Middle School State Championship

Welcome to the information page for the 2026 Kentucky Middle School State and Regional Championships. Complete information on the dates, registration process, entry fees, rules of play, and course set-up is listed below. Please read carefully as eligibility rules have changed for the upcoming events. If you have any questions, please contact Gabe Smith at gsmith@kygolf.org or by phone at (502) 792-9703

ALL COACHES: Please fill out the Google Form linked 

Regional Dates & Locations: 

The 2026 Regional sites are listed below.

ALL SITES: TBA 

State Championship Date & Location: September 19th at Oxmoor Country Club in Louisville. 

Registration Info: Registration for the KPGA Middle School Regional Championships will open August 1st, 2026. Players may register for any of the Regionals until the deadline, which is August 21st, 2026.

Entry Fees: The cost to participate in the Regional Championships will be $60.00 per player or $300.00 per 5-person team, which includes golf, awards and processing fee. Players enter a Regional individually or as a team. Players that qualify for the State Championship will pay an additional $60.00 per player or $300.00 per 5-person team, which covers golf, range, awards, lunch, tee gift, and processing fee.

Payments must be made ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EVENT. Checks should be made out to Golf House Kentucky and must be mailed to 1116 Elmore Just Dr, Louisville, Kentucky 40245. Individuals may sign up via Golf Genius on the event portal. If an entire team registers individually, the coach MUST email to let the KYPGAJT staff (gsmith@kygolf.org) that they are forming a team individually. 

Player Eligibility: Golf House Kentucky and the Junior Tour committee are revewing eligibilty criteria.

 If you have questions please reach out to Gabe Smith at gsmith@kygolf.org

Team Formation & Substitutes: Up to 5 individuals from the same school may combine to form a team. NEW THIS YEAR - Schools may only bring one team and are allowed to play at one regional site. If a school has one team of boys and one team of girls they are able to both register for the same regional, but only one of them will be able to advance to the state championship. If one school brings a boys and girls team and they finish 1st and 2nd, the second championship qualifying spot will pass to the 3rd place team. Teams can consist of any combination of boys and girls. In order to complete team registration a team/player has two options:

1. If each player is going to pay for themselves to play in the regional, BUT will be on a team, each individual must register for the same regional individually in the event that they would like to play in. Any individuals not on a team also have the option of registering through Golf Genius. Each portal is linked above for registration. Once all players are registered, the coach should complete the Google Form liked HERE. 

2. The coach for the team may choose to pay for the team as a whole or for their individuals via check. In order to submit your team, please fill out the Google Form. Once completed, please reach out to Gabe Smith at gsmith@kygolf.org in order to have your team submitted into the Golf Genius Software. AND sumbit the CHECK SUBMISSION FORM with the check

Competition Rules: The following Rules apply to all Middle School Championships. Click HERE to read them in their entirety.

• Maximum score is +4 on each hole.
• Caddies are not allowed.
• Players must walk and carry or push cart their clubs at all times.
• Girls will play from tees set at approximately 85% of the yardage played by boys.
• Designated coaches must obtain and display an arm band or badge that is clearly displayed at all times. There may be only ONE COACH per team/individual.
• Non-Certified Coaches may only talk to players between the putting green and the teeing ground on the next hole, and they are not allowed to talk to players during the play of the hole. Certified coaches may talk to their team members during the play of the hole without interfering with pace of play expectations.
• Parents and spectators may not coach the players, give advice, or provide rulings during play.
• Parents and spectators must keep their distance from the players by remaining on the cart path at least 30 yards from the players at all times except when delivering food or drink.
• Pace of play expectations are 2 hours and 15 minutes for 9 holes including Par 3s in 12 minutes, Par 4s in 15 minutes, and Par 5s in 18 minutes while maintaining position (seeing next group on hole when reaching teeing ground) with the group in front of them.
• Only designated Rules Officials may give rulings to the participants at the request of the player.
• Individuals interested in serving on the Rules Committee at a Regional should contact gsmith@kygolf.org.

Regional Team Scoring: The Regional Championships will consist of 9-holes of stroke play at each host location. Team scores will use the best 4 of 5 individual scores. Teams may only bring one team to a regional, unless they bring a boys and girls team. Only one team from a school is able to advance. If a school brings a boys and girls team and they finish 1st and 2nd, the state championship place will pass to the 3rd place finishing team.

Regional Qualifiers: Each regional will be guaranteed a spot in the state championship for the low 2 teams, additionally, the next 4 low boys individuals not on a qualifying team, and 4 low girls individuals not on a qualifying team.  A total of 10 teams and 40 individuals not on qualifying teams will advance to the state championship. All ties for the final qualifying spot (individual) will advance to the state championship.

State Championship Team Scoring: The state championship will consist of 18-holes of stroke play. Team scores will use the best 4 of 5 individual scores. The first tiebreaker in the team competition will be the 5^th best score from the team. If there is still a tie for the 1^st Place Team after the first tiebreaker, a sudden death playoff using the best 3 scores will be conducted. If teams are tied with the top 3 scores, it will go to the 4th and then to the 5th if needed. At the discretion of the rules committee play can be called for the day and  the USGA recommended method for breaking ties will be used.

State Championship Individual Tie Breakers: A tie for 1^st Place by individuals will be settled by a sudden death playoff. If a playoff is not an option because of course availability or current conditions, the USGA recommended method for breaking ties will be used for all places.

Any questions on these guidelines should be referred to Gabe Smith at Golf House Kentucky by calling (502) 792-9703 or emailing gsmith@kygolf.org