Junior Golf Tournament Packing & Parent Checklist Green Era Golf | Prepared October 4, 2026 Pack the player’s bag, prepare yourself, confirm the event rules, and get through tournament day with a complete checklist. Pack the player’s bag [ ] Clubs that fit and a manageable bag. Count the clubs: 14 is the maximum under Rule 4, not a shopping target. A smaller junior set is fine. [ ] Marked golf balls plus spares. Pack more than your child normally loses in a comparable round; no fixed ball quantity works for every player. [ ] Tees, a ball marker or coin, a divot-repair tool, and two pencils. Put the small items in one easy-to-reach pocket. [ ] A golf towel and a dry spare. Keep a glove and spare glove if your child normally wears one; a glove is not a universal entry requirement. [ ] Filled water bottles and familiar snacks for the round and possible delays. Check refill locations and the facility’s outside-food policy. [ ] Hat or visor, sunscreen, and weather-appropriate golf clothing. Pack socks and a dry change of clothes for afterward. [ ] Comfortable shoes that meet the course’s rules. Avoid making tournament morning the first time your child wears new shoes. [ ] Rain jacket, umbrella, bag rain cover, and a waterproof pouch when weather calls for them. Keep grips and spare clothing dry. Pack for the parent or caddie [ ] Your own water, snacks, sun protection, rain layer, and comfortable walking shoes. Plan for time outside even if you hope to rent a cart. [ ] Charged phone, charging cable or power bank, and the tournament director’s number. Silence the phone during play. [ ] Saved entry confirmation, course address, check-in instructions, starting hole, tee time, and schedule. Save copies you can open without reception. [ ] Payment method for items not included in entry, such as range balls, meals, parking, or a permitted cart. Confirm costs first. [ ] Any normally needed personal medication and a small first-aid pouch. Know how to contact event staff if someone needs help. [ ] Caddie bib, registration, or orientation confirmation only if this organizer requires it. Confirm that you may caddie for this division. Bring only if useful and permitted [ ] Push cart: check host-course and event permission, then test the bag straps, brake, and folding mechanism before leaving home. [ ] Rangefinder or GPS: optional. Check local rules; do not use slope/elevation measurement or club-recommendation functions. A local rule can prohibit distance devices. [ ] Yardage book or personal distance notes you already use. Check event restrictions on green-reading materials; do not buy a gadget just for the first event. [ ] Cooling towel, extra umbrella, or small insulated bag if useful and allowed. These are convenience items, not universal tournament requirements. Before paying or booking travel [ ] Check the specific event’s age date, division, membership, eligibility, holes, and yardage. An application or waitlist entry is not confirmed acceptance. [ ] Confirm player acceptance and any required forms in the organizer’s account or confirmation email. Complete required eligibility verification with the organizer. [ ] Write down entry and membership fees, practice-round and range charges, transport, lodging, meals, and any parent/cart cost. Decide whether the total fits. [ ] Save registration, withdrawal, refund, and hotel-cancellation deadlines with their time zones. Read whether reimbursement is cash, credit, or unavailable. [ ] For a waitlist, record the offer method and response window. Choose the latest time your family can accept without unmanageable travel or cost. [ ] Read the event schedule before arranging travel: mandatory registration, meetings, practice round, possible playoffs, and awards can affect arrival and departure. The night before [ ] Recheck the official tee sheet, starting hole, course address, weather notices, and messages from the tournament director. [ ] Read the Notice to Players and local rules. Confirm scoring method, pace-of-play expectations, and any maximum-score or pickup procedure for this event. [ ] Confirm dress requirements for both player and caddie. Confirm spectator access, cart availability, and who may transport the player. [ ] Set departure time with room for parking, check-in, a restroom stop, and a familiar warm-up. The organizer’s reporting deadline controls. [ ] Agree on one simple goal with your child, such as following the routine or recovering after a difficult hole. Keep swing changes for another day. At the course [ ] Check in where instructed, collect event materials, and locate the practice areas, starting tee, restrooms, water, and scoring area. [ ] Ask staff about suspension signals, evacuation instructions, and the designated shelter before play begins. [ ] Allow an unhurried warm-up. U.S. Kids recommends at least an hour at the course and reaching the starting tee 10 minutes before tee time. [ ] AJGA recommends reaching the starting tee 10 minutes early, or 15 minutes for round one. Attend required registration; use the event schedule for exact instructions. [ ] At the tee, confirm the correct division and tees, ball identification, and scorekeeping procedure with the starter. During the round and before leaving [ ] Follow the parent role permitted by this event. Spectating does not give permission to coach, act as a caddie, or drive a player between holes. [ ] Let the official handle rulings. Follow the event’s scoring instructions and resolve score questions before the scorecard is returned. [ ] Follow staff directions for a weather suspension and evacuation. Resume only when officials authorize play. [ ] After the last hole, go to scoring as directed. The player should check hole scores and complete the required certification before leaving scoring. [ ] Check whether the player needs to stay for a playoff, awards, or another instruction. For a multi-day event, recheck the next tee time. [ ] Collect belongings, replenish the bag, and give your child a breather. Ask whether they want to talk about the round before offering advice. The parent’s role depends on the tour U.S. Kids Golf Caddies are allowed in every age group. Players 8 and under must have a caddie aged at least 15; an optional caddie for an older player must also be at least 15. Players walk while playing each hole. Cart permissions differ for 9-hole and 18-hole caddies; confirm with the director. SFPGA Links The Links Tour allows one caddie for players in the 6–8 and 9–11 divisions. Do not assume the permission extends to a different division or tour. SFPGA Prep and Medalist The parent FAQ asks spectators to remain on cart paths at least 50 yards away and refrain from talking to players during the round. Player transportation requires permission in the Notice to Players. AJGA Caddies are generally prohibited unless an event expressly permits them. Non-motorized push carts depend on host-facility permission. Spectators must follow the spectator policy, avoid giving advice, and let officials give rulings. A parent being allowed on the course does not establish caddie or cart permission. Check the specific event notice before arriving. OFFICIAL REFERENCES — reviewed October 4, 2026 U.S. Kids Golf: tournament policies: https://www.uskidsgolf.com/pages/tournament-policies U.S. Kids Golf: caddie tips: https://tournaments.uskidsgolf.com/tournaments/info/parent-caddie-information/caddie-tips South Florida PGA: parent and spectator FAQ: https://www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com/frequently-asked-questions South Florida PGA: Links Tour: https://www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com/links-tour AJGA: event and caddie FAQ: https://www.ajga.org/juniors/faq AJGA: spectator code, revised May 13, 2026: https://www.ajga.org/player-policies/spectator-code-of-conduct AJGA: preparing for a tournament: https://www.ajga.org/parents/preparing-your-junior-golfer-for-an-ajga-tournament The R&A: Rule 4, equipment and distance devices: https://www.randa.org/en/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-4