Resource for parents of aspiring junior golfers

[Tugu]

Good day all

 

Been thinking of starting a post that can serve as a resource for parents of young golfers who aspire to play high level golf in the USA. Hopefully as this thread progresses, it will cover a broad range of issues including various tours in America, equipment, training, college recruiting, differing views on when to start and how hard to push, if any.

 

I have alot of holes in my knowledge as I am just a father and coach to 2 boys who has seen junior golf up close in Asia, Australia and now the USA. So I will hopefully be learning as much as I am contributing. My eldest one just verbally committed to play for a highly ranked California D1 school. So I will probably be asking members how to help him balance a computer science major with a very full schedule.

[Tugu]

I am going to kick things off with thoughts on tours and competitions, just because it has been on my mind. I will tackle the issue with college recruitment in mind because I have been neck deep in it for the last year or so.

 

My boys arrived in America and were temporarily based in Florida. We played in a single US Kids event and hoped it could be useful to use it as a training ground for going low and testing whether one can take their range or practice round game to the course in a competitive setting where every shot matters. Reason we only played one was that we found it to be filled with hobbyist golfers who would literally shoot 100+. Plus add the volatile mixture of parental involvement as caddies, it was no bueno.

 

Then we watched as our friends play some hurricane tour, future champions, FJT, SFPGA events. I probably left a few out, but we didn't play in them because most were kinda useless and some were money grabs. The standard of golf overall was kind of low and we guessed that college coaches didn't pay much attention to the result unless one could take it deep.

 

Our suspicions were ultimately proven correct as no coach paid much attention to our friends who won events over or around par. But I did observe one or two well run events where kids improved their skills. I should probably separate the decent tours from the not so much, but I believe there are members here that know the in's and out's of Florida junior tours in greater detail than I. Please do chime in.

 

I ultimately concluded that a very young kid does NOT need to be paying 150 to 200 usd for an event that noone ultimately cares about. Find events that don't break the bank and helps the child improve their skill set. I see kids with bios saying they won some under 9 this and that. Whilst this may be good for their emotional development, it means next to nothing in the long run. My boy won a national under 12 title in Asia when he was 9, we don't mention it to college coaches as they made it plainly clear THEY DON'T CARE. The only proviso I would add to this is I have zero idea about what women's coaches think on this matter.

 

We left Florida for California 6+ months ago and started playing a few AJGA events. But I will get to that in due course.

 

Thanks all. Hopefully there are members with insights on golf in Texas or the North east etc that can really help any parents of aspiring young golfers going forward.

 

[leezer99]

Very smart move going from the Crazy Coast over to the Best Coast.

 

Here in SoCal most every 'serious' golfer will end up playing on the SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup (TTC).  Tons of current PGA and LIV pros went this route and sprinkled in some AJGA events along the way. Within in the TTC is an invitational series sponsored by Patrick Cantlay. Every one of these events we have been to has had a ton of local college coaches roaming around.

 

There are additional tours available to play in like California Junior Golf, Future Champions Golf (FCG), San Diego Junior Golf Tour and so on. SDJGA is great if your goal is to play in the IMG Worlds event since they have the most qualifying events and a points race you can get in with.

 

That being said, over the summer our two main World Events are the IMG Junior Worlds (run by the San Diego JGT) and the Future Champions World Golf events. Both will have a large US and International contingent of players. The FCG event IMO is the west coast version of US Kids Worlds in that it's really just an expensive vacation with a golf tournament thrown in.

 

My plug for the SCPGA TTC and SDJGA - At the SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup the tournament director is Tyler See and he is awesome. Puts on great events, has a tremendous amount of staff and rules officials throughout each event. In San Diego the main guy is Chris Spence and he does the same. Both of these guys in my opinion really have a passion for junior golf and do the best with what they have.

 

I'll throw in more later... it's 2 AM here and I'm tired.

[heavy_hitter]

I live in Florida and would never move to Florida for Junior Golf unless it was in the Greater Jacksonville area.  Orlando isn't bad, but anywhere else would be a No.

[tiger1873]

5 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Very smart move going from the Crazy Coast over to the Best Coast.

 

Here in SoCal most every 'serious' golfer will end up playing on the SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup (TTC).  Tons of current PGA and LIV pros went this route and sprinkled in some AJGA events along the way. Within in the TTC is an invitational series sponsored by Patrick Cantlay. Every one of these events we have been to has had a ton of local college coaches roaming around.

