The NCGA has for decades had a Player of the Year program for adults.
Now, it’s time for juniors to get their time in the limelight.
Beginning in 2025, the NCGA will recognize both Girls’ and Boys’ Junior Players of the Year. The program will mimic the NCGA Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year Points Program, with players earning points during the season (Oct. 1, 2024-Sept. 30, 2025). At the conclusion of the season, the players with the most tournament points will be honored.
Events that will count towards points include NCGA Championships, NCGA Junior events, Junior Tour of Northern California events, USGA events and “outside” events such as the San Francisco City Championship and other regional events.
The Junior Tour of Northern California will still maintain its own Players of the Year program. Past Players of the Year on the JTNC include 2024 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and recent LPGA Tour winner Yealimi Noh.
“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to improve our programs and benefits for our junior membership,” NCGA Director of Junior Golf Haley Whitbeck said. “With over 35,000 junior members we want to make all feel like we are providing them with the same opportunities that our non-junior members have, if not more. They are our organization’s future. We look forward to crowning our first NCGA Junior Players of the Year.”
Earlier this year, the NCGA unveiled a new Junior Golf program that increases opportunities for juniors to compete at their respective levels.
Specifically, the NCGA added 12 NCGA Juniors events: nine one-day events and three two-day events. These new flighted events are designed to expand more competitive golf opportunities for juniors in the region than what was previously available only through the JTNC.
The 12 events will be open to ALL NCGA Junior members. The first event was held in March – and will run throughout the year. The schedule for those events can be found online at ncga.org/juniorsevents.
For NCGA Junior golf membership, sign up at Youth on Course (youthoncourse.org).
Additionally, in 2025 the NCGA changed the qualifications for the JTNC to only those Junior golfers 10-18 years old who meet the criteria of 4.0 Handicap Index or below for boys and 6.0 Handicap Index or below for girls. The membership is $85 (and as in the past, also requires a NCGA Junior membership through Youth on Course of $30). Additionally, JTNC members are required to complete the 2025 Rules of Golf Basics Quiz prior to signing up (available as of January 1). More information about the new JTNC eligibility, quiz and schedule can be found at jtnc.org.
For JTNC Membership: sign-ups began Feb. 1. Note that we discourage JTNC members from playing in the NCGA Juniors events as these will not contribute to the overall points program of JTNC.
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