Rules and Regulations

Eligibility | Entries | Schedule | Scoring & Competing | Prizes | Publicity & Promotion | Miscellaneous

1. Drive, Chip and Putt is open to boys and girls ages 7-15. Boys and girls will compete in separate divisions in four age categories: 7-9 years old; 10-11 years old; 12-13 years old; and 14-15 years old.
   
2. Participants will be grouped based on their age as of the National Finals on Sunday, April 6th, 2025.
   
3. Participants must be at least 7 years of age, and may not be older than 15 years of age on the date of the National Finals. Please note: a player may participate in local, subregional and regional qualifying if he/she is 6 years old provided that he/she turns 7 years old on or before the date of the National Finals. A 15 year old who will turn 16 years of age on or before the date of the National Finals is not eligible to participate.
   
4. All participants will be expected to show proof of eligibility should they advance to regional qualifying. Failure to provide a birth certificate or proper form of eligibility verification for the regional qualifier will result in that participant being ineligible to compete.
   
5. Participants may register to compete in only one local qualifier. Competing in more than one local qualifier will result in the automatic disqualification of that participant.
   
6. The guardian or parent, via online signature at registration, agrees to submit a release of liability, which is required prior to participation. Participation constitutes permission to use competitor's name and likeness for any necessary purpose without compensation.
   
7. All competitors must conform to the USGA Rules of Amateur Status. Participation in Drive, Chip and Putt will in no way affect a competitor’s amateur status.
   
8. The player’s clubs and golf balls must conform with the requirements set forth in the Rules of Golf. The optional restrictions under Section 8 of the Model Local Rules requiring that the driver the player carries is named on the current List of Conforming Driver Heads, the ball the player plays is named on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls, and the player's clubs must conform to the groove and punch mark specifications in the Rules of Golf that are effective from January 1, 2010 are NOT in effect. However, new models of irons, wedges, hybrids and fairway woods manufactured on or after January 1, 2010 must conform to the current groove and punch mark specifications.

1. Parents/guardians are required to complete the entry form on behalf of participants. All entry applications must be submitted online at the Drive, Chip and Putt website. Entries by telephone, mail or facsimile will not be accepted.
   
2. Only one entry may be filed by a parent/guardian per participant. Officials reserve the right to disqualify any participant if more than one entry is submitted for that participant.
   
3. Local qualifying entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The Drive, Chip and Putt Executive Committee reserves the right to adjust the total number of registrants per site.
   
4. Should a player advance through local qualifying, the subregional and regional qualifying sites will be pre-determined based upon the local qualifying site. The player is not guaranteed participation in the subregional qualifier unless he/she advances through local qualifying. The player is not guaranteed participation in the regional qualifier unless he/she advances through local and subregional qualifying.
   
5. Entry applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. EDT on the date five (5) days prior to the local qualifier. Late applications will be automatically rejected.
   
6. On-site registration is not permitted.
   
7. The time limit for entries means time of receipt to the Drive, Chip and Putt website, not the time entry is transmitted to the website. Entries should be submitted early to allow ample time for delay or error in transmission. The risk of delay or error in transmission lies solely with the entrant and the Drive, Chip and Putt website will have no liability with respect to any such delay or error and the consequences therefrom, including rejection of the entry.
   
8. A parent/guardian wishing to change a qualifying site/date or withdraw from a qualifier should login to his or her account at  www.drivechipandputt.com. If you are unable to make the necessary changes, please contact  info@drivechipandputt.com.
   
9. Participants that fail to withdraw prior to 11:59 p.m. EDT the day before the competition will be marked with the designation "Did Not Show". Youths marked with this designation will be ineligible to participate until the next qualifying season. The Drive, Chip and Putt Executive Committee reserves the right to change a participant’s designation.
   
10. There is no entry fee for Drive, Chip and Putt.

Drive, Chip and Putt will be conducted in four stages:

Local Qualifying: Generally conducted throughout May, June and July in all 50 states.

Subregional Qualifying: Generally conducted throughout July and August at approximately 60 sites.

Regional Qualifying: Generally conducted throughout September and October at 10 sites.

National Finals: To be conducted the Sunday before the Masters Tournament.

1. From each local qualifier, up to the top three overall point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age brackets will advance to the subregional qualifying level of the competition, depending on the number of participants and the number of qualifier events. Participants who qualify for a subregional competition must compete at the location to which they are assigned.
2. The subregional competition is a new round of the competition with no carryover from the local competition.
3. From each subregional qualifier, the top two overall point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age brackets will advance to the regional qualifying level of the competition. Participants who qualify for a regional competition must compete at the location to which they are assigned.
4. The regional competition is a new round of the competition with no carryover from the subregional competition.
5. From each regional qualifier, the overall champion in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age categories will advance to the National Finals to be held the Sunday before the Masters Tournament.
6. The National Finals is a new round of the competition with no carryover from the regional competition.
7. The Drive, Chip and Putt Executive Committee reserves the right to adjust the total number of participants that advance per qualifying site.

