Updates Made to STPGA Junior Golf's Rules & Regulations
January 11, 2019 •Blake Davis
Section 3: Policies and Procedures
- Account Credit Policy - Any account credit accrued throughout a given year will stay on your account for the following year so long as you register for membership. I.E., if you end 2018 with $35 in account credit and register for 2019 membership, the $35 will be available for use. However, if you do not become a member in 2019 and sign up in 2020, the $35 will not be available for use. (p.11)
- Age Division Placement Policy - Prestige Tour players will be placed in a division based off their age as of the second round of the tournament. (p.12)
- Distance Measuring Devices Policy – Cell phones and smartwatches are NOT permitted at any point during play. The exception to this is that a player may use a phone to take a picture of a ruling situation, should a rules official not be immediately available. First offense is a two-stroke penalty. (p.12)
- Pace of Play Penalty Structure – New penalty structure implemented on the Junior Tour. (p.15)
Section 5: Little Linksters
- Division Advancement - It is the player's responsibility to contact the STPGA once they have achieved a score of 8 over par or lower in two events in order to be moved into the 9-hole Modified Division. (p.20)
- Unique Rules of Play – (verbiage change) Penalty Area Rule - If a player hits two (2) balls into a penalty area that is designated by red or yellow stakes or freshly painted lines they may drop a ball on the opposite side of the said penalty area for no additional penalty. (p.21)
- Example: Player hits his or her first (1) shot into the penalty area designated by red or yellow stakes or freshly painted lines. Player drops and lays two (2). The player proceeds to hit his or her third (3) shot into the same penalty area. The play may then drop on the other side of the penalty area. At this point, the player will be laying four (4) and will proceed to hit his or her fifth (5) shot. Note: The player must count the two (2) strokes for hitting into the penalty area before proceeding under this rule.
- Breaking Ties - For ties for 1st place only, the winner will be decided via a scorecard playoff. It will be broken using the last six holes, last three holes, and last hole method. If the players are still tied, they will each earn 1 st place and split the points. All players who tie for a place other than first will receive a medal for that place. The following policy will only take place for 9-hole divisions. There will be no tiebreakers for 5-hole divisions. (p.22)
Section 6: Junior Links
- Awards - Medals will be given out for 1st thru 3rd place at every Junior Links event, regardless of field size. (p.25)
- Points Challenge - After each tournament, points will be awarded that will be used to decide who receives an invitation to the series championship. The championship will take place in December. (p.25)
- NOTE #1: The Points list will run for the entire calendar year. It will not be split up into separate season series’.
- NOTE #2: The Championship is an invitation-only event and the field is a direct representation of our entire program based on both the number of people in both metro area and age division.
Section 7: Junior Tour
- Awards - Medals will be given out for 1st thru 3rd place at every Junior Tour event, regardless of field size. (p.28)
- Yardage Guidelines (p.29)
Section 8: Prestige Tour
- Points Challenge - The Southern Texas PGA Srixon Prestige Tour has a year-round points challenge. Points acquired throughout the year will accumulate towards the Boys and Girls 13-14, Boys and Girls 15-18, and new Boys and Girls 13-18 overall divisions lists. After the final Srixon Prestige Tour of the year, the Southern Texas PGA will award the overall Boys and Girls 13-18 Points List winners with an exemption into the following year Invitational tournament. The STPGA reserves the right to add additional exemptions at any time. (p.31)
Section 10: STPGA Area Directors
- Austin Junior Tour Area Director – Emily Hassey – ehassey@pgahq.com
- Beaumont Area Director – Mitch Duncan – mduncan@pgahq.com
San Antonio, TX (September 12-13, 2026) – The Srixon Prestige Tour was in San Antonio this weekend for the Cavender Buick GMC North Brackenridge Park Classic at Brackenridge Park Golf Course. Junior golfers battled through two rounds of exciting competition, putting their skills to the test and fighting for the top of the leaderboard. A big thank you to Brackenridge Park Golf Course, all of our players and parents, our Title Sponsor Srixon, and our Title Partner Cavender Buick GMC North for helping make the weekend a memorable one. Congratulations to all of our winners!
