Junior Golf Association of Southwestern Michigan

Topic of the week: Junior Golf Equipment
Why buy junior clubs? Why can’t I just cut down an old set of clubs? These are the usual questions we hear from parents. Cutting down adult clubs is a common practice and is acceptable when price or availability hinder the use of proper equipment, but remember that junior golf clubs are designed for the junior golfer. A cut-down club will be too heavy and too stiff for optimal performance, plus, the grip usually won’t fit on the shaft properly. Junior clubs are lighter, balanced properly, have more flex in the shaft and have the proper size grips. Using golf equipment that doesn’t fit properly as a junior can cause poor swing habits that will haunt a golfer for the rest of his or her life.

Most junior sets can be purchased according to age and/or height, with prices varying based on quality and number of clubs in the set. A common configuration for a junior set is to have 1 wood, 2 irons, a putter and a bag. The wood is usually a lofted one such as a 3 wood or 5 wood. The irons are usually a mid lofted (5 or 7 iron) and a higher lofted (9 iron or wedge). This type of set is considered to be the minimum necessary to participate in golf.

U.S. Kids Golf is the preferred club of the JGA offering equipment for beginners (Ultralight Series) and advanced players (Tour Series). "Successful junior programs begin with equipment that is exactly the right length for the player. Kids grow 2 1/2" per year, so it is essential that they are fit for clubs every season. Teaching is made easier and a young player’s performance improves significantly by having clubs that are the correct length."

Grand Prairie Golf Course has many junior clubs in stock and on sale. Have a set to trade in? Grand Prairie accepts trade-ins when purchasing a new set of clubs.

Need adult clubs? Fall is a great time to purchase clubs as many companies put their current models on clearance to make way for newer models. If you have a set to trade in, visit valueguide.pga.com to get an idea of what your current set is worth on trade in.

Rule of the Week: 13. Ball Played as it Lies
13-1. General
The ball must be played as it lies, except as otherwise provided by the Rules.
(Ball at rest moved - see Rule 18.)

13-2. Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing, or line of Play
A player must not improve or allow to be improved:

the position or lie of his ball,
the area of his intended stance or swing,
his line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the hole, or
the area in which he is to drop or place a ball.

by any of the following actions:

pressing a club on the ground,
moving, bending or breaking anything growing or fixed (including immovable obstructions and objects defining out of bounds),
creating or eliminating irregularities of surface,
removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots or other cut turf placed in position, or
removing dew, frost or water.

However, the player incurs no penalty if the action occurs:

in grounding the club lightly when addressing the ball,
in fairly taking his stance,
in making a stroke or the backward movement of his club for a stroke and the stroke is made,
in creating or eliminating irregularities of surface within the teeing ground (Rule 11-1) or in removing dew, frost or water from the teeing ground, or
on the putting green in removing sand and loose soil or in repairing damage (Rule 16-1)

Exception: Ball in hazard - see Rule 13-4.

13-3. Building Stance
A player is entitled to place his feet firmly in taking his stance, but he must not build a stance.

13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions
(refer to Rule book for complete text)

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.

12 & Under Instructional:
Congratulations to the following winners of the JGA 12 & Under Championship held at Red Arrow on August 15:

Tessa Rice - Girls 3 hole
Jackson Bradshaw - Boys 3 hole
Anna Lane - Girls 6 hole
Jacob Garber - Boys 6 hole

12 & Under Tournament:
Congratulations to Tommy Henry and Sarah Shipley for winning the JGA 12 & Under Championship at Grand Prairie on August 15!

Final statistics are posted online here.

13-15:
Congratulations to Ted Rider and Jessica Heimonen for winning the last event at Eastern Hills on August 13!

Final statistics are posted online here.

15-17:
The final boys event is the 2-day championship scheduled at Eastern Hills and The Prairies on Thursday and Friday, August 21-22. Tee times for the first round 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:
** ALL MAKE-UP GAMES MUST BE PLAYED BEFORE YOUR LAST DAY OF LEAGUE!!!

** The week of August 18th will be the final week for leagues. All make-up rounds must be completed before the last league day. Here is the schedule for playing and league luncheons:

Monday, August 18:

    JL1 will shotgun start at 8:45. JL2 will shotgun at 12:00. (Shotgun means all players start at the same time but on different holes.) All players should arrive by 8:30/11:45 to get checked in and receive their scorecards. Since both leagues are so large, we will sign up and play with 5 players per group.  Players are allowed to play a make-up round ahead of time and just come to the luncheon. Luncheon times are scheduled for 11:00 (JL1) and 2:00 (JL2). Awards and prizes will be distributed during the luncheon.

Wednesday, August 20:

    JL3 will shotgun start at 11:00. Luncheon time is scheduled for 1:00. Awards and prizes will be distributed during the luncheon.

Thursday, August 21:

    JL4 will shotgun start at 11:00. Luncheon time is scheduled for 1:00. Awards and prizes will be distributed during the luncheon.

Please let us know if you are unable to play or attend the luncheon on your final day.

** 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!

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 - 580 (385 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 - 37, totaling over $49,000