
By state
Junior golf tours in Ohio
9 state, regional, PGA Section, and local junior programs holding events in Ohio, plus the national youth programs with Ohio chapters.
Programs in Ohio
9
Upcoming listed events
Start here
Where to start in Ohio
1. Learn and play 9 holes (ages 5–11)
2 local U.S. Kids Golf tours and chapters we list in Ohio, plus PGA Jr. League teams and First Tee chapters. Short yardages, low fees, no ranking pressure.
2. First 18-hole tournaments
Tri-State PGA Junior / Northern Ohio PGA Junior / Southern Ohio PGA Junior or GCGA 1905 Junior Tour / TJGA: one-day events with tiered divisions so new players compete against new players.
3. Championships and rankings
NOGA / OGA Junior for state junior championships and USGA qualifiers, then Penn Ohio Junior Golf / Top 50 for ranked 36-hole events. Then the national tours.
Local & metro tours in Ohio
(2)City, county, and metro-area tours. One-day events, low entry fees, short drives. Where most players enter their first tournament.
GCGA 1905 Junior Tour (Greater Cincinnati Golf Association)
Ohio
The Greater Cincinnati Golf Association's junior series, headlined by the Metropolitan Junior Boys (85th in 2026) and Junior Girls championships plus junior opens at Stillmeadow, Miami Whitewater and Blue Ash.
Toledo Junior Golf Association
Ohio
A long-running Toledo-area junior association whose summer season ends before the Ohio high school season; points earn invitations to marquee events at Inverness Club, Toledo Country Club and Firestone Country Club.
PGA Section junior tours in Ohio
(3)Run by the local PGA of America Section. Tiered divisions from beginner to elite, and the on-ramp to the PGA Jr. Championship.
Isaly's Junior Golf Tour (Tri-State PGA)
Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
The Tri-State PGA's Isaly's Junior Golf Tour runs about 20 events plus a Player of the Year Championship for ages 8–18 around Pittsburgh, West Virginia and eastern Ohio.
Northern Ohio PGA Junior Golf
Ohio
Founded in 1946, the Northern Ohio PGA's junior program runs nearly 40 tournaments a year around Cleveland, Akron and Toledo, from a 9-hole Futures Tour to 36-hole NextLevel events with AJGA, JGS and Junior Golf Hub recognition.
Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour
Ohio
The Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour stages roughly 35 tournaments from April to late July across Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, with 36-hole Player's Series events carrying AJGA and JGS designations.
State golf association junior programs in Ohio
(2)Your USGA Allied Golf Association's junior tour and state junior championships. Championship-quality golf at association prices.
Northern Ohio Golf Association junior offerings
Ohio
NOGA, the allied association for Northern Ohio, runs Scratch and Net series, public tournaments, a Toledo series and USGA qualifiers, but does not publish a dedicated junior tour. Its youth-facing programs are the Evans Scholars caddie pathway and USGA junior qualifying.
Ohio Junior Championship (Ohio Golf Association)
Ohio
The Ohio Golf Association's junior program is centered on the three-day Ohio Junior Championship, won in 2026 by Matthew Kreusch at Shaker Run, plus USGA junior qualifying. Weekly junior tours in Ohio are run by the PGA sections and regional junior associations.
Regional multi-state tours in Ohio
(2)Independent tours covering several states, usually 36-hole events ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard. The bridge to AJGA-level golf.
Penn Ohio Junior Golf (North Coast Junior Tour and Great Lakes Junior Golf Tour)
Ohio, Pennsylvania
Based in Erie, Penn Ohio Junior Golf operates the North Coast Junior Tour in northwestern Pennsylvania (14th season in 2026) and the Great Lakes Junior Golf Tour in northeastern Ohio (36th year). One membership covers both tours, and 13 events on the annual schedule are posted to Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Top 50 Junior Tour
Florida, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina
Founded in 2003 by Coach Danny Thomas, the Top 50 Scholarship Golf Tour runs 50+ events a year at country clubs and resorts in Michigan and Florida (with Ohio and South Carolina stops), most ranked by JGS and GJGR.
Local youth golf tours and chapters in Ohio
Local tours run by national programs. These are the easiest first events for players under 12.
National youth programs with Ohio chapters
Each runs local programs across the country. Use the finder on each page to locate the nearest one.
Drive, Chip & Putt
Founded in 2013 by the Masters Tournament, USGA and PGA of America, Drive, Chip & Putt is a free nationwide skills competition whose winners play the National Finals at Augusta National on Golf Channel.
