AJGA Sponsors Exemptions

[wegobomber31]

JGS Diff for the initial field for the upcoming AJGA Sergio Garcia.  Can you guess which player received a sponsor's exemption?

 

My question is, what good does this serve anybody involved, especially the kid in question? There is some chance that he will be 100 strokes behind the next closest competitor.

 

 

[Jkhogbear]

Yeah, I don’t like those exemptions.  Kids work really hard to get into these AJGAs including tough qualifiers and some kid whose dad is a member at the club or has a corporate connection gets a spot. 

[leezer99]

Charley Hoffman at the WM Phoenix Open has entered the chat:

[wegobomber31]

Or Ricky Barnes 1669

[wegobomber31]

6 minutes ago, Jkhogbear said:

Yeah, I don’t like those exemptions.  Kids work really hard to get into these AJGAs including tough qualifiers and some kid whose dad is a member at the club or has a corporate connection gets a spot. 

 

I don't really have a problem with the exemptions, but in this case I don't know what good is serves the kid, his playing partners or anyone involved in the tournament. Seems like it would just be demoralizing.

[Jkhogbear]

It’s hard to explain to a kid though.  Mine never got one and we had to grind our way through qualifiers and eventually got in some and then fully exempt.  It was hard to see other kids just skip steps.   I think it made her a better player in the long run though.  Nothing was ever given.  

[Movingday]

Yeah the exemption part of it is just the way things work. I can’t imagine wanting my kid to go out and just get throttled in a tournament he has no business being in. 

[Movingday]

2 minutes ago, Jkhogbear said:

It’s hard to explain to a kid though.  Mine never got one and we had to grind our way through qualifiers and eventually got in some and then fully exempt.  It was hard to see other kids just skip steps.   I think it made her a better player in the long run though.  Nothing was ever given.  

Your last sentences are what matter. Everything is better when earned. Tough for kids to understand, but in the end it makes them stronger. It’s hard to watch our kids suffer, but it is necessary to build mental toughness.

My youngest got screwed out of a spot in his tour championship last year. He should have been the last qualifier in (12 spots his criteria had him at 12) Some how they put in a kid that was several spots below. The only thing I could tell him was make sure next year you’re not 12, get high enough that it can’t happen again. He has worked harder this offseason than he ever has. The fire has been ignited. 
I would gladly trade some 10 year old tournament for instilling grit and fire that will carry him for years 

[tiger1873]

35 minutes ago, Jkhogbear said:

It’s hard to explain to a kid though.  Mine never got one and we had to grind our way through qualifiers and eventually got in some and then fully exempt.  It was hard to see other kids just skip steps.   I think it made her a better player in the long run though.  Nothing was ever given.  

 

What you are describing is the most frustrating thing Junior Golf.  My Kids don't get anything either and it just plain hard to explain to them why others get stuff.

 

However I have seen first hand the difference when you start out at the bottom and work your way to to the top of tour and then eventually are above it.  The satisfaction and respect just can't be gotten any other way.

 

AJGA is no different then anything else.  My daughter told me the other day they can't keep you out forever if you score under par.  I have never seen her work so hard as the past few months and total dedication to just getting better.

[Jkhogbear]

7 minutes ago, tiger1873 said:

 

What you are describing is the most frustrating thing Junior Golf.  My Kids don't get anything either and it just plain hard to explain to them why others get stuff.

 

However I have seen first hand the difference when you start out at the bottom and work your way to to the top of tour and then eventually are above it.  The satisfaction and respect just can't be gotten any other way.

 

AJGA is no different then anything else.  My daughter told me the other day they can't keep you out forever if you score under par.  I have never seen her work so hard as the past few months and total dedication to just getting better.

She is on the right track then.  That’s great to hear.   

[tiger1873]

28 minutes ago, Jkhogbear said:

She is on the right track then.  That’s great to hear.   

 

I sure hope so last year been rough on her.  Seen first hand how adults can treat young women. who had success. It builds character but it' not easy on anyone.

 

 

[TroyB123]

I guess the sponsors exemptions are just a necessarily evil to provide perks in exchange for course access/sponsors?

