Series Guidelines
2023 Qualifying Format
Players will have to qualify through two stages to make it to the Championship. (18-Hole Local Tournament Stage -> 36-Hole Regional Tournament Stage -> 54-Hole Championship)
What's New This Year
Players who meet at least one of the exemption criteria will be able to bypass Local Events and can register for up to two (2) Regional Finals of their choice where they are only 36-holes away from playing on Golf Channel! To view the 2023 Exemption Criteria to see if you can bypass Local Events, scroll down below.
For players who do not meet at least one of the exemption criteria, they will need to play in a Local Event in order to advance to the Regional Finals. The Local Events will be released on Monday, January 15th. Players are allowed to register and play in as many Local Events as they would like. To find the Local Events, click the Schedule button above.
2023 Exemption Criteria
(Players must meet at least one of the below criteria to be considered exempt)
Top-10 in an NB3 Regional Final in 2020, 2021 or 2022
NB3 National Championship Finalists in 2020, 2021 or 2022
Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour Performance Index top 250 Players
Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour Class Performance Index top 25%
Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour Order of Merit top-3 within Last Year
Top 25% OVERALL on Junior Golf Scoreboard (this is not segmented out by graduating class. If you feel you deserve to be exempt based on your rank within your graduating class, please email info@jgnc.org with your reasoning and the Committee will review your request).
Local Events
All Local Events will be announced on January 15th, 2023 and players will be able to register for as many Local Events as they would like. All Local Events will be hosted under the Schedule tab at the top of this page. These events will either be NB3 JGNC Sanctioned Locals or one of the many partner qualifying opportunities nationwide which include: PGA Sections, State Golf Associations and select Independent Junior Tours who offer qualifying spots into our Regional Finals. At each one of these Local tournaments, there will be a set number of players that will qualify to make it to the Regional level and this information will be posted on each of the Local Events' website or the affiliated partner tournament information page.
Age Divisions / Tournament Yardages
All boys & girls ages 10-18 are eligible to register for the NB3 Jr Golf National Championship Series. If a player is 19 or attending College during the Local/Regional/Championship stages of the NB3 JGNC, they will not be able to participate.
The following are the 2023 age divisions and the approximate yardages that correspond with each age group. *These yardages are approximations, meaning they are subject to change once our team arrives on-site based on things like course conditions, weather, and location.
Boys 14-15 & Boys 16-18: 6,600 - 6,900 (Par 72) *No Caddies Allowed
Boys 12-13: 5,700 - 6,000 (Par 72) *Caddies OPTIONAL at all events
Boys 10-11: 5,000 - 5,300 (Par 72) *Caddies MANDATORY at all events
Girls 14-15 & Girls 16-18: 5,700 - 6,000 (Par 72) *No Caddies Allowed
Girls 12-13: 5,000 - 5,300 (Par 72) *Caddies OPTIONAL at all events
Girls 10-11: 4,500 - 4,800 (Par 72) *Caddies MANDATORY at all events
A player’s age division is determined by their age on May 1st. For Example, if a player turns 14 in July of 2023, they will compete in the 12-13 Division throughout the entirety of the Series even though they may be 14 during a Local or Regional Final.
*If you have a question regarding what age division you should be competing in, please email info@jgnc.org. When you register, our system will automatically put you in the correct age division based on your Date of Birth on May 1st, 2023. If you would like to play in a higher division than what the system places you in, please email us and we will move you up.
If a player turns 19 before the National Championship on which will take place November 2nd - 4th for the Boys and November 6th - 8th for the Girls OR is attending college or playing on a college golf team, they will NOT be allowed to compete.
If your son or daughter is younger than 10 years old and would like to play in an event, parents are required to email info@jgnc.org for approval. Playing at the required yardage listed on the Tournament Information Page, maintaining pace of play, and playing without a stroke limit are requirements to think about before making a decision.
Registration Requirements
All 18-Hole Local Tournaments are open registration (meaning you do not need any pre-requirements to register) and every player will be sure to have a unique and unforgettable experience at all stages of the Championship.
Players qualifying at the 18-hole Local level can attempt to make it to the 36-hole Regional as many times as they like. If you are signed up for multiple Local Qualifying events or Regional Qualifying events and you qualify for the next stage, we will reimburse you in full for any other tournaments that you have signed up for in advance.
At the 18-hole Local qualifying stage, the goal for all players that advance to the Regional Tournament is to post a score that is 90 or lower when you compete within your division. We strive to build strong fields in our regional events around the Country and we want to do our best to make it an enjoyable experience for all those players that make it. The NB3 Committee reserves the right to approve or deny a player that shoots over the score of 90 the opportunity to participate in one of our regionals.
Other Qualifying Opportunities
In certain parts of the country, players will have the opportunity to qualify through NB3/PKBGT Partner Events. These opportunities will be listed on our website and can also be found by checking with Local PGA Sections, State Golf Associations and select Independent Junior Tours. Whether you play in an NB3 tournament or a partner event, the player’s 18-hole score will most likely determine eligibility into one of our regional tournaments. At each one of these local tournaments there will be a set number of players that will qualify to make it to the regional level. The maximum number of players will vary slightly depending on the regional tournament. We will take anywhere between 60 to 150 players at our Regionals. From our regional tournaments across the county, we will qualify and invite approximately 140 boys and up to 140 girls to each one of the separate 54-hole championships that will take place in November.
By referring to our Local tournament info pages, you will be able to determine how may qualifying spots by division are awarded at each stage of competition.
If players advance out of Local Events, they will receive an email informing them of the Regional Final they have been invited to and a link to register. Any transfer requests must be submitted via email to info@jgnc.org. Transfers are possible and will be granted based on availability.
Each of the Boys & Girls National Championship fields will accept a total of approximately 140 participants. The JGNC Committee reserves the right to adjust this total.