WEATHER UPDATE: The Qualifier - AJGA Junior at Innisbrook was cancelled because of weather.
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Polo Golf Junior Classic

Tournament Information

HOUSING

AJGA Host Hotel: Hilton Long Island / Huntington
Hotel Address: 598 Broad Hollow Road

AJGA Special Rate: $209 Double Occupancy ($230 Average rate at this time)
Hotel Tax Rate: 11.625%
Rate Includes: Breakfast Buffet / WIFI / Access to Fitness Center / Complimentary overnight parking
Distance to Golf Course: 3 miles

Reservation Method: (631) 845-1000 - Identify yourself as an AJGA Participant
Booking link: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/pologolfjuniorclassic/

Cutoff Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 5 p.m. Eastern
Check in Time: 4 p.m.
Check out Time: 11 a.m.

Your stay at the host hotel supports the tournament's overall success and charitable giving as well as strengthens the AJGA's ability to secure the most competitive rate for future events.

TRANSPORTATION

Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Distance to Host Hotel: 27 miles
Distance to Golf Course: 23 miles

AJGA Preferred Rentals: Avis and Budget, the preferred rental car brands of the American Junior Golf Association, provide AJGA members and their families with savings on vehicles for all AJGA event-related and personal travel. To see rates for all events, visit these links:

FORMAT: The 2023 Polo Golf Junior Classic will be a match play competition. Players in each division will be organized into eight groups, with four players each. Players will compete within their group for the first three rounds and will be guaranteed three matches. Each player will play a match against all players in their group. The winner of each group will advance to an elimination bracket.

Seeding for group play will be determined based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of June 21. For further information on how each group will be comprised, please see the Seeding and Bracket document located under the “Tournament Forms” tab.

At the conclusion of group play, ties within each group to determine who will advance to the quarterfinals will be broken in the following manner:

  • Two-way tie: winner of head-to-head match in group play
  • Three-way tie: sudden death playoff
  • Four-way tie: sudden death playoff

Beginning this year, this event will be WAGR™ eligible.

 Top-8 players who advance to elimination bracket:

  • 1st – win championship match
  • 2nd – lose championship match
  • T3rd – lose semifinal match
  • T5th – lose quarterfinal match

Next 24 players who do not advance to elimination bracket:
For those who do not win their group, place finish (starting with 9th place) will be determined by the total number of points earned in their 3 group matches based on 1 point for a win, .5 points for a tie, and 0 points for a loss.

For example, a player with a group play record of 2 wins and 1 loss will have earned 2 points in group play and will have the same tournament place finish as a player with a group play record of 1 win and 2 ties.

TRAVEL/ACCOMMODATIONS STIPEND: The Polo Golf Junior Classic will reimburse costs associated with travel (airfare/gas/mileage), rental car and lodging up to a maximum of $250. To receive reimbursement, fill out the travel stipend form by clicking on the Tournament Forms tab on the main header of the tournament webpage. You may also bring receipts to the tournament or submit to the AJGA by Friday, August 4, 2023.

SPECTATOR GOLF CARTS: The Bethpage Black Course is a walking course only. Golf carts and spectator carts will not be allowed at this event. If you have a Blue Permanent Handicap placard, please email Tournament Director Patrick Plank (pplank@ajga.org ) in advance of the event so we may attempt to make any necessary accommodations. While spectator carts will not be available, those with a mobility disability may be offered the opportunity to ride with a rules official where possible. Only those individuals with a Blue Permanent Handicap placard will be eligible. Please understand, rules officials’ priority will be officiating all the matches they are following and will not include following any one group for the entire round.

PRACTICE FACILITIES: Players are encouraged to arrive on-site no more than an hour and a half before the practice round shotgun.

POST ROUND:  Practice will be permitted at the host facility and off-site driving range. The driving range and practice putting green at Bethpage State Park Golf Courses and the driving range at Farmingdale State College will close at 7 p.m. An AJGA staff member or volunteer will be monitoring the practice facilities and expect all players and approved spectators to appropriately social distance. Failure to properly social distance may result in forfeiture of additional practice time. 

OFFICIAL OFF-SITE DRIVING RANGE: If players wish to hit driver or utilize a grass tee to warm up prior to the round or practice following play, the Farmingdale State College driving range located 2.8 miles away is available starting at 6 a.m. each day. Once arriving on campus, follow signs to the driving range, located in the back right corner of the property. Range balls are complimentary, courtesy of TaylorMade.

Farmingdale State College – Golf Driving Range
2350 Broadhollow Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735

BETHPAGE DRIVING RANGE AVAILABILITY:
Monday, June 27 – Friday, July 1: Opening time TBA; closes at 7 p.m.

FARMINGDALE STATE DRIVING RANGE AVAILABILITY:
Monday, June 27 – Friday, July 1: Hours TBA
Balls at Farmingdale State College are complimentary courtesy of TaylorMade.

JUNIOR-AM & PRACTICE ROUND: All practice rounds will take place as part of the the morning Junior-Am Fundraiser or the afternoon Practice Round. Both events will be a shotgun start. Players will be able to sign up for a practice round starting hole via Golf Genius one week prior to the event. Players wishing to participate in the morning Junior-Am should email Tournament Director Patrick Plank (pplank@ajga.org ). All requests will be considered, but please note there are limited spots available for the morning. All players will be notified of their starting hole at player registration.

Signup: Click here to sign-up
Signup Dates: Monday, June 19 – Sunday, June 25

Players will be called with the carts approximately 30 minutes prior to the shotgun for announcements. Practice Round and Tournament Hole Locations will be available on the tournament website. All players are required to carry their own bag or use a push cart. All parents and family members are always required to stay on the cart path during the practice round.

