, please feel free to contact the tournament director to see there are spots available. This is an excellent opportunity for them to
interact with local sponsors and supporters of the AJGA,
and make potential lifetime contacts in the business world.
If you are invited to play in the Junior-Am, that will serve
as your practice round.
Players
Registration/Meeting and Parents Meeting
Players receive a number of gifts at registration, including Titleist golf balls and Polo shirts at all Open events.
Following
the practice round is the Players Registration and Players
Meeting. At registration, players will receive pairings,
tournament information and gifts, including Titleist golf balls.
The subsequent Players Meeting will cover important information
regarding the tournament and Local Rules. These events are
MANDATORY. Should you be unable to attend, you must contact
the Tournament Director in advance.
A
Parents Meeting is also held, usually at the same time as
the Players Meeting. Even though the Parents Meeting is
not mandatory, it is highly recommended because it gives
every AJGA Parent an opportunity to learn more about the
Association.
It
is the players responsibility to be at the starting
tee at the designated tee time. Late arrival to the tee
may result in two stroke penatly or disqualification.
The AJGA recommends arriving at the tee 10 minutes prior
to your tee time (15 minutes on equipment survey day).
An AJGA staff member will provide scorecards, hole location
sheets, Notice to Competitors and other instructions to
get you started on the right foot. The starter will announce
each players name and hometown before he or she
tees off.
Equipment
Survey
As
a service to the AJGAs sponsors, the starter will
conduct an equipment survey with each competitor prior to
the start of the first round (the round may vary at some
tournaments).
Cares for the Course
The AJGA is implementing a new care for the course policy, where juniors will be provided with sand bottles and are able to fill their divots during all rounds of a tournament. Instead of one event following the second round, this is now an ongoing process in helping to maintain the courses that allow us to host a tournament.
Cookout
The
AJGA typically offers a cookout, which usually includes
a social activity, following the first or second round at
each tournament. Parents and juniors may dine for free,
compliments of the AJGA. Have a good time, but keep the
Code of Conduct in mind. Not only is the Tournament Cookout
complimentary for players and families of the AJGA, it is
an excellent opportunity to interact with other players
and families, staff and sponsors of the AJGA. Some tournaments pass out vocuhers instead of a cookout where the player may redeem their voucher for a meal at the host facility.
Final
Round
Final-round
tee times, which are based on the players two-day
total, will be posted at the host hotel and facility, along
with a phone number for players to call during a designated
time.
Awards
Ceremony
Trophies
are generally awarded to the top-five boys and top-three
girls at each tournament. The awards ceremony will take
place immediately following the conclusion of the competition. Award winners are asked to stay for photos with their trophies immediately following the ceremony.
The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.
The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.
Leadership Links
What is Leadership Links?
Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) 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.