 

There are additional tours available to play in like California Junior Golf, Future Champions Golf (FCG), San Diego Junior Golf Tour and so on. SDJGA is great if your goal is to play in the IMG Worlds event since they have the most qualifying events and a points race you can get in with.

 

That being said, over the summer our two main World Events are the IMG Junior Worlds (run by the San Diego JGT) and the Future Champions World Golf events. Both will have a large US and International contingent of players. The FCG event IMO is the west coast version of US Kids Worlds in that it's really just an expensive vacation with a golf tournament thrown in.

 

My plug for the SCPGA TTC and SDJGA - At the SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup the tournament director is Tyler See and he is awesome. Puts on great events, has a tremendous amount of staff and rules officials throughout each event. In San Diego the main guy is Chris Spence and he does the same. Both of these guys in my opinion really have a passion for junior golf and do the best with what they have.

 

I'll throw in more later... it's 2 AM here and I'm tired.

 

 

Picking an area for junior golf usually includes cost of living. Having said that the worst place a person could pick is an overpriced area with not enough golf courses and hard to get around because of traffic.

 

That pretty much describes Southern California.  The only people who would say California is the best place for junior golf have never left the state and live in a bubble.  Everyone who lives in California wants to leave.  

 

When it comes to tournaments if you want at the very top it means you have to travel.   That means it really doesn't matter where you live if you access to an airport or drive.  

 

Texas makes sense because you are  5 hour flight anywhere in the US and they have decent golf there. The reason a person goes to Florida is it has the best weather in the winter. This why so many foreign kids travel to Florida for the winter.

 

 

Texas is in the cent

[wildcatden]

In NorCal, there is the Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) put on by the NCPGA.   Another tour here would be Junior Golf Association NorCal (JGANC).

 

Otherwise, there are the FCG, Hurricane, USKids and AJGA events.

[heavy_hitter]

4 minutes ago, wildcatden said:

In NorCal, there is the Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) put on by the NCPGA.   Another tour here would be Junior Golf Association NorCal (JGANC).

 

Otherwise, there are the FCG, Hurricane, USKids and AJGA events.

Hurricane events have become really bad.  Developmental tour is what it is now.  I see them struggling to survive because they are overpriced and the level of competition isn't great.

[wildcatden]

15 minutes ago, heavy_hitter said:

Hurricane events have become really bad.  Developmental tour is what it is now.  I see them struggling to survive because they are overpriced and the level of competition isn't great.

 

Yes, Hurricane fields really poor from what I see. There are a couple of exceptions and we even signed up for one once but had to withdraw.  We actually have a credit left over with them and may possibly play an event at a course we want to play (Half Moon Bay - Old Course) later this year. 

 

Note: My kid is only 11.  We have played 3 tournaments this year. IMG Qualifier (didn't make it), JGNC Qualifier (didn't make it) and USKids NorCal State Invitational.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by wildcatden

[heavy_hitter]

Just now, wildcatden said:

 

Yes, Hurricane fields really poor from what I see. There are a couple of exceptions and we even signed up for one once but had to withdraw.  We actually have a credit left over with them and may possibly play an event at a course we want to play (Half Moon Bay - Old Course) later this year. 

 

Note: My kid is only 11.  We have played 2 tournaments this year. IMG Qualifier (didn't make it) and USKids NorCal State Invitational.

 

 

Hurricane does put on a good event.  The price tag really limits who is going to play in them.  $300 is just way too much.  They need to get it cut in half.

[tiger1873]

6 minutes ago, heavy_hitter said:

Hurricane events have become really bad.  Developmental tour is what it is now.  I see them struggling to survive because they are overpriced and the level of competition isn't great.

 

I think you have to pick and choose tours now.  For girls even AJGA has poor fields now with girls who ranked over 2000 regularly playing them. 

 

It's gotten to the point where I am just looking for good course with a hope of 4 or 5 good players. 

 

I only see things getting worse with the economy getting worse. People are not traveling and spending money on things like golf tournaments.

 

 

[tiger1873]

1 minute ago, heavy_hitter said:

Hurricane does put on a good event.  The price tag really limits who is going to play in them.  $300 is just way too much.  They need to get it cut in half.

 

Have to agree this is a big issue for them. A lot parents would be playing them if they could afford them. What you see is a lot international kids (who probably don't pay for them) or kids with parents who are sending them to expensive golf schools.

