{"id":15529,"date":"2026-01-30T14:05:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/?p=15529"},"modified":"2026-01-30T14:07:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:07:48","slug":"pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For the past 5 seasons, the PKBGT Executive Committee, in evaluating our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pkbgt.org\/about_series.php#class4\">PKBGT Classifications, Exemptions &amp; Age Protocols<\/a>, has offered high performing underage players a process by which to compete in national level competition through the PKBGT.\u00a0 The system is not designed as a way for younger players to &#8220;play up&#8221; but an effort to provide elite, high performing 10 &amp; 11 year old&#8217;s whose skill has rendered the current 9-hole and local\/regional tournaments available to them based on their age not appropriate for their development.<\/p>\n<p>The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls&#8217; Golf Tour has continually evolved to provide the best possible experience for our membership.\u00a0 From the creation of the Prep division in 2014 to the creation of the Regional Series in 2016, our goal is to provide a competitive environment that meets the needs of all our members.\u00a0 Since we do not use traditional age divisions, but yardage and skill based divisions, having clear metrics that allow players to properly move through the competitive pathway is very important.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">We are excited to announce multiple opportunities for elite under-age players to compete in a competitive, nationally ranked environment in 2026!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The 2026 Futures National Series will again feature select events for underage players to apply for participation.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the PKBGT\/NB3 Girls National Championship and Regional Qualification Series which will offer a 10-11 age division.\u00a0 Please see the information below for qualification criteria and schedules:<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>FUTURES NATIONAL PARTICIPATION WAIVERS FOR ELITE LEVEL UNDERAGE PLAYERS<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The PKBGT will offer select Futures National fields during the PKBGT National season that will offer limited access to elite 10 &amp; 11 year old girl golfers who do not meet the age requirement for Classification 3 status.<\/li>\n<li>Elite is defined by a top 10 finisher in the U.S. Kids World Championship or other nationally recognized 12 &amp; under championship as determined by the PKBGT Tour Committee.<\/li>\n<li>Eligible events will be labeled on the tournament page as a \u201cFutures National Underage Exempt\u201d event.\u00a0 Players will be able to apply for a sponsor exemption into these fields.\u00a0 The PKBGT Tour Committee will have sole discretion on the number of under-age exemptions available and the recipients of these exemptions.<\/li>\n<li>To apply for an exemption, please visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/A6rAof6x5grfovSv9\">Underage Exemption Player Request Form<\/a> to submit your participant resume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"width: 80%; background: purple; color: #fff; border: 1px solid #CCC; vertical-align: middle; padding: 5px; text-align: center; border-radius: 10px; margin: 20px auto 20px auto;\"><a style=\"color: #fff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/A6rAof6x5grfovSv9\"><b>Underage Exemption Player Request Form<\/b><\/a><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><strong>2026 Futures National Series Exempt Event Schedule (subject to change)<\/strong><\/strong>\n<ul style=\"line-height: 28px; margin-top: 20px;\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tournaments.pkbgt.org\/Tournament\/TournamentDetails?TID=32322\">March 7-8, 2026 &#8211; Katherine Perry Hamski Girls Tradition @ UNC Chapel Hill Finley GC, Chapel Hill, NC<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tournaments.pkbgt.org\/Tournament\/TournamentDetails?TID=32374\">April 4-5, 2026 &#8211; Mid-Atlantic Girls Championship @ The Club at P.B. Dye, Ijamsville, MD<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tournaments.pkbgt.org\/Tournament\/TournamentDetails?TID=32378\">April 18-19, 2026 &#8211; PKBGT Masters @ Greenville CC, Greenville, NC<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tournaments.pkbgt.org\/Tournament\/TournamentDetails?TID=32325\">May 23-25, 2026 &#8211; PKBGT Open Championship @ Sapona Golf Club, Lexington, NC<\/a><\/li>\n<li>July 2026 &#8211; Precision Girls Championship @ Bryan Park GC, Greensboro, NC<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>PKBGT\/NB3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP &#8211; 10\/11 AGE DIVISION<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Players do not need a PKBGT Underage Exemption to compete the in the <a href=\"https:\/\/girls.jgnc.org\/\">PKBGT\/NB3 Girls National Championship<\/a> featured with a 2-hour show on the Golf Channel!\u00a0 Players qualify for the National Championship event, to be held at Coushatta Resort in Kinder, Louisiana on November 2026 through Regional Finals held throughout the country.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The 10-11 Age Division will play approximately 4.700 yards with caddies mandatory.\u00a0 A players age is based on your age as of May 1, 2026 for the 2026 championship year.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/girls.jgnc.org\/Tournament\">Regional &amp; Local qualification schedule is available here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Players with national or PKBGT Performance Index rankings may be exempt into a Regional Final.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/girls.jgnc.org\/Public\/Exemption\">To check your status, click here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jgnc.org\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14513 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-1024x249.