Policies - Junior Tour of Northern California

Junior Tour Policies – general policies are highlighted here. Please refer to the FAQ section for answers to commonly asked questions.

To play in a Junior Tour of Northern California tournament you must meet the following requirements:

Have a current NCGA membership
Pay Junior Tour Membership Fee
Take Mandatory Rules and Etiquette Quiz
Have an established Handicap Index at the time of entry into the tournament.
Have an index of 6.0 or lower for girls and 4.0 or lower for boys on the day of registration
Be between 10-18 years old by tournament day – (players under 10 can request exemption)
Have not started college

For special age or handicap exemptions please contact Haley at the NCGA office (831) 625-4653. Exemption cases will be heard on a case by case basis.

Course Length: Be aware that we usually play courses that are between 6400-7000 yards for the Boys Championship Flight and 5700-6300 for the Girls Championship Flight. Some younger players may not be ready for courses this long so it is recommended that you wait until you think you can handle this.

Fees: The average cost is $175 for the majority of our tournaments; however, in some cases the tournament fee may vary depending on venue. The tournament fee includes golf and range balls for two days. A $85 annual membership fee is also required. If there are financial issues that make it difficult for you to pay these fees, please contact the JTNC at (831) 625-4653 for information on possible support and complete the Financial Hardship Form found on the Junior Tour Homepage.

Registration: The tournament calendar will show registration open and closing days. General registration will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 11:59 p.m. on the specified day. All players will be put on a waitlist once registration opens. Players will be given 48 hours to register for the event before we will fill to three quarter capacity by lot. Additionally some spots remaining may be filled at a player’s request if they have been on the waiting list for other prior events and not gotten in. To be honored this request needs to come prior to the remaining spots in the tournament be filled. Once this request has been granted the player will not be able to use this “exception” again, as they will have now gotten into at least one tournament. Players on our exempt list will be granted a spot in the event upon request; this request must made prior to registration closing. For JTNC exempt players please see the exemption list. Junior Tour Exempt List

Eligibility: The Junior Tour of Northern California does not flight by age, rather by ability, using a player’s valid handicap index to determine if they are eligible to play. A player’s handicap index the day after tournament registration closes will determine their status in the competition. At that time the field size will be finalized and staff will use the most up to date handicap revision available to ensure that players are accepted.

Girls Championship Flight – Handicap indexes of 6.0 or lower

Boys Championship Flight – Handicap indexes of 4.0 or lower

Field Selection: In general the field is set by pulling players off of the wait list by random draw. This makes the registration process fair to all player. Read more about the Field Selection Process.

Scoring: Players are expected to download the JTNC Golf app.

Within the group, players should enter scores for one other player. If someone does not have a phone available, players must ensure at least one player in the group is entering scores.
At the end of the round, all players in the group must confirm hole-by-hole scores posted online are correct.
- Note: If a player fails to report to the scoring area at the end of their round they are in violation of Model Local Rule L-1 and will be subject to a two stroke penalty added to their last hole of their round.

Withdrawals: You may withdraw online in advance of the tournament. Failure to withdraw yourself or notify the NCGA Offices will cause the player to be listed as a NO SHOW, resulting in a ONE YEAR SUSPENSION FROM ALL NCGA EVENTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR FOLLOWING THE INFRACTION.

Please understand that if you are on our waiting list and are no longer available to play, we expect you to manage your spot and take yourself off of the list. If we get to your name on the waitlist, we assume you want to play and you will be moved into the event and your card will be charged. Our standard refund policy will then apply.

Refunds: Refund less $10.00 if requested prior to the registration closing date. 50% refund if withdrawal is after the registration closing date, 11:59 PM two Sundays before the event in most cases, but before two business days of the tournament. No refunds within two business days of the tournament. For Example with a Saturday and Sunday tournament, Wednesday at 11:59pm would be the last day to receive a 50% refund.

Did Not Finish: Once the junior begins play in the first round, he or she must withdraw in person with the Tournament Staff prior to leaving the golf course and before the competition has closed.

First Withdrawal – The Tournament Staff will evaluate the player and document the withdrawal reason. Withdrawals will be listed as DNF in event results.
Second Withdrawal – The Tournament Staff will evaluate the player and document the withdrawal reason. Tournament Staff will then request proof of withdrawal reason. For example a doctors note. Withdrawals will be listed as DNF in event results.
Third Withdrawal – If a player withdraws from three JTNC events in a 12-month period, the JTNC will use the following process:
1. If the player has been accepted to another JTNC event, they may be returned to the waitlist from that tournament field while pending review.
2. If the player has not applied for a future JTNC event, their membership may be pending review and they may not be allowed to register to any future events for the remainder of that year.
3. All situations will be reviewed by the JTNC. Players and parents will be notified of changes to membership status.

If a junior withdraws from three events in a season, he or she may not be eligible for postseason honors.

Spectators: Walking spectators are always encouraged and welcomed at Junior Tour events. All spectators must meet the dress code requirements for the course. Denim, T-shirts and athletic or short shorts should not be worn. Spectators should not consume alcohol on the course and must follow club policies on tobacco use. The use of electronic devices should be limited to areas where their use will not distract players on the course. Spectators should maintain at least 25 yards from the players and avoid even the appearance of imparting advice or assisting the player in any way. A spectator may approach a player briefly to hand clothing, food or beverages to the player, but should not have prolonged conversations. Please walk ahead of the group you are following and stay in the rough or near the cart paths. Do not delay groups by walking slowly. Spectators must stay off the greens and out of the bunkers at all times. Spectators violating these policies may be asked to leave the course. Spectator Carts are permitted at JTNC events if approved by the host facility. Those approved for use of a golf cart are required to pay the appropriate cart fee to the golf course.

Caddies: Caddies are prohibited at any JTNC event. If a person other than the player moves their bag/cart in a “casual act” the Rules of Golf do not consider this individual to be a caddie. There is no breach of Rule 10.3. However this does not allow an individual to move the players bag/cart for a prolonged period of time.

Late Registration: The Junior Tour does allow late registration after the tournament has closed. If a tournament has open spots late registrants may ask for and be placed into the tournament proper. If the event if full it will be possible to be added to the waiting list.

Pace of Play: The overriding philosophy of the JTNC Pace of Play Policy is that responsibility for keeping pace resides with the player, not the officials. Keep up with the group in front of you, and monitor your time with either a watch or clock, and the latest time of finish at the bottom of your scorecard. 2024 JTNC PACE OF PLAY POLICY.

JTNC Hard Card and Conditions of Competitions: These policies regarding conditions of competitions are in play at all JTNC events. 2024 JTNC Standard Local Rules (Hard Card).