Do you have a junior golfer who’s destined to be the next Tiger Woods? Or just want to introduce your little one to competitive golf and see how things go?
You’re in luck. We’ve put together all the information you need to get started in junior golf.
Let’s start by answering some of the most common questions about junior golf…
How old does my child need to be to start playing tournament golf?
The youngest age group in the two most popular junior golf organizations is six years old.
Your child can actually start when they’re 5 years old if you think they’re ready.
The biggest benefit of starting your kids in junior golf at an early age is that they'll make lifelong friends who love golf as much as they do.
How do I find junior golf tournaments where I live?
The most popular junior golf tours are promoted and run by two organizations:
- U.S. Kids Golf
- Under Armour Junior Tour
Both offer junior golf tournaments in most areas of the country.
NOTE: You can find links to locate a U.S. Kids or Under Armour Local Tour in your area in the Resources section at the end of this article.
Which tournaments should I choose to get my junior started?
Like most things in life… it depends.
Both U.S. Kids Golf and the Under Armour Junior Tour are great.
We started our kids off in U.S. Kids tournaments because the age groups provide more of a level playing field for the younger kids.
While there are a few other differences besides the age divisions between U.S. Kids Golf and Under Armour tournaments, you really can’t go wrong no matter which one you choose.
In my experience, most parents tend to start their juniors off in U.S. Kids Golf tournaments.
Once their kids gain some experience, they might let them jump into Under Armour tournaments… especially once their kids are old enough to be at the top end of the age division.
There is less upfront commitment with U.S. Kids tournaments.
For anyone just wanting their child to try junior golf for the first time, you will probably appreciate that you can choose to enter (or not enter) individual tournaments within any U.S. Kids Golf Tour.
So if your kid plays in their first tournament and hates it (they won’t), you’ve only invested in one tournament.
Under Armour tournament registration is for the entire Tour upfront.
With Under Armour Local Tours, you have to register (and pay) for the entire 6 tournaments that make up a Tour.
The tournament entry fees on the UA Tour are very reasonable, but most parents probably want to make sure their junior likes playing tournaments before committing to 6 events right off the bat.
How much does it cost to enter junior golf tournaments?
Under Amour Junior Tour Entry Fee
Under Armour Tours consist of 6 events, and you have to pay for all 6 events upfront at the time you register for the Tour.
The registration cost for a Tour is typically right around $350.
U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours - Local Tour Season Fee
When you first sign-up for one of the Local Tours, there will be a $40 Local Tour Season Fee. You only pay that fee once per Tour.
So if your child plays the Winter Tour there will be a $40 Tour Season fee on top of the registration cost for one of the individual tournaments.
If you then decide to play the Spring Tour, you would pay the $40 Tour Season fee again for that Tour.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Every time you register your junior golfer for a new Tour, U.S. Kids Golf will email you a $25 Local Tour Coupon to use on their website.
You can use the $25 coupon for anything you need. Balls, gloves, clubs, a sun-blocking umbrella (highly recommended), etc.
U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours - Tournament Entry Fee
9-Holers (10 years old and under)
The cost of registering for an individual tournament varies from city to city, but typically ranges from $43 - $69.
18-Holers (11 years old and up)
Typically ranges from $53 - $79.
The difference in entry fees is due to the cost of the course the tournament is being held at. Some courses are more expensive than others.
The Tournament Directors of the U.S. Kids Local Tours do everything they can to keep the entry fees as affordable as possible.
Boys Age Divisions
In U.S. Kids Golf tournaments, the boys play against other kids who are their same age until they reach 13 years old. That’s a big deal because even just one year of age difference makes the competition unfair to the younger kids.
U.S. Kids Golf Boys Age Divisions
Boys 6 and Under
Boys 7
Boys 8
Boys 9
Boys 10
Boys 11
Boys 12
Boys 13-14
Boys 15-18
Under Armour Junior Tour Boys Age Divisions
Boys 6 - 8
Boys 9 - 11
Boys 12 - 14
Boys 15-18
A Note About Under Armour Age Divisions
On the Under Armour Tour, the age divisions span three years, so the younger boys are often playing against kids who are as much as 2 years older than them.
Two years of physical development, not to mention golf development, leaves the younger kids at a big disadvantage.
In effect, a 6 year old would be playing from 8 year old distances. So they’re often hitting driver, 3-wood, and then chipping up.
While this might be helpful to their golf development, it’s also very discouraging to the younger kids in the different age divisions.
Could change be coming?
Recently, Under Armour started modifying some of the age divisions for their big National, and World Championship tournaments so that the kids in each age division are a little closer in age.
In the most recent Worlds, the age divisions were 6-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18.
Honestly, the way the age divisions are structured is my only complaint with the Under Armour Junior Tour. Everything else about UA Junior Golf is awesome.
The Tournament Directors and volunteers who run the Local Tours of both organizations are fantastic people who are personally invested in junior golf in their local communities.
The Under Armour Nationals (both Summer & Winter), along with the World Championships are run by an amazing family that manages the UA Tour on a national basis.
Their whole family is totally devoted to junior golf, and it shows in everything they do.
Girls Age Divisions
The girls play in slightly different age divisions in U.S. Kids Golf tournaments.
On the Under Armour Tour, the girls age divisions are the same as the boys.
U.S. Kids Golf Girls Age Divisions
Girls 8 and Under
Girls 9-10
Girls 11-12
Girls 13-14
Girls 15-18
Under Armour Junior Tour Girls Age Divisions
Boys 6 - 8
Boys 9 - 11
Boys 12 - 14
Boys 15-18
When do the Local Tours take place throughout the year?