Good Evening Players, Parents, & Family Friends, August marked the perfect end to the biggest Summer on the Srixon Prestige Tour. Srixon Prestige Tour Champions - August August came roaring onto the scene at Vaaler Creek Golf Club for the Creekside Clash , and the Srixon Prestige Tour wasted no time delivering some incredible golf! Layton Eckermann of Lampasas, TX took control early and never let up, cruising to a dominant 10-stroke victory for his first career Boys 11-14 win. Brady Shelton of Spicewood, TX fired a first-round 2-under 70 to seize the lead and held strong through the finish to capture his second Boys 15-18 title of the year. In the Overall Girls Division, Lucy Thompson of Austin, TX erased a four-shot Round 1 deficit with an impressive comeback to secure her first career victory! From there, the Tour headed east to Houston for the STPGA Challenge at BlackHorse Golf Club, where the competition heated up once again. Dakota Ybarra of Baytown, TX wasted no time making his move, opening with an even-par 72 to build a commanding six-shot lead and cruise to his second Boys 11-14 victory of the season. Boys 15-18 saw a thrilling comeback, as Sawyer Schellberg of Houston, TX battled back from six shots down to force a playoff—and then delivered when it mattered most to claim his first career win. Makenzie Minshew of The Woodlands, TX also rose to the occasion in a playoff, earning her first career Overall Girls victory in dramatic fashion! The Srixon Prestige Tour then headed west to New Braunfels for the Surf & Turf New Braunfels Showcase at Landa Park Golf Course, and the drama continued. Cooper Powasnik of Schertz, TX erased a three-shot Round 1 deficit to storm back and capture his first career Boys 11-14 title. In the Boys 15-18 Division, Tate Vanlandingham of San Antonio, TX came through in a thrilling three-way playoff, sinking a birdie on the third playoff hole to secure his first career victory. Natalie Vuu of Houston, TX set the tone early with an opening-round 72, jumping out to the lead and holding on for her first career Overall Girls win! August saved some of its biggest fireworks for last, wrapping up back in Houston at Quail Valley Golf Club for the Vortech Contracting H-Town Showdown . Dylan Hananto of Houston, TX went wire-to-wire to capture his first career Boys 11-14 victory. Reece Williams of Beaumont, TX held off a furious late charge from the field to earn his first career Boys 15-18 win. In the Overall Girls Division, Payson Pistono of The Woodlands, TX put together a dominant performance, pulling away from the field to win by six shots and claim her first Overall Girls victory of the year! 2026 Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches Team STPGA battled all the way to the finish at the 2026 Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches, but Team NTPGA ultimately claimed the Cup after a hard-fought competition between the best players of the two Sections. The action was intense from the start, with Day 1’s Four-Ball Matches ending in a 3-3 tie. Team STPGA then seized momentum in the Foursomes Matches, highlighted by a clutch putt from Emily Zhang on No. 9 to secure Match #5. The victory gave Team STPGA a narrow 6.5-5.5 lead heading into the final day, setting the stage for an exciting finish. With the Cup hanging in the balance, Team STPGA came out ready to battle in the Singles Matches. Despite a tremendous effort from the entire team, Team NTPGA caught fire and captured Day 2 by an 8.5-3.5 margin, securing the Cup with a final 14-10 victory. A huge thank you to Captain James Devore for leading Team STPGA and helping create an unforgettable few days of competition, camaraderie, and memories. Click Here to view the results of the Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches. Click Here to view the Photo Album for the Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches. New Fall Event! The Srixon Prestige Tour Fall Schedule just got even bigger! A brand-new event has been added to the lineup, and we’re heading back to the scenic Flying L Ranch Golf Course in Bandera for The Cowboy Cup, on September 19–20! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of competitive junior golf, incredible scenery, and plenty of opportunities to make your mark. And, of course, the stakes are high! EXEMPTION OPPORTUNITY: The Boys 15–18 and Girls 11–18 Champions will each earn a spot in the Legends Junior Tour’s Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational! The Fall schedule is heating up, and The Cowboy Cup is one you won’t want to miss! Saddle up and get ready for another premier Srixon Prestige Tour experience! Click Here to Register for The Cowboy Cup! November Registration Fall has officially arrived, but the action on the Srixon Prestige Tour is showing no signs of cooling off! With the season entering its final stretch, there are still plenty of opportunities to compete, make memories, and finish the year on a high note. Registration for November events opened last week at 9:00 AM! Don’t wait to secure your spot—these events are ready to deliver another month of incredible courses, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments. The following events open for registration: ● Visit Lake Charles Fall Classic (November 7-8) - Mallard Golf Club ● The Gobbler Cup (November 14-15) - Stonebridge at Newport Golf Course ● Abraham Ancer Classic (November 23-24) - Cordillera Ranch ● Omega Transactions Turkey Shootout (November 23-24) - Walden on Lake Conroe Golf Club The countdown to the end of the season is on, and there’s still plenty of golf left to play! Don’t miss your chance to be part of another unforgettable month on the Srixon Prestige Tour. Thank You to our Sponsors! For the eighth consecutive year, Srixon is returning as the sole Prestige Tour Title Partner for the 2026 year. Keep in mind, if you are looking for golf balls to golf clubs, Srixon is one of the premiere brands in the industry and will always keep you at the top of your game. Another big Thank you Surf & Turf Golf for sponsoring the Surf & Turf New Braunfels Showcase, and to Vortech Contracting for sponsoring the Vortech Contracting H-Town Showdown.
Missouri City, TX (August 29-30, 2026) – The Srixon Prestige Tour summer season wrapped up last weekend with the Vortech Contracting H-Town Showdown at Quail Valley Golf Course! Our junior golfers battled through the Houston heat and completed 36 holes of competitive golf, showcasing their skills and drive in another successful event. Thank you to our host facility, our players and parents, our Title Partner Srixon, and all of our staff. We are also grateful to Vortech Contracting for being the Presenting Sponsor of this event. Their support allows us to make these competitions possible! Read more about our winning junior golfers below.
The Southern Texas PGA is happy to announce our new interns joining the staff for the Fall 2026 season! Please welcome these individuals into our great Section and we look to continue our incredible service and grow the game!
