Junior Golf Association of Southwestern Michigan

Maple Hills is hosting a junior golf tournament on Wednesday, July 30th. Open to ages 17 & under, the entry fee of $20 includes golf, prizes, pizza, and beverages. Call 269-731-4430 for a tee time.

States is hosting their 4th Annual Kids Fore Kids Golf Outing on Saturday, August 2nd at 3:30pm. Entry fee is $25 per child and include 9 holes, food & prizes. Call 269-649-1931 for information.

Topic of the week: Pace of Play
The JGA is always trying to offer the best possible golfing opportunities for junior golfers. The time it takes to play a round of golf is part of that experience. Everyone can agree that the game is much more enjoyable when played at a fast pace. 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours is plenty of time to complete 18 holes. The JGA uses 10 minute tee time intervals and modifies the stroke-and-distance Rules to help keep the pace of play moving. While the overall pace of play in tournaments this year has been good, we want to offer a few reminders:

Walk briskly between shots
Be ready to play when it is your turn
Help fellow competitors find lost balls
Place your equipment in the direction you are going next whenever possible
Line up your putt when others are putting
Record your scores on the next tee

Watching how long the professionals on TV take to hit a shot can be misleading. If you've ever been to an event, you'll realize how fast they walk to their golf ball, giving them more time to hit their shot. Recreational golf has been slowed down by the use of power carts - everyone thinks they need to drive to each player's golf ball. Power carts evolved as a replacement for caddies - they are meant to carry your clubs. When using a power cart, drop one player off with a couple of clubs, drive to the other player's ball, and meet somewhere in between after playing your shots. You can shave many minutes off your round this way.

"Your position on the golf course is directly behind the group in front of you, not directly in front of the group behind you".

For other golf Pace of Play information, visit the following links:
USGA Pace of Play Policy
How To Speed Up Your Pace Of Play
Pace of Play and Care

Rule of the Week: 18-2b. Ball Moving After Address
If a player's ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke), the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of one stroke. The ball must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Did anyone watch the British Open this week? There were numerous instances of the ball 'wobbling' due to the wind, raising questions of whether or not the ball moved after the player addressed it.

12 & Under Instructional:
Tee Times for playing at Red Arrow are posted online here. Tee Times will remain the same for the next couple of weeks. Everyone has been assigned a tee time even if you are not scheduled to play that week. Please note your starting hole and how many holes you are scheduled to play. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in and get your scorecard. Here are some things you probably need to play the golf course:

Golf clubs
Golf balls
Tees
Ball marker

Parents are encouraged to walk with their children while playing at Red Arrow. There will be a 10-stroke limit for each hole. Please return your scorecards to the scoreboard after completing play.

The August 15th 12 & Under Championship was originally intended to be a 12 & Under Tournament event, with anyone in the 12 & Under Instructional program who could complete 9 holes being eligible to play. We have divided this event into two tournaments, with the 12 & Under Tournament group playing at Grand Prairie and the 12 & Under Instructional group playing at Red Arrow in their own tournament. Some of the advanced players in the 12 & Under Instructional group will be allowed to play in the Grand Prairie tournament, just let us know by email in the next few weeks.

12 & Under Tournament:
There were no events last week. Your next event is scheduled at Eastern Hills on Thursday, July 24th. Tee times are posted online here. Remember to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tee time to get your scorecard and get checked in. Click here to view your age group's rules.

13-15:
Congratulations to Luke Tindall and Cassidy Goldner for winning last week's event at Hickory Ridge! Your next event is scheduled at Crestview on Friday, July 25th. Tee times are posted online here. Remember to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tee time to get your scorecard and get checked in. Click here to view your age group's rules.

15-17:
Congratulations to Jon Christ and Melyssa Doerr for winning last week's event at Gull Lake View West! Your next event is scheduled at Angels Crossing on Wednesday, July 23rd. Tee times are posted online here. Remember to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tee time to get your scorecard and get checked in. Click here to view your age group's rules.

Junior Golf Leagues:
** Click here to visit and bookmark the Junior Golf Leagues home page. You will find all updated information on this page. Scores, handicaps, points, and JL1 event winners are all posted online.

** Please download and read the League guidelines.

** Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tee time to get checked in and to receive your scorecard. Your tee time is the time you should be hitting your first shot, not the time you arrive at the golf course!

** Remember that make-up games are encouraged and be sure you get your scorecard turned in to the front counter after playing a make-up round.

** Players in JL2, JL3 and JL4 are expected to calculate their Stableford points from now on. Click here to download a .pdf about how to calculate points. We will help players calculate their points when they are finished with their round.

** From now on, players will be signing up for tee times 2 weeks in advance. Remember, if you do not play during league time, you may call Grand Prairie at 388-4447 the day after your league to sign up for your next tee time. You may also email jga@kalamazoogolf.org with cancellations.

** Teams have been formed for JL2. The boards are posted on the wall next to the TV at Grand Prairie. JL3 and JL4 will be individual Stableford points.

JGA QUICK FACTS:
Established - 1987
Director - PGA Certified Professional Dean Marks, named
2007 "Junior Golf Leader" by Michigan Section PGA
Headquarters - Grand Prairie Golf Course
Address - 3620 Grand Prairie Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Phone # (269) 388-4447
email - jga@kalamazoogolf.org
2008 Total Participants to date - 575 (380 JGA, 195 Jr. Leagues)
2008 Total Events - 30
2008 JGA Entry Fee - $50.00
2008 Jr. League Entry Fee - $15.00
JGA Scholarships awarded since 1997 - 33, totaling over $43,000