In 1978, Mike Bentley had a dream: build a world class junior golf tour to service young people in pursuit of college golf. That dream quickly became a reality when he started the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). Thousands of junior golfers later, the AJGA has become the international standard for junior golf with 7,199 members and 120 events in 2018.

This article looks at the 40 years of the AJGA and their important contributions to the development of junior golf, career advancement of so many important individuals in golf, as well as adding to the meritocracy by introducing Performance Based Entry.

The early years: Introduction of Performance Based Entry (PBE)

In 2003, the AJGA made one of their most crucial decisions; introducing Performance Based Entry. The idea was born out of the need to create a more objective and efficient method to fill competitive entry tournament spots by assigning value to finishes in state, regional and national junior golf events.

Under the system, junior golfers earn “performance stars” by having top finishes in both AJGA and non-AJGA junior golf events. Players with the highest number of accumulated performance stars gain entry into most types of AJGA tournaments with a fixed number of performance stars being deducted for each tournament entry. Over time, the number of junior golf events included in the AJGA Performance Based Entry system has grown significantly, providing more equitable access to AJGA tournament entry for all regions of the country.

For players who have not yet had the opportunity to accumulate Performance Stars, the AJGA offers another route to tournament entry. Most AJGA tournaments include an 18-hole Qualifier round, similar to the PGA Tour, that is conducted just prior to the tournament. Because AJGA tournament entry is “performance based,” the top performers (approximately 10 percent) in each Qualifier earn a spot in the tournament that follows. In addition, the top 50 percent of the participants in each AJGA Qualifier earn a minimum of one Performance Star to help with future tournament acceptance.

Career and Advancement and Junior Golf Development

The AJGA has distinguished itself by operating world class events throughout the country. Over the 40-year history of the organization former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 900 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Ariya Jutanugarn, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lincicome, Anna Nordqvist, Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson.

The AJGA has not only had an impact on players, but it’s also offered unique opportunities for members of the golf work force to gain valuable training and mentorship. Notable alumni include: Mark Brazil, Tournament Director, Wyndham Championship; Casey Ceman, Global Golf Director, ANNIKA Foundation; Jeff Monday, President, PGA TOUR Canada; C.A. Roberts, III, President / Principal, OB Sports; Steve Ethun, Director of Communications, Augusta National Golf Club; Peter Ripa, Chief Executive Officer, Farmers Insurance Open / Century Club of San Diego; Ben Kimball, Director of U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Amateur, USGA; Rachel Graves Sadowski, Director of US Women’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championships, USGA; Amanda Herrington, Senior Manager of Communications, PGA TOUR; Courtney Jones, Head Women’s Golf Coach, Oklahoma State University; and Stephanie Rogers, Digital Marketing Manager, PGA Tour.

“My summer spent completing the AJGA internship was one of the greatest summers of my life. Not only did the internship provide incredible work experience, professional development and unlimited networking opportunities, it also gave me some of my closest friends and hundreds of unforgettable memories,” said Rogers, who worked with the AJGA as a Communications Manager.

“The AJGA Internship is also very highly regarded in the golf industry. Not many weeks go by that I don’t have someone reaching out because a resume, job candidate or recommendation they’ve received has AJGA experience and it’s caught their eye. If you want it to and work hard enough, the AJGA Internship can jump start your career in a way no other internship can.”

Giving Back

As the AJGA has grown into the juggernaut of junior golf, it has kept kids and the desire to support their development at the heart of the organization. In 2003, the AJGA introduced a unique program to support players; The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant. The ACE Grant provides financial assistance to young men and women who aspire to earn a college golf scholarship through competitive junior golf. The program began in 2003 with 12 juniors.

Ryan Hillstrom of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was the first recipient. In 2015, Smylie Kaufman became the first ACE Grant alumnus to win a PGA Tour event, the Shriners Hospital for Children Open. In 2016 the number of recipients broke the previous record at 206 and overall reimbursements surpassed $3 million.

In 2009 the AJGA empowered juniors to take an active role in supporting their communities through the Leadership Links program. Leadership Links helps develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the ACE Grant. $2.2 million has been raised through Leadership Links since 2009.