What Juniors Need to Know
Why is amateur status so important?
Have you ever thought what your life would be like if you didn’t play golf competitively? What would you do during the summer? What if you couldn’t play on your high school team or were ineligible for a college scholarship? What would life be like on the pro tour as a teenager if you were good enough to qualify? The answers to those questions may become real if you lose your amateur status. Tournaments for juniors not only have an age limit, but almost all also require that contestants be amateurs, as do the rules for high school and college competition. Understanding the USGA Rules of Amateur Status (Rules) will only help you in the future as you improve your game and begin to be successful. Having success may lead you to gain “golf skill and reputation,” magic words in terms of your amateur status. Success also may lead you to be recognized as a golfer (more on this later). Like everything else in life, with greater success comes increased visibility and responsibility to yourself, those who support you and those who wish to be just like you. Therefore, a junior golfer with a higher profile is encouraged to be even more familiar with the Rules to avoid any accidental violations. Not knowing the Rules will not excuse you from any violations of the Rules, nor from consequences, which may include losing your amateur status.
Who is an amateur?
Every player is born an amateur and remains an amateur until he violates the Rules or chooses to give up his amateur status. An amateur plays the game for recreation and fun as well as for the thrill of competition and does not make money by teaching the game, playing it, or as a result of his golf celebrity.
Who is a Junior Golfer?
A junior golfer is an amateur golfer who has not reached either the September 1 following graduation from high school or his 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
Are you a junior golfer?
As an example, if either of the following describes you, then you are not a junior golfer:
• graduated high school and the September 1 following the graduation has passed (e.g., it is now the April after high school graduation) or;
• are a 19-year old who is in high school.
(Please note that this definition is used solely for applying the USGA Rules of Amateur Status. It does not answer whether one is eligible to enter a junior competition. Check with those in charge of the specific competition for the age requirement of entering that competition, as it may vary from one tournament to
the next.)
The Rules apply to amateurs of all ages. However, there are some Rules that are specific to juniors. The following will help you learn a little about the Rules as well as answer some questions you may have. The complete Rules may be found in the back of this brochure, in the back of the USGA Rules of Golf and on the USGA’s web site, http: //www.usga.org.