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-1024x249.png 1024w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-768x187.png 768w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-200x49.png 200w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-400x97.png 400w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-600x146.png 600w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-800x194.png 800w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway-1200x292.png 1200w, https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/slide_playyourway.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/center><center>\u00a0<\/center>\n<p>If you have any questions about these changes, please contact Tour Director Mike Parker at mparker@girlsgolfofamerica.org or by calling 336-347-8537. We look forward to a great 2026!<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the past 5 seasons, the PKBGT Executive Committee, in evaluating our PKBGT Classifications, Exemptions &amp; Age Protocols, has offered high performing underage players a process by which to compete in national level competition through the PKBGT.\u00a0 The system is not designed as a way for younger players to &#8220;play up&#8221; but an effort to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":14516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tour_news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For the past 5 seasons, the PKBGT Executive Committee, in evaluating our PKBGT Classifications, Exemptions &amp; Age Protocols, has offered high performing underage players a process by which to compete in national level competition through the PKBGT.\u00a0 The system is not designed as a way for younger players to &#8220;play up&#8221; but an effort to [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PKB Girls&#039; Tour News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T19:05:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T19:07:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"924\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike Parker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike Parker\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/\",\"name\":\"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-30T19:05:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-30T19:07:48+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d179845fc00462c5d6257264e6731f41\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png\",\"width\":1640,\"height\":924},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/\",\"name\":\"PKB Girls&#039; Tour News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d179845fc00462c5d6257264e6731f41\",\"name\":\"Mike Parker\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1af3da5383bed855351bb02c37c342b99572fc75d1db298fa4232dae3119ac30?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1af3da5383bed855351bb02c37c342b99572fc75d1db298fa4232dae3119ac30?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mike Parker\"},\"description\":\"Tour Director of the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls' Golf Tour\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/pkbgt.org\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/author\/mparker\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News","og_description":"For the past 5 seasons, the PKBGT Executive Committee, in evaluating our PKBGT Classifications, Exemptions &amp; Age Protocols, has offered high performing underage players a process by which to compete in national level competition through the PKBGT.\u00a0 The system is not designed as a way for younger players to &#8220;play up&#8221; but an effort to [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/","og_site_name":"PKB Girls&#039; Tour News","article_published_time":"2026-01-30T19:05:13+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-30T19:07:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1640,"height":924,"url":"http:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Mike Parker","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mike Parker","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/","url":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/","name":"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options - PKB Girls&#039; Tour News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png","datePublished":"2026-01-30T19:05:13+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-30T19:07:48+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d179845fc00462c5d6257264e6731f41"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Underageexemptblog.png","width":1640,"height":924},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/pkbgt_underage_exemption_2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"2026 National Series Underage Exemption Policy and Tournament Options"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/","name":"PKB Girls&#039; Tour News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d179845fc00462c5d6257264e6731f41","name":"Mike Parker","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1af3da5383bed855351bb02c37c342b99572fc75d1db298fa4232dae3119ac30?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1af3da5383bed855351bb02c37c342b99572fc75d1db298fa4232dae3119ac30?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mike Parker"},"description":"Tour Director of the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls' Golf Tour","sameAs":["http:\/\/pkbgt.org"],"url":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/author\/mparker\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15529"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15533,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15529\/revisions\/15533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pkbgt.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}