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
Fredericksburg, TX (October 25-26, 2025) – The STPGA Srixon Prestige Tour returned to the familiar fairways of Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course for the Antigua Fredericksburg Open. A staple on the Prestige Tour schedule since 2014, this event continues to be a favorite among players and families alike. Surrounded by the beautiful Texas Hill Country, the course’s scenic views and challenging design set the stage for two exciting days of competition, sportsmanship, and memorable moments.
Victoria, TX (October 18-19, 2025) – The STPGA Srixon Prestige Tour made its way to Victoria Country Club, an event filled with tradition and competitive spirit. Known for its scenic layout and challenging course, Victoria Country Club provided the perfect stage for two days of exciting play. Players showcased their skill and determination, adding another memorable chapter to the tournament’s growing legacy.
The Southern Texas PGA is happy to announce our new interns joining the staff for the Fall 2025 season! Please welcome these individuals into our great Section and we look to continue our incredible service and grow the game! Operations Interns
Special message from Executive Director, Thomas Hutton, PGA, with your feedback requested. Spring, TX (October 8, 2025) – Thank you so much for your continued support of one of the largest junior golf programs in the country. We are extremely grateful for your support throughout the year, and we continue to enjoy creating lifelong golfers. 2025 is a record year for the program with the largest number of members in our history (over 5,000), and we are on pace for the most rounds of golf played in the calendar year. From Little Linksters to the Srixon Prestige Tour and everything in between, we are proud of the growth in our program, but also know we can always improve and provide better experiences for everyone. With that said, you can Click Here to take our annual survey that helps provide direct feedback to our team as we review 2025, but more importantly, plan for 2026. We want to hear directly from our parents and players regarding all aspects of our program. From the website to our communication to our golf courses to our event administration. Please Click Here to take this year’s survey, as it is a massive help to our team.
