Our junior program encourages girls 18 & under  (and current year high school graduates who have not yet turned 19) across the state to compete with girls of their age and/or caliber. We do follow the USGA rules at our events. At each event we teach the girls a few rules at the number one tee and at our rules meetings. On the course there are times where we help with rulings, and we do our best to make the events fun and stress-free, as well as fostering excellent competition.  A handicap is not required to play in most of our junior events, although it is encouraged.  KWGA offers free handicaps for juniors.  You can obtain a handicap through your local club.

For those juniors wishing to ride in a golf cart during KWGA Junior Tournaments, please click here for a copy of the policy.

KWGA and Junior Golf Program

Junior golfers are encouraged to register for a GHIN handicap and enter their scores to obtain a current handicap. KWGA and USGA GHIN do not charge for junior golfers for a KWGA GHIN handicap. The Junior golfer must go through the Ladies Golf Association at their home club. KWGA would appreciate the Ladies Golf Association allowing the Junior golfer to use their association in order to maintain a KWGA GHIN Handicap. The Junior golfer's birthdate is required when entering her name as an active golfer on the computer list.

Junior girls are eligible to play in the KWGA Amateur Championship Tournaments (if their USGA Handicap Index is 25.0 or less) and are also welcome to participate in most KWGA Special Events.  Junior girls are not eligible to play in the Tee-Fore-Two Championship.

KWGA holds 1-day Invitationals along with a 2-day Junior Girls Championship Tournament and a 2-day Season Opener. The 4-State Team is selected from the girls who place in the top five places in the Season Opener. This team competes against similar teams from Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa in the Annual 4-State Team Play Championship. 2010 will be the 41st year of this competition, and the winning team receives a 4-State Team trophy.

KWGA Junior State Championship

1. KWGA State Junior Girls’ Championship is held each summer and consists of one practice round and two rounds of stroke play competition.

2. The KWGA Junior Golf Director shall be the tournament director.

3. Eligibility.

·  A. The tournament is open to girls 17 years and younger; however, a girl may be 18 if she was a graduating senior from high school the same year as the tournament. She is eligible to play until September 1 following graduation from secondary school or her 19th birthday, whichever shall come first.

·  B. The competitor shall be a Junior golf member of a KWGA Member Club, or attend a Kansas school and be a resident of the state of Kansas.

4. Awards and Prizes.

·  A. The Marilynn Smith perpetual trophy shall be awarded to the Champion, who shall retain it for one year. The Champion shall also be awarded a smaller trophy which she shall retain permanently.

·  B. The number of awards in the flights shall be determined by the Tournament Committee.

·  C. Special event medals or tokens may be awarded if the tournament funds permit.

Please join us this season for a variety of Junior Girls events:

Adult-Junior Tournament -

This two-person team event consists of a junior girl and an adult male or female golfer. Front-nine will be scramble format (best shot of two) and the back-nine will be best ball (best score of two). Flights will depend upon number of golfers. Teams will be flighted based on front-nine score.

Season Opener -

This stroke play tournament is a two-day event.  The Top 5 scorers will be invited to represent Kansas in the Junior Four State Tournament, which will be held

State Championship -

This prestigious event is a two-day tournament.  It is flighted by score/handicap, but age group awards are also presented.  Age groups may be combined based upon the number of entries. A USGA GHIN handicap is required to play in the event.

Junior 4-State Championship –

This is a  2-day stroke play team event which rotates among the 4 states of Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska.  The 2010 Championship will be held on June 27, 28, and 29th at Otter Creek in Ankeny, Iowa. 

Tournament of Champions -

Sixteen girls will be invited to play in this Match Play Tournament. Invitations will be based upon KWGA Junior Golf participation and scores.

Jaci Henderson
KWGA Junior Golf Chair