2026 Junior Golf Updates
January 9, 2026 • Southern Texas PGA
Dear STPGA Junior Golf Members and Parents,
We are writing to inform you of updates to the STPGA Junior Golf Rules and Regulations. These changes are intended to enhance player development, promote pace of play, and ensure consistency across STPGA Junior Golf programs.
Effective January 9th, 2026, the following updates will apply:
Little Linksters Yardage Adjustments: (Page 29)
Adjustments have been made to the yardages for the following Little Linksters divisions:
- Co-Ed 6–8 (9 Hole Modified)
- Girls 9–10
- Boys 9–10
- Girls 11–12
Junior Links Rules of Play: (page 31)
The Junior Links division will now follow all Little Linksters–specific rules of play, See the rules outlined below.
- Penalty Area Rule (Little Linksters & Junior Links):
If a player hits two (2) balls into the same penalty area designated by red or yellow stakes or freshly painted lines, the player may drop a ball on the opposite side of the penalty area with no additional penalty beyond the required penalty strokes. - Bunker Rule (Little Linksters & Junior Links):
If a player’s ball is in a bunker and the player has taken two (2) strokes at the ball in the same bunker without advancing the ball out, the player may, with no penalty, drop the ball outside the bunker at the nearest point of relief, within one (1) club length, no closer to the hole. - Out of Bounds Rule (Little Linksters & Junior Links):
As an additional option to stroke and distance, a player may, for a General Penalty, drop his or her ball at the nearest fairway edge, no closer to the hole.
Medals & Awards: (Page 27, Page 32, Page 35)
- At all one day events, medals will be awarded to 1st–3rd place finishers for the Junior Tour, Little Linksters, and Junior Links tours.
- At all Season Championships medals will be awarded to 1st–5th place finishers for the Junior Tour, Little Linksters, and Junior Links tours.
Points Distribution Update: (Page 29, Page 33, Page 36)
Points distribution has been updated as follows:
All players and parents are expected to review and comply with these updated rules. The complete Rules and Regulations document is available on the STPGA Junior Golf website. You can view them by clicking here.
To view the 2026 Srixon Prestige Tour updates, click here.
Thank you for your continued support of STPGA Junior Golf and your cooperation as we implement these updates. We are looking forward to a great 2026!
Best Regards,
J.T. Milner
Director of Junior Golf
The STPGA is excited to introduce our new Prestige Tour Coordinator, Brayden Porter. We are thrilled to have him on board the team and are eager to see him grow the game for our junior golfers! Here's a little more about him:
At PGA REACH Southern Texas, golf is more than a game—it is a vehicle for opportunity, connection, and lasting impact. Guided by a commitment to serve our community, we work to strengthen our Foundation while bringing greater visibility to the life-changing stories behind our four core pillars: Junior Golf, College Scholarships, PGA HOPE, and Employment Opportunities. Together, these pillars reflect our mission to inspire the next generation, support educational achievement, empower military Veterans, and open doors to meaningful careers within the golf industry. We are proud to share our 2025 Impact Report, which captures the progress, growth, and momentum of the past year. Inside, you’ll find the milestones made possible through collaboration, generosity, and a shared belief in the power of golf to do good. As we continue to broaden our reach and deepen our impact, we invite you to celebrate the individuals, partnerships, and stories that define PGA REACH Southern Texas—and the lives forever changed along the way. And lastly, thank you. Thank you for your support and belief in what we are doing.
Good Afternoon Players, Parents, & Family Friends, First and foremost, thank you to all the players and parents who made 2025 an unforgettable year! With 40 action-packed events, more than 1,200 competitors, an epic Tour Championship, and two thrilling Ryder Cup–style showdowns, this season truly made history. 2025 was one for the books! With 2026 on the horizon, we wanted to share with you all the changes that will be coming to the Srixon Prestige Tour. Registration Dates When registration opens it will work a little differently in 2026. All events for a given month will open two months prior, at 9am on the first Tuesday of the month. For example, all events for March will open on January 6th at 9am. Cancellation Policy Cancellations for events will work differently as well. Each event will now have two deadlines. The first will be 12 prior to the First Round of the event. Those who cancel on, or before the first deadline, will be charged a $15 cancellation. The second deadline will be 5 days prior to the First Round. Those who cancel between the first and second deadline will be charged a $50 cancellation. For players who register after the first deadline and cancel before the second deadline, they will only be charged a $15 cancellation fee. As a reminder, all refunds will be in the form of credit to that individual player's account. Division Changes We will have some changes to our Age Divisions in 2026. First, our divisions will be expanding from 13-18, to 11-18. The division split will now be 11-14, and 15-18. Secondly, the Boys 11-14 division will be playing from a new yardage. Starting with the Prestige Tour Premiere on January 17-18, Boys 11-14 will be playing from 6,200-6,500 yards. Boys 15-18 will remain at their current yardage of 6,660-6,900, and both Girls 11-14 and 15-18 will remain at 5,600-5,900. Should a Boy in the 11-14 division wish to compete in the 15-18 division and play from the respective yardage, click here to fill out the Division Advancement Request Form. The form must be filled out prior to the registration deadline of the first event the player wishes to play up. Once a player plays up into the older division three times, they must remain in that division for the remainder of the year. Entry Procedures & Field Sizes Along with the altered divisions, the entry procedures into a given tournament have changed. Entry will now be first come, first served based on division. Once a given division has reached capacity, remaining players will be placed on the waiting list. In the event that the event is not full, and the first cancellation has passed, the remaining spots will be filled by the waiting list, regardless of division, on a first come first served basis. These changes were made to maximize the chances for each division to meet the AJGA PBE minimum field requirements. Attached below is the field allocation by division chart based on total field size.
The STPGA is excited to introduce our new Junior Golf Coordinator, Claire Calabro. We are thrilled to have her on board the team and are eager to see her grow the game for our junior golfers! Here's a little more about her:
