What does everyone think about the AJGA entry procedures today?

[squarre]

What are the general feelings about the AJGA entry procedures today? I graduated high school 10 years ago (played AJGA 1995-1998) and at that point entry was almost completely subjective, i.e., you filled out a resume and the "strongest" resumes were selected with preference for local players. There were some exemptions into the next event if you finished top 15 or 20, which meant if you played well you could get in a few in a row. Without knowing all the ins an outs of the current system, I think it seems like a better system overall.

 

Thoughts?

[beachgrovejunior]

What are the general feelings about the AJGA entry procedures today? I graduated high school 10 years ago and that point it was almost completely subjective, i.e., you filled out a resume and the "strongest" resumes were selected with preference for local players. There were some exemptions into the next event if you finished top 15 or 20, which meant if you played well you could get in a few in a row. Without knowing all the ins an outs of the current system, I think it seems like a better system overall.

 

Thought?

 

 

Its less subjective, but much harder for kids to get into them, kids could be amazing around their state, but not get in because they didnt win any events that gave exemptions, also sucks for us up here in canada

[golfer101]

I've played in AJGA events, and I would have to say that the PBE or performanced based entry is a good thing. It makes you have to earn your way. Thats why at AJGA events, you see kids shooting low. It just shows how PBE allows the fields to be stronger, even for the smaller AJGA events.

[CivEngr08]

I used to play AJGA events several years ago, sometime between 2000-2003. We didn't have the money to travel across the country, so we were really limited to the local event in San Antonio and maybe those in Dallas or Houston. The thing I hated was that local players had a very hard time getting into the tournaments because of the performance based system.

[PingEye2]

My son plays in some AJGA events. The PBE (performance-based entry) system is the fairest way I can think of...yes, it's not easy but nothing worthwhile ever is. Anyone wanting to play AJGA events needs to find some of the tournaments that gain you entry if you play well. These typically include high finishes in state championships as well as non-AJGA national and regional events. If you have the game you will find a way...

 

If anything is unfair it is the cost may keep deserving players out. The AJGA does offer financial assistance though I am not familiar with the details and how much assistance is available.

[bk4]

I was playing AJGA from about 99 to 02. Now, you have 4 events a week to chose from, and pretty much one in every region. Then, you had for the most part one a week, or occasionally two (it eventually got to be about 3, but that still wasn't every week). You had the same caliber players gunning for even fewer spots.

In terms of pace of play, I'm glad they are warning kids. It sets a bad example when they are allowing 5 to 6 hour rounds. College golf and pro golf has turned into this because kids are allowed to do it at AJGA events.

[greenmachine0227]

I was playing AJGA from about 99 to 02. Now, you have 4 events a week to chose from, and pretty much one in every region. Then, you had for the most part one a week, or occasionally two (it eventually got to be about 3, but that still wasn't every week). You had the same caliber players gunning for even fewer spots.

In terms of pace of play, I'm glad they are warning kids. It sets a bad example when they are allowing 5 to 6 hour rounds. College golf and pro golf has turned into this because kids are allowed to do it at AJGA events.

 

 

Sure, there are events in every region, but what good does that do quite often. I live in the PNW and we get two or three events (qualifier series and larger events) all year while California seems to have one or more every week (yes, this is stated as hyperbole but it is almost the truth). They need to do a better job spreading those events throughout the regions instead of concentrating them in one section of the region.

 

While I do think that it has become nearly impossible to get into these events, I believe that the new system has done what it was supposed to do: allow tournaments to field the absolute strongest fields they possibly can. I can't fault them for changing to the system. It seems like admission to events is no longer following the "who do you know" mentality and operates along the "what have you done lately." I don't care if Player A is related to a PGA Tour player. If Player B is better and has proven to be better than Player A, he/she deserves the spot in the event for the week. This system ensures that that happens.

 

If they just evenly distributed the events around the country I would be one happy camper.

[wwhitehead]

I hate the AJGAs new pace of play thing where they give you colored cards based on how well you're keeping pace. It's soo gay, you're trying to focus on playing a tournament and some doof comes up to you with a yellow card telling you to hurry up or you're going to be penalized.

