
By state
Junior golf tours in Tennessee
3 state, regional, PGA Section, and local junior programs holding events in Tennessee, plus the national youth programs with Tennessee chapters.
Programs in Tennessee
3
Upcoming listed events
Start here
Where to start in Tennessee
1. Learn and play 9 holes (ages 5–11)
3 local U.S. Kids Golf tours and chapters we list in Tennessee, plus PGA Jr. League teams and First Tee chapters. Short yardages, low fees, no ranking pressure.
2. First 18-hole tournaments
The PGA Section junior tour: one-day events with tiered divisions so new players compete against new players.
3. Championships and rankings
Sneds Tour for state junior championships and USGA qualifiers, then Mid-South Junior Golf Tour / SJGT for ranked 36-hole events. Then the national tours.
State golf association junior programs in Tennessee
(1)Your USGA Allied Golf Association's junior tour and state junior championships. Championship-quality golf at association prices.
Regional multi-state tours in Tennessee
(2)Independent tours covering several states, usually 36-hole events ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard. The bridge to AJGA-level golf.
Mid-South Golf Series
Alabama, Tennessee
Founded in 2020 in Columbia, Tennessee, the Mid-South Golf Series runs about 50 events a year, including four majors, across Middle Tennessee and North Alabama on a deliberately low-cost model with no tiered entry. Two-day events count toward JGS, TUGR and JGR rankings when fields meet minimums.
Southeastern Junior Golf Tour
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi +1
Founded in 1994 and based in Auburn, Alabama, the SJGT is one of the Southeast's largest independent junior circuits, running roughly 35–40 two-day events a year across Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida panhandle and Tennessee. Membership is projected to top 1,000 players in its 31st season.
Local youth golf tours and chapters in Tennessee
Local tours run by national programs. These are the easiest first events for players under 12.
National youth programs with Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Full Tennessee schedule →Chattanooga Junior Open
Bear Trace at Harrison Bay State Park
Harrison, Tennessee
Starts in 3 days
Nashville Winter Junior Open
Hermitage Golf Club - General's Retreat
Old Hickory, Tennessee
In 7 weeks
Lake Tansi Junior Open
Lake Tansi Village Country Club
Crossville, Tennessee
In 2 months
Junior tours in states near Tennessee
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 Tennessee: questions families ask
- What junior golf tours are there in Tennessee?
- We list 3 junior programs holding events in Tennessee: Sneds Tour (Tennessee Golf Association / Tennessee Golf Foundation) (state golf association); regional tours Mid-South Junior Golf Tour, SJGT. National programs such as U.S. Kids Golf, PGA Jr. League, First Tee, and Drive, Chip & Putt also run in Tennessee.
- Which junior tour in Tennessee 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 local PGA Section junior tour or Sneds Tour once they can finish 18 holes comfortably. Regional 36-hole tours come after scores are consistently in the 80s.
- Which Tennessee junior tours count toward rankings?
- Sneds Tour (JGS); Mid-South Junior Golf Tour (JGS); SJGT (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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee that is not listed?
Listings are free. Email info@amateurgolf.com or read how listings work. National tours are compared on the tours page.