AJGA Questions

[bwbw]

I apologize if this has already been asked, but when I search, I cannot find what I am looking for.

A couple of questions about AJGA:

For Preview Series events, do you have to join AJGA fully to participate in those?For Open events where you attempt to qualify in, if you do qualify, do you then also have to pay the full tournament fee?A friend of mine and I were discussing this the other day as we look to get our young-ish daughters broader experience and let them see quality junior golfers up close. Just trying to see what all I need to prepare for financially for a few tournaments a year, assuming my daughter has to attempt to qualify.

[Noles]

1) Fairly sure yes but not positive. 2) Yes.

[heavy_hitter]

Yes and Yes

[heavy_hitter]

If you have a girl, there is absolutely no reason for her to participate in AJGA unless she is the best of the best. In my opinion, it is completely useless otherwise. My daughter played a very limited amount of AJGA tournaments and they did nothing to help her get to college.

Boy's is a different story, but I think that college coaches are going to put less emphasis on playing AJGA events after the Covid hitting. A lot of parents will not be able to afford to travel while many others will be very reluctant to hop on a plane.

[leezer99]

To add on to what @heavy_hitter is saying, the AJGA events will become more regionalized. Those that have an event nearby will likely attend but extended travel will be down. The fields won’t be as diverse and you’ll end up playing against kids you already are playing against in other local tours. Still a great experience but more so post COVID.

[heavy_hitter]

I agree. Rhinoceros is one of my favorite songs, not only from Gish, but all time by the Pumpkins.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

I thought you quit drinking again.

[golfer55082]

I would think at least for this year, college coaches may have to put more emphasis, not less, on evaluating kids in AJGA events. Not they want to, but many other national events have been cancelled - Jr AM Championship, PGA Jr National Championship, IMG World, etc. - and there are just not as many other national events as usual.

[heavy_hitter]

I think the emphasis will be more on Regional and State events, at least that is what I got from a couple of coaches I have contact with. AJGA will be limited to a lot of people this year. Better to play State and Regional Events for the next couple of years actually.

[leezer99]

Thoughts on the impact for junior golfers not in the hot zone (TX, FL, CA)?

[ncalgolf]

Newbie Question here, but why do even the best of best girls play in it? Just for competition sake, pro aspirations, or maybe for scholarships at the top universities for golf? I am aware of AJGA but haven't even looked into it yet because daughter is still so young.

[chrissdc]

AJGA is not needed just as HH states. It is good for competition. It is good for girls who don’t have strong local junior golf associations near them.

The best girls play for the competition and it also shows that they can travel and play well .

 

[heavy_hitter]

Hurricane, South Eastern. I think many of the kids in a lot of states are screwed. AJGA is extremely limited the rest of the year.

[heavy_hitter]

Ranking. You look at those girls and they are playing 5-10 tournaments a year. Every tournament they play in is an Invitational of some sort because they are better fields. The better the field, The better the competition, the better for the strength of field for the tournaments, the better for the rankings.

[Noles]

AJGA gives me a headache. Stars can be so hard to come by (at least in this area) and the number of stars required to get in to an event seems impossible. The State Junior is my son's best bet this summer. Hopefully he plays well enough there to make the rest of the summer easier to schedule.

[Noles]

My son is 0 for 3 getting in to qualifiers. The next one that he signed up for already has over 100 applicants and about 50 spots for the qualifier.

[tiger1873]

This is a strange year I think a lot things are changing and i don’t think any one really knows what the landscape it going to look like.

Rankings, AGJA, and playing in large events are not going to matter this year.

AJGA events at best are regional in some cases I think we may see them cancelled due to travel restrictions.

I think if your playing to get a scholarship you need to understand that there may not be any offered in the next few years. At least this the assumption I am now taking.

The big question you need to ask is why are you even playing a AGJA event. There lots of money and in some cases in the next year you might get better competition in local events.

you far better off looking at major invitationals events and figuring out how to qualify for those tournaments and go down that path this year.

 

[tiger1873]

They are screwed if your not in a big state for competition your options are very limited.

honestly even options in FL,TX and CA I expect to dwindle. There are just way too many tours competing for the same kids.

For girls after this initial bump when everyone decided to get and play the fields in the next month seem to be cut in half. This means traveling and be lucky to have 10 girls competing in a lot cases.

it’s hard to know if the tourneys fill up but I believe the fall will be critical. If you have a strong local pga junior your probably going to get some kids out.

[Noles]

He wants to play in them because that is his best route to getting a coach's attention and making an impression on the coaches that have already spoken to him or me.

[tiger1873]

I am not saying don’t play in them. The problem is I think a lot coaches will discount placement in AJGA this year and with budget cuts they will probably just avoid them. Plus the logistics of traveling is an issue. For instance I can’t travel to the North East without quarantine for 14 days before the tournament.

The way to get a coaches attention this year is going to be able to post low numbers and reach out to them. A lot players might even get a shot they never would have otherwise. That is they actually even get to play.

Honestly this year is a lost year for most of us and my guess is rankings will be pretty static with all the big junior tournaments cancelled.

Rankings are going to be irrelevant until things open up more.

[Noles]

My son had 2 conversations with coaches last week that we did not make the first contact and he asked each one how they found him. (I told him to ask that question). They both said they saw that he qualified for and played well in an AJGA event last summer and that put him on their radar. Believe me, I don't feel like jumping through hoops with AJGA but until there is a better route to take, we will keep trying to get in them.

[tiger1873]

I agree but that is LAST YEAR. The big question is are they going to care about this year.

personally if there local or close enough go ahead and sign up for it. There is a good chance you can play in it. People can’t travel much right now and for the foreseeable future.

At the same time I not going to jump through hoops either right now like I would have last year.

To do each event your probably looking at least $1200-$2000 per weekend. The scary part is I might a little low on that figure.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

We have seen alot of great talent in our state and local tours. Familys dont want to travel overnight.

 

[heavy_hitter]

All of the applications in Florida have been really, really low.

[Noles]

Definitely not going to Florida this summer! lol

[heavy_hitter]

I am not traveling anywhere out of state either.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

We're doing one trip to Penn State for a tour championship and that's it. Everything else has been local within an hour.

[heavy_hitter]

Mine just played his 3rd tournament in 2 weeks. All within about 1 hour 40 minutes. Have a week and a half off then play in the Boy's Stat AM at Streamsong. From there have 2 more 3 day tourneys through early August where we have to travel and stay at.

[MB19]

A friend of mine told me Streamsong is like no other course he's every played on. That should be a really cool experience.

[heavy_hitter]

A mutual friend was a foreman on the Black project.