1. Each participant will compete in all three skills (Drive, Chip and Putt). Participants will attempt three shots per skill, for a total of nine shots.
2. Participants will accumulate points in each skill. 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 in all three skills combined will be declared the overall champion of his or her age category.
3. Use of a putter is not allowed for competition in the chip skill. Competitors may only use a lofted iron or wood club for this skill. A “chipper” club is considered an approved club for the chip skill.
4. Use of a tee in the chip skill is prohibited.
5. The Drive, Chip and Putt Executive Committee, its agents and subordinate organizers, reserve the right to modify competition setup at any time. As in golf, participants are expected to have the ability to adjust to playing conditions as necessary.
6. For example, the driving grid may contain slopes, doglegs, areas of rough, bunkers or immovable obstructions. The chip skill may be played from grass cut to fairway or rough height and from a distance other than 10-15 yards. The putting skill may be set up to include putts that are straight, uphill, downhill or that break in either or both directions.
7. Participants should recognize that their pace of play affects others and they should play promptly. The Rules of Golf recommend a player should make a stroke in no more than 40 seconds (and usually in less time) after the player is able to play without interference or distraction. Based on this, the committee administering qualifiers may, at their discretion, encourage prompt pace of play in situations where a participant’s pace of play is negatively affecting the competition. The procedure should be as follows: If the committee determines a player’s pace of play is negatively affecting the competition, they may A) warn the player while also noting that an additional breach will result in zero points (or the lowest score possible) for that shot, and for each additional breach, they may B) notify the player that their pace of play has resulted in zero points (or the lowest score possible) for that successive shot.
8. CODE OF CONDUCT: All participants and spectators are requested to display traditional customs of etiquette, proper attire, decorum and behavior, and to obey all policies, signs and verbal instructions of persons administering the competition. Abuse of the golf course or host facility, verbal  or  physical  abuse,  threatening or disrespecting a participant, spectator, volunteer, section staff, or other persons conducting, participating in, hosting, or attending a Drive, Chip and Putt event, or interfering in any way, may result in removal from the host facility, and/or disqualification from current or future events.
9. Advice from outside parties is strictly prohibited while a participant is competing; i.e. during each respective skill, from the time a participant is called to their starting time, and/or it is their, or their starting time group's turn to play, through the completion of that skill.

Prizes will be awarded at each level of the competition to individual skill champions as well as overall champions for boys and girls in each age category.

Local Qualifying:

1. Ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall
2. Ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each skill

Subregional Qualifying:

1. Gold, silver and bronze commemorative coins for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall
2. Gold, silver and bronze commemorative coins for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each skill

Regional Qualifying:

1. Gold, silver and bronze medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall
2. Gold, silver and bronze commemorative coins for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each skill

National Finals:

1. Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall
2. Medals for 1st place in each skill

Parent/Guardian understands DCP or its designees may record, film, photograph, or otherwise capture the competitor’s likeness, image, voice, biography, references to the competitor, the competitor’s quoted statements, and the competitor’s play in the DCP Championship (the foregoing, together with the competitor’s name, the “Appearance”). In consideration of the opportunity to participate in the DCP Championship, by submitting this application, Parent/Guardian has the authority to grant to DCP, and its licensees, successors and assigns, the perpetual, transferable, assignable, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable right to use the Appearance, in whole or in part, in all manner (including exhibition, distribution, reproduction, publication, display, broadcast, transmission or otherwise), and media now known or hereafter invented or discovered, and for any purpose whatsoever. The rights granted herein include, without limitation, the right to use the Appearance, or portions thereof, in promotion of the DCP Championship and future championships through any of the foregoing means of distribution, as well as in the design, manufacture and distribution of merchandise related to the DCP Championship or other championships, that include elements of the Appearance. DCP is not obligated to use the Appearance in any matter, and materials embodying any aspect of the Appearance do not need to be submitted to Parent/Guardian and/or competitor for approval. Parent/Guardian releases and discharges DCP, its licensees, successors and assigns from any claims arising from use of the Appearance, including claims for misrepresentation of the competitor, the competitor’s character, or the competitor’s person by any means. As between DCP and the competitor, DCP shall own all right, title and interest, including the copyright(s), in and to any works created by DCP, its licensees, successors and assigns, that include all or a portion of the Appearance. This grant shall be binding on the competitor’s heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, and the successors and assigns of DCP. Parent/Guardian hereby waives all privacy, publicity, defamation, libel, and proprietary rights relating to the Appearance as used by DCP in conjunction with these terms.

1. Local, subregional and regional competitions are held rain or shine. In the case of dangerous or unplayable weather conditions, after every effort is made to complete the competition, the host PGA Section staff may cancel and reschedule the event. The decision to cancel and/or reschedule rests solely in the hands of the host organization.
   
2. If your qualifier is canceled, call the host organization for details regarding a potential rescheduled date and time.
   
3. All efforts will be made to complete the National Finals on Sunday, April 6, 2025. If inclement weather necessitates an adjustment of the competition, the Drive Chip and Putt Executive Committee will determine the proper competitive option for completing the event.
   
4. The Drive, Chip and Putt Executive Committee, its agents and subordinate organizers, reserve the right to rule and make any recommendations regarding the Drive, Chip and Putt Competition that they feel are beneficial to the continuance of the program. All decisions are final.