Additional Practice Round Information

As Bethpage State Park is a public facility, any additional practice rounds are subject to golf course availability. Players and guests must comply with all host facility rules & regulations including, but not limited to, a restriction of the number of shots to be played, disrespectful behavior towards host club staff and/or members, overall time limits and limitations of non-paying guests.

Failure to comply with Bethpage State Park’s rules and regulations and the AJGA Player and Spectator Code of Conduct may result in the following penalties:

  • Forfeiture of your official practice round
  • Loss of hole penalty in your first match or disqualification from the tournament
  • Loss of spectating privileges for the player involved

Reservation Method: Call (516) 249-4040 or Book Online at parks.ny.gov/golf . Players must make an account under their own name to make a reservation. Walk-up opportunities may also be available.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The Bethpage Black Course is a walking only golf course. Use of spectator golf carts will not be permitted. If you have a mobility disability, please see the Spectator Golf Carts section above.

AJGA CARES FOR THE COURSE: As part of the AJGA’s Code of Conduct policy players are required to fill their divots and ball marks on the golf course. Players will receive a small, lightweight sand bottle at the beginning of each event and should fill the bottles at the sand filling stations on each tee as necessary. The penalty for not following this policy is as follows:

  • 1st & 2nd offense – Player receives a verbal warning
  • 3rd & subsequent offenses – Player receives a one-stroke penalty

SCORECARDS: Players will be required to bring a smart phone or device with internet capabilities that supports the Golf Genius application (available on iOS or Android) to use for their official scorecard and live scoring during all AJGA events. Please make sure you have the most updated version of the app. Instructions on how to use the app can be found here . Each player will be provided with a GGID at the starting tee and will be assigned to mark for another player in the group. The player is responsible for providing their own device and ensuring it is fully charged for the round.

PLAYER REGISTRATION: It is recommended that players do not arrive for player registration more than one hour before their tee time.

Date: Monday, June 26
Time: 7:30-8:45 a.m. for Junior-Am juniors and 12:30-1:45 p.m. for practice round juniors
Location: Bethpage State Park Golf Course Clubhouse – Front Circle

Players unable to register at this time MUST notify Tournament Director Patrick Plank prior to June 26 at (920) 410-9909.

Registration is MANDATORY. Players who fail to attend without prior approval from the tournament director may forfeit their tournament gifts. Approval to miss the Players Registration will be granted only in extreme circumstances. An individual absent from these events because they are not staying at the host hotel, are staying in private housing for the week, or have a long commute do not constitute acceptable circumstances.

TOURNAMENT TEE TIMES/PAIRINGS

Official First-Round Pairings Available: June 26, 2023

Tee Times:
June 27
6:30 – 10:40 a.m. off No. 1 (Pool Play Round 1)
11:50 a.m. – 4 p.m. off No. 1 (Pool Play Round 2)

June 28
7 – 11:10 a.m. off No. 1 (Pool Play Round 3)

June 29
7 – 8:03 a.m. off No. 1 (Quarterfinal Matches)
12:30 – 12:57 p.m. off No. 1 (Semifinal Matches)

June 30
7 – 7:09 a.m. (Championship Matches)

Quarterfinal Pairings Available: June 28, 2023
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: ajga.org
Note: Players assume the entire risk if they call any other number or individual and receive an incorrect starting time.

As inclement weather may delay play, please make your departing flight as late as possible. The AJGA will play until dark if necessary to complete the tournament. Should the player need to withdraw for travel related reasons please understand the withdrawal will be classified as questionable.

TOURNAMENT MEALS
All meals throughout the tournament week will be provided complimentary, courtesy of Polo Ralph Lauren.

  • Participants in the Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament on June 26 will receive breakfast and lunch. Meals this day will be for players only. Meals will not be available for players participating in the Practice Round
  • Breakfast will be provided June 29 and 30 for players reaching the elimination bracket
  • Lunch will be provided June 27 – 30
  • Dinner will be provided June 27

CONTACT INFORMATION:
HQ Location: Upstairs Conference Room of Heritage Club
TD Name: Patrick Plank
Phone Number: (920) 410-9909
Email: pplank@ajga.org

Note: Players and Parents are asked to call or email the Tournament Director with any questions they may have and avoid visiting the Headquarters onsite.

JUNIOR PLUS MEMBER SWING VIDEOS by FLIGHTSCOPE: All Junior Plus Members may record swing metrics and an HD video through FlightScope technology on the driving range at any time during the event. Players can share videos and data in their Player Center, shared to college coaches through AJGA recruiting profiles. Contact the Tournament Director to schedule time to film a swing video.

OFFICIAL YARDAGE BOOK AND GREENS GUIDE – StrackaLine
StrackaLine provides a 20% discount on yardage books and greens guides to participants of the Polo Golf Junior Classic hosted at Bethpage State Park Golf Courses – Black Course The discount can be accessed online here .

OFFICIAL PUSH CART OF THE AJGA – BAG BOY
As the Official Push Cart of the AJGA, Bag Boy will be providing all players the opportunity to borrow a Nitron push cart up to two times at any tournament throughout the year. Push carts will be available on a first come, first-serve basis at every event, and players who borrow a push cart during an AJGA event will become eligible to win a free Bag Boy push cart in December. If you are interested, see the Tournament Director on-site to reserve your cart and sign an agreement form.

RANGEFINDERS: The AJGA allows the usage of distance-measuring devices in all AJGA competitions. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or MEASURE OTHER CONDITIONS that might affect his/her play (e.g., gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4.3(1).

PUSH CARTS: Push carts (non-motorized) are approved for use by all players as permitted by the host facility. Players are responsible for providing their own push carts.