 

To me, it almost seems more fair to give it to someone who has no chance, vs giving an opportunity to a more competitive player who jumped players he is competing with in the rankings.

 

It looks like the kid is 2028 (so 12?) and the course is 7100 yards.   Are there going to be carries that he simply can't make?

[Jkhogbear]

31 minutes ago, tiger1873 said:

 

I sure hope so last year been rough on her.  Seen first hand how adults can treat young women. who had success. It builds character but it' not easy on anyone.

 

 

Yep,  even fellow girls used to laugh at mine and snicker behind her back.  Mine started late and was behind in skills and knowledge of rules for awhile.  They don’t laugh anymore and she gained their respect.    Probably nothing more satisfying to a parent than seeing your kid overcome that stuff and pass these kids by that used to laugh at her.  She knows it too and told me “those same girls are nice to me now and respect me”.  
 

Some adults at our club were great and supportive , others not so much.   Others were annoying saying “why did you commit to this school and why not this school”.   That hurts because they never consider that maybe that school thought she wasn’t good enough and never recruited her.   How about “congrats in your commitment  we are proud of you”?     

 

She ended up on a top 50 D1 program but for some they looked down on that.

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Jkhogbear

[MikekiM]

I know the kid that finished second to last in last year's IMG Jr. World Championship got in on a sponsor's exemption.  Saw him play some local tournaments and he wasn't very good.  Certainly didn't qualify through the normal means.  Yet there he is from a connected family.

 

 

 

 

[TroyB123]

7 minutes ago, MikekiM said:

I know the kid that finished second to last in last year's IMG Jr. World Championship got in on a sponsor's exemption.  Saw him play some local tournaments and he wasn't very good.  Certainly didn't qualify through the normal means.  Yet there he is from a connected family.

 

 

 

 

That situation would seem much more frustrating and unfair to the kids who just missed qualifying.   He probably used that opportunity to pass them in rankings and standings.    

 

Giving it to someone who  is not competing directly with the kids who just missed isn't really hurting anyone except possibly annoying his playing partners.

[Medson]

That's why Bobby Jones said golf is the closest game to the game we call life. 

 

Golf is not fair. Just read this thread and the other WAGR thread. On the other hand, life simply is also not fair.

 

You have to work hard and smart in order to gradually stack chips in your favor. In a way, I'm glad my daughter gets to experience some of this life lessons that took me decades to figure out. 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Medson

[tiger1873]

3 hours ago, Jkhogbear said:

Yep,  even fellow girls used to laugh at mine and snicker behind her back.  Mine started late and was behind in skills and knowledge of rules for awhile.  They don’t laugh anymore and she gained their respect.    Probably nothing more satisfying to a parent than seeing your kid overcome that stuff and pass these kids by that used to laugh at her.  She knows it too and told me “those same girls are nice to me now and respect me”.  
 

Some adults at our club were great and supportive , others not so much.   Others were annoying saying “why did you commit to this school and why not this school”.   That hurts because they never consider that maybe that school thought she wasn’t good enough and never recruited her.   How about “congrats in your commitment  we are proud of you”?     

 

She ended up on a top 50 D1 program but for some they looked down on that.

 

 

No doubt other kids can be an issue

Edited February 10, 2023 by tiger1873

[SKF]

4 hours ago, TroyB123 said:

I guess the sponsors exemptions are just a necessarily evil to provide perks in exchange for course access/sponsors?

 

To me, it almost seems more fair to give it to someone who has no chance, vs giving an opportunity to a more competitive player who jumped players he is competing with in the rankings.

 

It looks like the kid is 2028 (so 12?) and the course is 7100 yards.   Are there going to be carries that he simply can't make?

 

Based on recent tournament results, it seems he's struggling to break 80 from 5800 yards.  I can't understand why his parents would even WANT him to tee it up from 7100 against high school kids.  As much as I feel bad for the kid who didn't get a spot in the field because of the sponsor's invite, I probably feel worse for the kid who got the invite.   

 

[Noles]

If giving a club a spot or 2 in the field allows the entire field access to a better course to play the tournament, then I think it is a good idea.  

