Get To Know Drive, Chip and Putt

2018 Masters
Jensi Krampel waves after her chip in the Girls 7-9 division during the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.
Charles Laberge/Charles Laberge/Augusta National

About Drive, Chip and Putt 
A joint initiative founded in 2013 by the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association, and the PGA of America, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide junior golf development competition that aims to grow the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf: driving, chipping and putting.
Drive, Chip and Putt local qualifiers are simple and fun for the whole family. There are hundreds around the country every summer, and they are open to kids of all skill levels. It's easy to find one near you and sign up. 

Age Divisions
Boys and girls compete in separate divisions and are split into four different age categories: 7-9 years old; 10-11 years old; 12-13 years old; and 14-15 years old. Please note that a participant’s age group is determined by the age that they will be on the date of t’s that qualifying season’s National Finals competition, which will take place the following April each year. For example, a player may participate in a qualifying season if they are six years old, provided that they turn 7 years old on or before the date of National Finals. However, a 15-year-old who will turn 16 years of age on or before the date of National Finals is not eligible to participate.

Qualifying Season
There are three stages of qualifying - local, subregional, and regional. All three levels of qualifying have the same scoring structure.

For each local qualifier, the top three overall point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age groups will advance to subregional qualifying.

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At subregional qualifying, the top two total point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age groups will advance to regional qualifying.

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco
FRISCO, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 29: Max Cronin, boys 10-11 category, chips during the 2024 Drive, Chip and Putt Regional Qualifier at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco on September 29, 2024 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images for Drive, Chip & Putt)
Sam Hodde/Getty Images for Drive, Chip & Putt

For regional qualifying, the overall champion in each of the boys and girls age divisions from the four age groups will advance to the National Finals, held the Sunday before the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

2018 National Finals Awards Presentation
National Champions wave during the Awards Ceremony of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 1, 2018.
Scott K. Brown/Scott K. Brown/Augusta National

Format 
All participants will hit three drives, three chips and three putts during the competition. Scoring is based on  a 25-point-per-shot basis, yielding a maximum of 75 points per skill and 225 points overall.
 Driving:  For the driving portion, participants will drive a ball towards a 40-yard-wide grid, and the ball must come to rest in the grid to score points.
 Chipping: For chipping, participants will earn points based on the distance the ball is from the center of the hole. Points will be allocated according to two-foot rings marked on the green.
 Putting:  The participants will take three putts – one from 6 feet, one from 15 feet and one from 30 feet. The putting portion is scored similar to chipping in that participants will gain points based on proximity from the hole, as shown by scoring rings marked on the green.

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Emily Duan, in the Girls 10-11 age group, reacts after putting during the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 3, 2016.
Charles Laberge/Charles Laberge/Augusta National

The participant with the highest number of points in an individual skill will be declared the winner of the skill in his or her age category. The participant with the highest point total as a sum of all three skills will be declared the overall champion of his or her age group.

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