Junior Golf Options Aplenty in Northeast Ohio

 
If you and your kids are looking for junior golf options in Northeast Ohio for the 2019 summer golf season, there are plenty of choices available.

Seriously, plenty.

Classes. Camps. Tournaments. Tours. It’s just a matter of choosing the best match…

FOR KIDS JUST GETTING STARTED

The First TeeIf you need to find a starting point to the game of golf for your child, The First Tee is an incredible option. Run in multiple locations across Northeast Ohio, these programs get a golf club into a kid’s hands to learn the basics of the game — and some life lessons, too.

The First Tee of Cleveland
Washington Golf Center, Newburgh Heights
Briardale Greens, Euclid
Windmill Golf Center, Macedonia
Meadowood Golf Course, Westlake

The First Tee of Greater Akron
Mud Run Golf Course, Akron
Cleveland Clinic Akron General Challenge Course

The First Tee of Canton
First Tee of Canton Learning Center

JUNIOR TOURS

Kids who have mastered the basics and are ready for tournaments can easily find a Junior Tour that is fun, competitive or both:

NOPGA Junior Tour

NOPGA Junior ToursThe Northern Ohio PGA offers three different series covering all ages and levels of play: the NOPGA Junior Tour for competitive players (which also features Junior PGA Championship qualifiers); the Futures Tour for kids just starting out; and a Collegiate Preview series for older kids ages 17-22.

Director: Eileen Antenucci
Phone: (216) 765-1214
Email: eantenucci@pgahq.com

Southwest Junior Golf Tour

Southwest Junior Golf TourThe Southwest Junior Golf Tour focuses on west side Cleveland-area events for players ages 12-19. Now in its 26th season, the SWJGT’s motto is “Win With Us First”, offering all players a chance win locally before venturing out to the junior golf big leagues.

Director: Dave Moskal
Phone: (440) 346-6751
Email: dmgolfpro@aol.com

North Coast Junior Golf Tour

North Coast Junior TourThe North Coast Junior Tour is in its 28th year of providing high caliber junior golf competition, primarily at golf courses on Cleveland’s east side. NCJT prides itself on creating tournament players out of regular junior golfers, and offers live hole-by-hole scoring and a focus on well-paced 4 hour rounds.

Director: Tony Milam
Phone: (440) 357-6258
Email: info@ncjt.org

US Kids Golf Tour

US Kids GolfUS Kids Golf Cleveland provides fun competition for younger junior golfers 5 to 14 years old. The local chapter is part of a national program, with qualifiers to state, national and even international competitions.

Director: Chris Reed
Phone: 216-496-5200
Email: uskgcleveland@yahoo.com

Lake Erie Junior Golf Tour

Lake Erie Junior Golf TourThe Lake Erie Junior Golf Association plays 20 events over June and July on golf courses located between Sandusky and Toledo.

Director: David Morgan
Phone: 419-668-8535
Email: assistantprohack@yahoo.com

The First Tee of Canton Junior Tour

The First Tee of CantonFormerly known as the Spitale Junior Tour, The First Tee of Canton assumed this tour’s operation in 2014, renaming it The First of Canton Junior Tour. They rotate events primarily among Stark County courses, giving junior golfers an opportunity to play competitive golf at a low cost.

Director: Angela Palomba
Phone: 330-452-5331
Email: apalomba@thefirstteecanton.org

Independent Junior Tournaments

Northeast Ohio is also home to some great independent Junior Tournaments, focusing on competition and fun:

Cleveland Metroparks Golf Junior Championship
Good Park Junior Tournament
Record Courier Kids Portage County Am
Record-Courier Mishler Junior Portage County Am
Hudson Junior Invitational

National Junior Qualifiers

Locally, there are the Drive, Chip & Putt Qualifiers and the PGA Junior League team events, giving young players the chance to reach national finals for each.

New this year, the Optimist Junior Local Qualifier will be played at Mill Creek in Boardman, too.

And of course, there are the local USGA qualifiers: the USGA Junior Championship Cleveland Qualifier; and the USGA Junior Girls Championship Cleveland Qualifier.

 
See? Plenty of Northeast Ohio junior golf choices, all across the region, all summer long. Need to get a sense of what events run when? Check out the Junior Tournament Calendar to see this summer’s events all in one place.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allen Freeman

Allen is a writer, photographer and editor for Northern Ohio Golf.

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