 

You used to be able to plan 30 days in advance and be a member for big discounts but this year they charge based on demand.  So you could play for around $200 which was ok because you played on a nice course. This year some are closer to $350 and have smaller fields.

[SE Gamer]

7 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Very smart move going from the Crazy Coast over to the Best Coast.

You've got the naming conventions right, but mixed up which is which. 

[leezer99]

2 hours ago, SE Gamer said:

You've got the naming conventions right, but mixed up which is which. 

Disneyland > Disney World

[Tugu]

My boys are based in Northern California for the time being. They have played a couple of JTNC (Junior tour Northern California) and one JGANC (Junior GOLF Association Northern California) event(s).

 

JTNC is well run, professional and decently staffed. It has certain events on solid courses such as Poppy Hills and college coaches actually come out to watch from time to time. Rules and procedures are NOT arbitrary and it is comparable to the AJGA at half the price. Importantly, parents with questions have access to staff who are more than capable and available to help.

 

JGANC on the other hand is borderline mickey mouse. Try and ask questions and noone is ever available. It's a neverending round of ask the tournament director or someone else.  My boy won a long standing tournament that recently decided to fall under the JGANC umbrella, was initially told he qualified for the tournament of champions and then later advised that  because when he won he was not technically a member, he would not be invited. Apparently there was no remedy for this situation.

 

The JGANC has an event where they play 4 courses in 4 days. One of the courses played should be condemned or used for feeding goats. For 200 usd one can stat pad their resume with events such as the Turlock Junior.

 

We are yet to experience Southern California events previously mentioned.

 

 

[wildcatden]

52 minutes ago, Tugu said:

My boys are based in Northern California for the time being. They have played a couple of JTNC (Junior tour Northern California) and one JGANC (Junior GOLF Association Northern California) event(s).

 

JTNC is well run, professional and decently staffed. It has certain events on solid courses such as Poppy Hills and college coaches actually come out to watch from time to time. Rules and procedures are NOT arbitrary and it is comparable to the AJGA at half the price. Importantly, parents with questions have access to staff who are more than capable and available to help.

 

JGANC on the other hand is borderline mickey mouse. Try and ask questions and noone is ever available. It's a neverending round of ask the tournament director or someone else.  My boy won a long standing tournament that recently decided to fall under the JGANC umbrella, was initially told he qualified for the tournament of champions and then later advised that  because when he won he was not technically a member, he would not be invited. Apparently there was no remedy for this situation.

 

The JGANC has an event where they play 4 courses in 4 days. One of the courses played should be condemned or used for feeding goats. For 200 usd one can stat pad their resume with events such as the Turlock Junior.

 

We are yet to experience Southern California events previously mentioned.

 

 

 

JTNC: Great price. Execution is great.  Tournaments are 2-day on the weekend with Championship (~6500+ yards and requires 4 and below handicap) and First Flight (~6,000 yards and requires 18 and below handicap).

 

JGANC:  Pricing seems OK to me on most. Yes, some tournaments better than others. JGANC tournaments tend to be during the weekdays which is problematic unless you are home schooling or it is summer.  As a parent, unless one of you is a stay-at-home parent, you are going to need a flexible work schedule to take them to said events.

 

[Ray Jackson]

I can talk about Texas - 

 

My son, currently 13, played NTPGA All American in 2021, 2 day events mainly on weekends, except for some during the summer break on weekdays. Very well run tournaments with lots of staff onsite. Courses generally good, with of couse some small number of outliers. He played 12 and under last year and this year a small nuimver of 13-18 age group events. So total field is large. 

Spring, summer and fall schedules and probably about 25 events a year. Unless you sign up immediately when released they are tough to get in. Cost is $250-275 per tournament and there is an annual membership fee of about $100. Doesn't include practice round fee. Age group 13-18 earns AJGA stars. My son did win one 13-18 field event this year so earned stars through that, was -3  for the tournament on a really tough course with brutal finishing 4 hole stretch. 

 

2022 he's plalyed predominantly Legends Tour run by Texas Golf Association in the 13-14 age bracket. You dont have a membership fee for this Tour so long as you have one for another tour.  Then there is the 15-18 age to complete the field. Harder to get in as you need results from the above All American events or win a Legends event to qualify or after that they fill those spots then its luck of the draw/do they know you. Not a first come first in basis. Again very well run tournaments, officials from TXGA, stronger fields due to the qualification and the same pricing. Less events in total per year at approx 12 and spread across TX rather than Nothern TX. So involves more hotel stays. He just won his frst Legends 13-14 this last weekend, 6600 yard course, narrow and shot 71-71 which won by 2. 