[jigsaw1011]

I think there is more than one sponsor exemption in that field (not just the kid with the high scoring differential) and no he is not part of the club where the course is being played.   The problem I have with the exemptions is the more you play AJGA tournaments the more the likelihood you will be able to keep playing them (more opportunity for stars).  In addition, your Rolex ranking increases. If you add to the field of 40 with 2 extra spots than I have less of a problem with the exemptions but if you take a spot away from a deserving player then that is not cool.

[MahalNeneng]

On 2/10/2023 at 11:37 AM, TroyB123 said:

That situation would seem much more frustrating and unfair to the kids who just missed qualifying.   He probably used that opportunity to pass them in rankings and standings.    

 

Giving it to someone who  is not competing directly with the kids who just missed isn't really hurting anyone except possibly annoying his playing partners.

No qual for the sergio this year 😕 

[tiger1873]

12 minutes ago, MahalNeneng said:

No qual for the sergio this year 😕 

 

 

I think it's because they had a crazy number of applications.  Why do parents of exempt feel the need to play all 5 tournaments as quickly as possible  is beyond me.   The whole point of getting an exemption is you can choose what you want to play and plan it.

 

As for trying to do well early to get invited to invitationals that just happens anyways if you play well during the year.

Edited February 15, 2023 by tiger1873

[leezer99]

Thoughts on a kid that might be undeserving of an exemption getting into an AJGA invitational? 

[heavy_hitter]

3 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Thoughts on a kid that might be undeserving of an exemption getting into an AJGA invitational? 

Will finish in the bottom 1/4 of the field.  My thoughts won't change what the AJGA does or the USGA does on this STUPID ball rule.

[golfortennis]

37 minutes ago, heavy_hitter said:

Will finish in the bottom 1/4 of the field.  My thoughts won't change what the AJGA does or the USGA does on this STUPID ball rule.

 

I guess they think some kid will come out of the woods and surprise people.  

[jigsaw1011]

9 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Thoughts on a kid that might be undeserving of an exemption getting into an AJGA invitational? 

An invitational?  Interesting.  If he/she doesn't meet the criteria then more then likely he/she won't perform as well as the others in the field.  My problem with the exemptions is if it takes a spot from a deserving player then that is BS.

[leezer99]

1 hour ago, jigsaw1011 said:

An invitational?  Interesting.  If he/she doesn't meet the criteria then more then likely he/she won't perform as well as the others in the field.  My problem with the exemptions is if it takes a spot from a deserving player then that is BS.

From what I’ve heard from the parent is that it’s a sponsors exemption. Sponsor has 3 to give out as they wish. 
 

What makes one kid more deserving than another? I don’t know what the invitation process looks like since we’ve never been invited. 😂 

[heavy_hitter]

16 hours ago, leezer99 said:

From what I’ve heard from the parent is that it’s a sponsors exemption. Sponsor has 3 to give out as they wish. 
 

What makes one kid more deserving than another? I don’t know what the invitation process looks like since we’ve never been invited. 😂 

I emailed asking AJGA for an exemption in our area in exchange for Volunteering every day at the event.  The answer was "No" we don't exchange exemptions for volunteering.  Why would I ever volunteer then?  Much better places to spend my time Volunteering to help people than wasting it at an AJGA event benefitting mostly over privileged kids.

[jigsaw1011]

20 hours ago, leezer99 said:

From what I’ve heard from the parent is that it’s a sponsors exemption. Sponsor has 3 to give out as they wish. 
 

What makes one kid more deserving than another? I don’t know what the invitation process looks like since we’ve never been invited. 😂 

In deserving I meant meeting the invitational criteria. I think in some invitationals there is only a certain number of spots so there may be players who meet the criteria but can't play.  If a kid gets an exemption over a a player meeting the criteria then that is BS.

[leezer99]

32 minutes ago, jigsaw1011 said:

In deserving I meant meeting the invitational criteria. I think in some invitationals there is only a certain number of spots so there may be players who meet the criteria but can't play.  If a kid gets an exemption over a a player meeting the criteria then that is BS.

Where would a person be able to find the criteria. I thought invitationals were simply tournaments for invited kids. If you have an example I’d be interested to see it.