 

That "doof" is volunteering so you can play in an event paid for by others. Perhaps you'll appreciate those sorts of efforts later in your life.

 

No matter what application process the AJGA uses, they'll never weed out the attitude displayed by a great number of their players.

 

WW

[titleistkid23]

I've been playing AJGA opens and qualifiers for 3 years and I'm basiclly fully exempt now. I think its very fair and qualifiers are very good to play in to earn your stars

[bk4]

I was playing AJGA from about 99 to 02. Now, you have 4 events a week to chose from, and pretty much one in every region. Then, you had for the most part one a week, or occasionally two (it eventually got to be about 3, but that still wasn't every week). You had the same caliber players gunning for even fewer spots.

In terms of pace of play, I'm glad they are warning kids. It sets a bad example when they are allowing 5 to 6 hour rounds. College golf and pro golf has turned into this because kids are allowed to do it at AJGA events.

 

 

Sure, there are events in every region, but what good does that do quite often. I live in the PNW and we get two or three events (qualifier series and larger events) all year while California seems to have one or more every week (yes, this is stated as hyperbole but it is almost the truth). They need to do a better job spreading those events throughout the regions instead of concentrating them in one section of the region.

 

While I do think that it has become nearly impossible to get into these events, I believe that the new system has done what it was supposed to do: allow tournaments to field the absolute strongest fields they possibly can. I can't fault them for changing to the system. It seems like admission to events is no longer following the "who do you know" mentality and operates along the "what have you done lately." I don't care if Player A is related to a PGA Tour player. If Player B is better and has proven to be better than Player A, he/she deserves the spot in the event for the week. This system ensures that that happens.

 

If they just evenly distributed the events around the country I would be one happy camper.

Look at it this way. The AJGA is supposed to be the preeminent junior golf tour in all of the world. In order to be that, and not just the best tour in one region, they have to move all over. If they had an event every week in Washington, Oregon or NorCal, then that will dillute the product and take away from the prestige that is the AJGA. It's no different than the PGA Tour. They are heavy up in California, Texas and Florida, but still try to have something just about everywhere. Even growing up in North Carolina, there used to just be 1 or at most 2 events in the state when I played. I had to go to Virginia, SC, GA, KY and even New York to play. Just think, if you were a few years younger, you might have only one event in the PNW every year, and that's it.

[esp1998]

AJGA are the single best junior golf organization. I played AJGA my entire junior golf career and yes they are difficult to get into but if you play well it should not be a problem.......It sounds to me everyone that is hating against the AJGA PBE are the ones that are not any good and cant get into the events. AJGA is the best and has the best players and if it were easy to get into events and they let every junior play then they would not be the best and would not be considered the PGA Tour of junior golf. Also for who ever it was that commented on the AJGA pace of play policy and said it was new and sucks, well they are wrong too cause they had that back when I played and it does not suck at all. As long as you are keeping up with the group in front of you or in good time your fine...Yellow cards are good. I heard someone up here say something like how can i focus in my tournament and play golf if I have to worry about getting yellow cards......well buddy if you want to play on the PGA tour you better learn to deal with it because out on tour you better believe their enforce pace of play..........AJGA is the best and for the most part everything they do is the best.....everyone that complains and bitches about it are the ones that cant get into the events and cant play......it is very simple dont worry about pace of play or PBE and just got out and play good golf and everything will take care of it self....I played AJGA for 4 years and my last summer i played 7 AJGA events and in my entire junior golf career i never got a penalty for slow play

 

***Just for saying that I will prolly get a pace of play penalty in my next tourny, im just gona throw that out there....hhahahahahah....good luck to all in tournys this summer

[mumf91]

The new AJGA policy allows a unestablished player to qualify for the event. Then if they finish well enough in that event, play in more events through tournament exemptions. Frankly if a player goes out and shoots even par everyday he will be set for the rest of his junior career. Although the number of events they have this year is great for offering accessibilty to a greater number of junior players. It really dilutes the quality of fields. This has forced top college programs to base their recruiting much more strongily around invitational play. Which makes it difficult for a late bloomer, to really truely get noticed by top college golf programs.

[squarre]

I personally think one of the great things today is all of the qualifiers. When I was playing there were only a handful of qualifiers. To me this opens the fields up more than back then.