 

Then there is the TJGT and we haven't played that tour as it gets hard to be pay membership fees of multiple tours and kids seem to be either NTPGA or TJGT. 

 

Let me know what other info i can give. 

[MahalNeneng]

On 9/27/2022 at 8:14 AM, heavy_hitter said:

I live in Florida and would never move to Florida for Junior Golf unless it was in the Greater Jacksonville area.  Orlando isn't bad, but anywhere else would be a No.

Ill add some context:

[heavy_hitter]

19 minutes ago, rpawly said:

Ill add some context:

I understand the best states for good golf.  I am coming from a different perspective. There are a multitude of reasons I wouldn't move to Florida.  The biggest is how the College Golf Coaches recruit in our state.  There are a ton of international students on rosters.

 

UF and FSU are recruiting the best of the best. Nationwide and Internationally.

USF, UCF are mid majors in golf.  USF has it's problems and UCF theirs as well.

UNF is a terrible school academically.  Good golf team recruiting in state talent.

FAU there is nothing that would make me want to go to college in Palm Beach. Not to mention a terrible golf program.

Stetson (this year they are OK) and Jacksonville U are generally bottom of the barrel in their conference. 

 

DII's in the state are really good.  Several are going to beat the FAU, Stetson (not this year) and JU. Issue here is they are also really expensive because they are all private other than West Florida who recruits mainly international kids.  Only a handful of these schools are recruiting in state kids.  Florida Southern, Embry Ridle, and Palm Beach Atlantic.  The rest of the schools are recruiting for the most part international students.  Florida Southern is an awesome D2 with an awesome campus.  Embry Ridle has a really good coach but struggles to get kids because it is Daytona.  Palm Beach Atlantic is a terrible golf program with a terrible head coach on top of it you have to be in Palm Beach.

 

There are no D3's in this state.

 

Most of the kids playing collegiality from Florida are leaving the state.

 

From a perspective of growing as a player in the state there are only a couple of pockets I would move to.  Where I live is not one of them.

 

 

[wegobomber31]

On 10/26/2022 at 8:38 AM, heavy_hitter said:

I understand the best states for good golf.  I am coming from a different perspective. There are a multitude of reasons I wouldn't move to Florida.  The biggest is how the College Golf Coaches recruit in our state.  There are a ton of international students on rosters.

 

UF and FSU are recruiting the best of the best. Nationwide and Internationally.

USF, UCF are mid majors in golf.  USF has it's problems and UCF theirs as well.

UNF is a terrible school academically.  Good golf team recruiting in state talent.

FAU there is nothing that would make me want to go to college in Palm Beach. Not to mention a terrible golf program.

Stetson (this year they are OK) and Jacksonville U are generally bottom of the barrel in their conference. 

 

DII's in the state are really good.  Several are going to beat the FAU, Stetson (not this year) and JU. Issue here is they are also really expensive because they are all private other than West Florida who recruits mainly international kids.  Only a handful of these schools are recruiting in state kids.  Florida Southern, Embry Ridle, and Palm Beach Atlantic.  The rest of the schools are recruiting for the most part international students.  Florida Southern is an awesome D2 with an awesome campus.  Embry Ridle has a really good coach but struggles to get kids because it is Daytona.  Palm Beach Atlantic is a terrible golf program with a terrible head coach on top of it you have to be in Palm Beach.

 

There are no D3's in this state.

 

Most of the kids playing collegiality from Florida are leaving the state.

 

From a perspective of growing as a player in the state there are only a couple of pockets I would move to.  Where I live is not one of them.

 

 

I saw recently that USF lost one of its 2023 verbals to Arizona St

[heavy_hitter]

21 hours ago, wegobomber31 said:

I saw recently that USF lost one of its 2023 verbals to Arizona St

USF is a mess right now.  It has been known he decommitted for a couple of months, but just recently announced.

[Galvin Lux]

Tugu, which part of Asia have you and your kids played in? Have heard from some Thailand is big for junior golf over there but most of the other parts are real different compare to the states. For instance the juniors have to play without their parents?