Junior golf association returning to Cape Region next spring

The American Junior Golf Association returns to the Cape Region next spring.

The Georgia-based nonprofit runs more than 145 events annually for scholastic golfers hoping to make it to the college ranks. College coaches observe and interact with thousands of juniors.

AJGA uses different tournament levels to guide players through their development. Last year’s event at Rehoboth Beach Country Club gave golfers aged 12-19 their first AJGA experience.

The 2026 RBCC tournament is part of the Ninja Junior All-Star series for experienced juniors aged 12-15. Scheduled for April 23-26, it includes an 18-hole qualifier round for some spots in the 54-hole tournament.

Last August, the AJGA held its Super Lychee Junior Open tournament at Maple Dale Country Club in Dover. I took the opportunity to watch.

Chris Brosius is Maple Dale’s head golf pro. He had high praise for the event when we chatted Aug. 13.

“It’s going good. The golfers are from all over the United States. They got here last Monday or Tuesday, and a lot of them have been practicing ever since,” he said.

Brosius continued, “I’ve seen a lot of good golf swings, and it’s kind of neat to see all these college coaches out here watching, following kids to see if they are their next star. The parents and the others involved have been really nice. You know me, junior golf has always been a big thing, something I’ve loved all my life.”

The qualifier round for the August tournament had 53 boys competing for six spots and 26 girls competing for three places in the 96-player full-field event.

Brosius said players’ talent caused a change in the course setup.

“We made two and 12 par fours, so par is 70, not 72. Those are short par fives, and [AJGA staff] felt for their kids that was a better setup. These kids hit it really far. And also, we haven’t had rain the last three weeks, so it’s firm and fast.”

After the first round, the leading boy was five-under par and the best girl was even par for the day. That gives some indication of the talent pool.

Jim Hutchins of Milford is a rules official for the Golf Association of Philadelphia. He volunteered his services at the event.

“I emailed Chris and asked if I could help,” he said. “Also, during the GAP webinars, they said if you had the opportunity to do an AJGA event to do it.”

He stayed busy.

“I have had more rulings in the first five holes today than in the entire [GAP Delaware] Open qualifier. They get into more situations and they’re asking more questions,” Hutchins said. 

As for talent level, he said simply, “Top of the line. The best juniors in the country, beyond a doubt. They’re here for college. This is far beyond anything I’ve seen in terms of quality of play at this age level.”

AJGA Tournament Director Ian Swietkowski said, “Everyone seems happy. The sponsors are enjoying it. Most of the players have past AJGA experience.”

Swietkowski said, “The college coaches check in, can walk around and watch the players. They scout out the players – who has a nice swing, their attitude out on the course. College coaches really like to see how the players handle adversity. They don’t want to see the low scores; they want to see how they handle the high scores.” 

The coaches try to be unobtrusive.

“Generally, they stay on the cart path. They can talk to the parents, get a feel for how their son or daughter is. At the end of the round, a lot of coaches like to come up and talk to them. They also watch them on the putting greens to see their routine there,” Swietkowski said.

I also met Anna Redding, a former Epson Tour golfer and current assistant coach of the High Point University women’s golf team.

“AJGA is a great organization for coaches to come up and watch many young talented women golfers,” she said. “Out here I love seeing the variety of golfers, and I see all different ages. I’m currently looking for the 2027 [high school graduating] class. That’s my focus. At these events, there are also many talented golfers, so I can see [the classes of] ‘28, ‘29, even ‘30. I watch these young women compete and see what potential they’ve got for the future.”

Redding continued, “What we’re looking for is a strong young woman. We care about not just the golf game but also the personality. How they interact with the players they compete against, when they have adversity, when they have a shot out of bounds, what’s that next tee shot going to look like. How do they play golf, do they smile a lot, are they having fun, are they out there grinding trying to make that score happen. It tells us a lot about who they are as golfers.”

Her job takes her to several tournaments all summer.

“I love traveling,” she said. “I used to play professionally, so I’m used to it. Recruiting is one of the highlights of my job.”