📷 – Media Courtesy of the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA)

AJGA Invitational at Sedgefield

Coming up next week is the AJGA Invitational at Sedgefield, and the tournament will display a testament for many big-time events coming up in the golf world. With the PGA Tour winding back up, the LPGA starting in July, and more events worldwide being rescheduled for the summer, the AJGA’s foot forward in going through with events in the current climate may set the standard for the future of golf, and other sports impacted.

The AJGA Invitational at Sedgefield will feature the AJGA’s new Safety Protocols, including limited field sizes, one-tee starts, social distancing, spectator limitations, and general safety practices that will be in place throughout the event.

Full Safety Guidelines are as follows:

  • The clubhouse will be closed to all players and spectators with the exception being use of the restrooms
  • We will have an advanced medical professional on-site.
  • AJGA staff will have their temperatures taken each morning at all tournament venues.
  • Player and spectator will be required to have, and wear, a face mask if social distancing is not possible (i.e. weather evacuation shuttles and indoor sheltering).
  • Players, volunteers, and staff will be asked a series of health screening questions each day.
  • Hand sanitizer will be provided in starting and scoring areas and will be frequently re-filled as necessary each day.
  • All AJGA staff will wear a mask when engaging with players.
  • Players and parents must call or e-mail the tournament director and should refrain from physically visiting Tournament Headquarters. Contact information can be found on the tournament website.
  • Anyone showing signs of being symptomatic will immediately need to leave the property to return home.
  • Signage will be posted in multiple areas reminding people to stay six (6) feet away from one another.

Volunteers:

  • Operations-critical volunteers will be recruited to execute AJGA events.
  • Timing station volunteers will wear gloves and a mask to distribute bottled water from a cooler to juniors if desired.

Eliminating Touch:

  • The AJGA will no longer provide these items: tees, pencils, permanent markers, sunscreen, insect repellent or ball markers. Players should come prepared with these items.
  • No tournament paperwork will be printed on-site. Hole Locations and Notice to Players will be posted to the tournament webpage; a link to these documents will be texted and e-mailed to the field.
  • Players must not touch, or remove, the flagstick at any time. Removing the flagstick is a violation of the AJGA Code of Conduct policy and may result in penalty. An insert will be placed at the bottom of the flagstick in the hole to assist the players in removing their golf ball. Please refer to the AJGA Code of Conduct Policy for additional information.
  • All bunker rakes will be removed from the golf course. Players may lift, clean and place their ball within one club length of where their original ball lied that is not nearer the hole and in the same bunker. Players are encouraged to smooth the sand with their shoe or club when exiting the bunker. Please refer to the Notice to Players for additional information.
  • We will not host cookouts or social events to reduce large group gatherings. We will negotiate with host venues to provide box lunches or take-out food in lieu of providing a food function.
  • Pertinent information from previous in-person Parent and Player Meetings will be sent digitally.
  • Tournament gifts will be sanitized by AJGA staff prior to registration. Registration times will be lengthened, and players will arrive based on tee time to help ensure safe distribution.
  • Players are asked to refrain from the traditional handshake or hug prior to, and after, all rounds.

Digital Scoring:

Players will be required to use the Golf Genius application (available on iOS and Android app store) which will serve as their Official Tournament Scorecard and Live Scoring. No paper tournament scorecards will be provided. Players may view, and print, a blank scorecard on the tournament webpage.