About Us
The Emerald Coast Junior Golf Association (ECJGA) is a Florida nonprofit corporation that comprises a number of master program activities that addresses the most pressing needs of the panhandle’s junior golfers. Our Association strives to improve the education and well-being of our community’s juniors for the panhandle; and substantial enhancement of the community’s overall development effort.
The ECJGA has been created to serve our large and growing junior population through a partnership between the state and several service organizations, both public and private to promote a competitive golf tour and provide clinics for all area juniors. We propose to use a comprehensive approach to reaching out to the youth of our community, including activities aimed at health, education, life skills, and social enrichment. We also propose to create a single entry point to all the various services available to young people through a series of partnerships with local community groups.
The Emerald Coast Junior Golf Association is a premier junior golf association in the Florida panhandle by providing all juniors a place to compete against their peers in a competitive atmosphere. This allows the players to challenge themselves to become the best golfers they can be. This is accomplished through dedication from the ECJGA, sponsors, volunteers, and donors.
Over the past few years, the world of junior golf has made its impression upon nearly everyone in the golf industry. Young people have been coming to the game more enthusiastically than ever, and many organizations have begun to take notice.
The ECJGA will develop a multidimensional golf program so that even disadvantaged participants may be introduced to the great game of golf. Golf is a wholesome activity that directly benefits the young people of any community. When people are introduced to the game at a young age, they will generally return to the sport as adults, whether or not they continued to play throughout their formative years.
Right now there is approximately 400 high school golfers in the panhandle of Florida, around 98% of them get shut out of college scholarships because they are not able to participate in the major junior tournaments in the nation because of financial causes. Most national junior tournament charge $300 to $400 dollar entry fees to play on top of travel expenses; whereas the Emerald Coast Junior Golf Tour entry fees are of modest cost in the range of $80.00. College golf coaches recruit off of the scores of the major junior events, not the 9 hole high school events.
The ECJGA will also educate the juniors on how to better promote themselves to college coaches. This is done through our tournaments and association programs.
The Emerald Coast Junior Golf Association was created to aide these golfers for recognition to college golf coaches. The ECJGA works with other business entities to ensure the future of the golf game. The ECJGA recognizes that not every golfer is of PGA quality, yet they still can receive a quality college education through the great game of golf.