Scenes from Drive, Chip & Putt National Championship
(USGA Photo)
(January 11, 2017) -- Although many kids are
currently spending their days frolicking in the snow,
sipping hot cocoa and bundling up to keep warm, it
won’t be long before the smell of freshly cut grass
and warm sunshine permeates the air.
While spring remains a few months away, it’s
never too early to begin thinking about getting your
child signed up for a fun outdoor activity. Drive, Chip
& Putt certainly fits the bill as an ideal way to get a
junior started in golf or strengthen their passion for
the game. Drive, Chip & Putt is a skills competition
that tests three important aspects of golf in a fun,
competitive atmosphere contested at some of the
nation’s most prestigious venues, many of which
have hosted major championships.
Recent age-group champions have even gone on
to qualify for some of the USGA’s preeminent
championships, including the U.S. Women’s Open.
Since its inception in 2014, the Drive, Chip &
Putt Championship has proved to be an
overwhelming success as a way to grow the game.
This skills competition offers boys and girls ages 7-
15 a chance to have fun and compete, with the
ultimate prize being a trip to Augusta National Golf
Club to compete in the finals the Sunday before the
annual Masters Tournament.
The USGA, the Masters Tournament and The
PGA of America officially launched the 2018 Drive,
Chip & Putt Championship by announcing the local
qualifying schedule for the competition’s fifth year.
The schedule includes dates and locations for
participants to compete in local qualifiers across the
country with the opportunity to advance to the
National Finals at Augusta in April 2018.
Online registration is scheduled to begin on Jan.
25.
Drive, Chip & Putt is a free youth golf
development initiative for junior golfers in four
separate age divisions: 7-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14-
15, for girls and boys. The competition begins with
local qualifying in all 50 states between May and
August. Top performers at the local level will
advance through subregional and regional qualifiers
at some of the country’s best championship venues
in July/August and September/October, respectively.
The top 80 performers – 40 boys and 40 girls – earn
an invitation to the National Finals at Augusta
National on Sunday, April 1, the eve of the 2018
Masters. The event is televised by Golf Channel.
Each of the finalists also get the opportunity to
observe the first official Masters practice round on
April 2.
Expanding this year to 268 total sites, local
qualifying is scheduled to begin Saturday, May 6 at
TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The
breakdown and schedule of 2018 Drive, Chip & Putt
Championship qualifying is as follows:
Local (May/June/July/August): 268 host
sites
throughout all 50 states
---3 juniors advance in each age/gender category
from every venue
Subregional (July/August): 53 host
sites throughout 33 states
---2 juniors advance in each age/gender category
from every venue
Regional (September/October): 10
host sites in 10 regions
---1 junior advances in each age/gender category
from every venue
National Finals (April 1, 2018): 80
total participants at Augusta National Golf Club
The regional qualifying events in September and
October are set to take place at 10 championship
host sites on the following dates:
Sept. 3, 2017: Pinehurst Resort (Site of the
2014 U.S. Open and 2014 U.S. Women’s Open
championships)
Sept. 9, 2017: The Olympic Club (Site of the
2012 U.S. Open and 2021 U.S. Women’s Open
championships)
Sept. 16, 2017: TPC Sawgrass (Site of The
Players Championship and 1994 U.S. Amateur
Championship)
Sept. 16, 2017: Muirfield Village Golf Club (Site
of the Memorial Tournament, 2013 Presidents Cup
and 1992 U.S. Amateur Championship)
Sept. 16, 2017: Southern Hills Country Club
(Site of the 2007 PGA Championship, 2001 U.S.
Open Championship)
Sept. 17, 2017: The Club at Carlton Woods
(Site of the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur
Championship)
Sept. 24, 2017: The Honors Course (Site of the
2016 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship)
Sept. 30, 2017: Interlachen Country Club (Site
of the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open Championship)
Sept. 30, 2017: Torrey Pines (Site of the 2008
and 2021 U.S. Open championships)
Oct. 1, 2017: Winged Foot Golf Club (Site of
the 2006 and 2020 U.S. Open championships)
For a full list of qualifying venues at the local
and subregional level, or for more information about
the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, including
official rules, registration and ticket information,
please visit
www.DriveChipandPutt.com.
ABOUT THE
Drive, Chip and Putt Championship
Founded in 2013 jointly by the Masters, USGA and
PGA of America the Drive, Chip and Putt is an event
for junior golfers ages 7-15. Throughout the year
qualifiers are held around the country before the
finals are held the Sunday before the Masters at
Augusta National Golf Club. Boys and girls will
compete in separate divisions in four age categories:
7-9 years old; 10-11 years old; 12-13 years old;
and
14-15 years old.
View Complete Tournament Information