First Tee
First Tee is a 501(c)(3) youth development organization that teaches golf alongside life skills through 150 chapters (plus international sites), each running programs at multiple local courses.
IMG Academy Junior World Championship
Founded in 1968 by the San Diego Junior Golf Association, the Junior World Championship draws about 1,250 players from 56 countries and 42 states each July, reached through designated qualifiers or open application.
Junior PGA Championship (Section Qualifiers)
The Junior PGA Championship is one of junior golf's majors; the way in is your PGA Section's Junior PGA Championship, held in every section each spring/summer, with all 41 section champions invited to nationals.
LPGA*USGA Girls Golf
Founded in 1989 in Phoenix, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf is the only junior program built specifically for girls 6–17, now at 700+ sites serving about 100,000 girls a year.
Operation 36
Operation 36 is a progression-based learn-to-play program used at 800+ facilities in 22 countries; juniors start 25 yards from the green and earn their way back to the full tee box, with an app tracking every round.
Optimist International Junior Golf Championships
One of the largest junior tournaments in the world, the Optimist Junior Golf Championship is reached through local Optimist district qualifiers and played in age waves at Trump National Doral (Miami), with a Tournament of Champions at Mission Resort each fall.
PGA Jr. League
PGA Jr. League is the PGA of America's team-based, no-experience-required program: kids wear numbered jerseys and play two-person scramble matches for a local team led by a PGA Coach, with an All-Star pathway to a National Championship.
U.S. Junior Amateur & U.S. Girls' Junior Qualifying
The USGA's two junior championships, the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls' Junior, are entered through local qualifying run by allied golf associations each spring and early summer. Check the USGA championships site for current dates, sites, and handicap limits.
U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours
U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours are the most widespread entry-level tournament series in the country: age-scaled, single-day events run by local directors in more than 100 U.S. metro areas (300+ worldwide), with points that earn Priority Status for State, Regional and World Championships.
Youth on Course
Youth on Course is a nonprofit that subsidizes rounds so members 18 and under pay $5 or less at more than 2,400 courses in the U.S., Canada and Australia — the cheapest way for a junior to get course reps.
Upcoming junior tournaments in Ohio
Full Ohio schedule →Junior tours in states near Ohio
Regional tours often cross state lines, and a neighboring state's association tour may be closer than your own.
Good to know
Junior golf tours in Ohio: questions families ask
- What junior golf tours are there in Ohio?
- We list 9 junior programs holding events in Ohio: Northern Ohio Golf Association junior offerings and Ohio Junior Championship (Ohio Golf Association) (state golf association); Isaly's Junior Golf Tour (Tri-State PGA) and Northern Ohio PGA Junior Golf and Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour (PGA Section); regional tours Penn Ohio Junior Golf, Top 50; local tours GCGA 1905 Junior Tour, TJGA. National programs such as U.S. Kids Golf, PGA Jr. League, First Tee, and Drive, Chip & Putt also run in Ohio.
- Which junior tour in Ohio should a beginner start with?
- Players under 12 usually start with U.S. Kids Golf local tours or PGA Jr. League, then move to the Isaly's Junior Golf Tour (Tri-State PGA) or NOGA once they can finish 18 holes comfortably. Regional 36-hole tours come after scores are consistently in the 80s.
- Which Ohio junior tours count toward rankings?
- Northern Ohio PGA Junior (AJGA PBE, JGS, JGH); Southern Ohio PGA Junior (AJGA PBE, JGS); OGA Junior (JGS); Penn Ohio Junior Golf (JGS); Top 50 (JGS, AJGA PBE). Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings and AJGA Performance Based Entry stars are what national tours and college coaches look at.
- How much do junior golf tournaments in Ohio cost?
- Local one-day events are typically $40–$120, PGA Section and state association events $60–$200, and regional two-day tours $150–$350, often plus an annual membership. Each program page shows published fees where the organizer lists them.
Guides for Ohio golf families
For Parents
How Much Does Junior Golf Really Cost? A Parent's Honest Budget Guide
Read moreFor Parents
How to Build the Right Junior Tournament Schedule (Without Burning Out Your Player or Your Budget)
Read moreGetting Started
How to Get Started in Junior Golf Tournaments: A Complete First-Timer's Guide
Read moreRun a junior tour in Ohio that is not listed?
Listings are free. Email info@amateurgolf.com or read how listings work. National tours are compared on the tours page.