NOTE: A ‘Tour’ is essentially a season.
Both U.S. Kids Golf and Under Armour offer 4 Tours throughout the year in most areas of the country:
- Spring Tour
- Summer Tour
- Fall Tour
- Winter Tour
What will your junior golfer need to get started playing in golf tournaments?
- golf clubs
- golf balls
- tees
- ball marker
- a caddy (that’s you)
- water bottle
- snacks
As your child gets a little older, the bag is going to get heavier, and a pushcart will come in handy. But if your son or daughter is only 6-8 years old, you can hold off on the pushcart for awhile.
When the time comes, the Under Armour Tour has a very nice discount program setup to give junior golfers a 15% discount on ClicGear pushcarts.
What your kid won’t need to start playing tournaments.
You will see some of the top kids on both Tours playing with adult drivers and woods, often with very expensive, custom shafts.
Your kid does not need them, and won’t for a long time.
I’ve seen kids playing in tournaments with only 5 or 6 clubs in their bag, and they did just fine.
If you need a set of clubs for your junior, the best clubs to get them started with in my opinion are the Ultralight clubs from U.S. Kids Golf (USKG).
Here is a link to the page for USKG Ultralight clubs:
U.S. Kids Golf Ultralight Series Golf Clubs
NOTE: That is NOT an affiliate link. We do not earn a commission if you buy your clubs after clicking the link to the USKG website. We recommend U.S. Kids Golf clubs because they're good. Really good.
U.S. Kids makes finding the correct size golf clubs easy.
When you go the the Ultralight clubs page on the USKG website, look at the column on the left-side of the page that says ‘Narrow By,’ and then click the arrow by ‘Height or Size.’
Then just click the height range that matches your kid’s height, and you’ll know you’re getting clubs that fit.
NOTE: You’ll need to measure your kid first to see how tall they are with their shoes on.
You can also find U.S. Kids Golf Ultralight clubs in most golf shops.
If you decide to buy your kid’s clubs at a local golf shop, they will typically have a USKG measuring stick that you can use to find which set of clubs would be the correct size.
The fitting stick looks similar to the fitting chart below…
How good does your junior golfer need to be to start playing tournaments?
Honestly, it doesn’t matter.
I’ve seen kids who had no idea where the ball was going playing in tournaments. They made the max score (10) on every hole, but they still had a great time.
Most parents you’ll meet in junior golf are extremely nice people. You can expect them to be very patient, and supportive of you and your little one getting started in golf.
There are no participation trophies in junior golf. (Thank God!)
In individual U.S. Kids Golf tournaments, the kids with the Top 5 scores in each age division win a medal.
Every Tour crowns a champion after the final round, which is referred to as the Tour Championship. The Tour Champion receives a trophy like the one in the picture below, and the other four kids in the Top 5 of the points standings at the end of the Tour receive trophies.
In Under Armour Junior Golf, the Top 3 get a medal.
You should definitely have a conversation with your child before the tournament to explain that the goal right now is not to win medals.
The goal is to have fun, and make new friends who love to play golf.
Get em’ started!
Hopefully this guide has helped you understand how to get your junior started playing golf tournaments, and what to expect when you do.
I’ve seen plenty of kids who were good enough to compete in tournaments, but they (and/or their parents) didn’t think they were ‘ready,’ or that they had the right equipment.
Trust me…
- You don’t need to buy them expensive equipment.
- You don’t need to wait until they can compete for championships, or even a medal.
The most important thing is to just get them started.
You’ll have fun watching your kid play, and your kid will have a great time.
If you have any questions about getting your child started in junior golf, my email address is doug@golfdad.com.
Get in touch any time.
If you’d like more in-depth information on junior golf clubs, check out our follow-up post titled Best Golf Clubs for Junior Golfers.
RESOURCES
How to Find a Local Junior Golf Tour Near You:
Find a U.S Kids Golf Local Tour Near You:
To find a U.S. Kids Local Tour, click the link above and look in the navigation menu on the left-side of the page, and select the season you're interested in (Fall, Winter, Sping, or Summer).
You will then be taken to a page where you can select the Tour closest to your City.
Find an Under Armour Local Tour Near You:
Pro Tip: The Under Armour website can be a little wonky. To see the list of states on the UA Golf website, hover your mouse over ‘Locate A League’ in the navigation menu.
How to Find Golf Clubs That Fit Your Junior
Link to U.S. Kids Golf Ultralight Golf Clubs
How to Find Caddie Bibs
You don’t have to wear a caddie when your junior is playing on one of the Local Tours, but the kids love it when you do. Makes them feel very ‘official.’
You’ll also look much better if you wear a GOLFDAD hat. Just sayin…
Link to order U.S. Kids Golf Caddie Bibs
Link to order Under Armour Caddie Bibs
How to find a coach who works with junior golfers.
If you’re having trouble finding a good coach who works with junior golfers in your area, you can try to find a coach using the Find A Coach page on the U.S. Kids Golf website at the URL below.
NOTE: That’s not an affiliate link. We do not earn a commission if you hire a coach after clicking the link to the USKG website.
Does a coach need to be certified by U.S. Kids Golf to be a good coach for juniors?
Of course not.
The best coaches my kids have ever worked with weren’t certified U.S. Kids Golf coaches, however… the coaches who are certified, have gone through the effort and expense to demonstrate their commitment to working with junior golfers.
So the U.S. Kids site a great place to start your search for a coach.
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