Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association is celebrating its 34th season of serving area youth age 9-18 within seven Central Ohio counties of Morrow, Crawford, Delaware, Hardin, Marion, Union and Wyandot.
The non-profit, all-volunteer association was begun in 1987 to educate juniors through a golf camp, seminar and seven-tournament tour, with awards and scholarships toward college education, during the months of June and July.
All HOJGA events will be held with strict distancing procedures, stipulations and restrictions at the golf courses for safety due to the coronavirus.
One of the early events of the 2020 season is the golf camp scheduled for June 4. The camp is held for beginners and youth wanting to brush up on the fundamentals of the golf swing. Rules and etiquette on the golf course will be discussed. The camp will be held at Miracle Driving Range, Marion, 8 a.m. to noon. Campers will receive professional instruction, logo bag tag, towel, booklet handout and lunch. The cost is $17 plus $5 membership. Clubs for Kids are available for juniors needing golf clubs.
HOJGA will offer a seven-tournament tour which begins June 10 at Green Acres, Marion. Following are: June 15, Golf Club of Bucyrus; June 24, Marysville G.C.; July 2, Memorial Park, Kenton; July 6, Marion Country Club; July 16, Kings Mill, Waldo; July 20, Valley View, Galion. The HOJGA Chad A. Wheeler “Best of Best” playoff event for tournament winners and runners-up is slated for July 28 at Lincoln Hills.
Juniors are placed in one of three divisions: 12 and under, 13-15 and 16-18. Age as of Sept. 1, 2020 determines which division each junior will play. The 13-15 and 16-18 divisions vie for tournament points which bring eligibility to win scholarships.
Cost of tournaments include: $25 registration fee ($5 membership fee, $20 for 10 raffle tickets — incentive raffle and proceeds for tournament expenses). Fees for tournaments include $10 per nine-hole 12-and-under tournament or $15 per 18-hole 13-15 and 16-18 tournaments. Early sign-up prevents tournament shutouts.
The HOJGA Scholarship program for 2020 will include the David J. Wensinger Player of the Year $2000, Ross Carley Memorial Player of the Year First Runner-up $1700, Wensinger Family Second Runner-up Player of the Year $500, HOJGA Third Runner-up Player of the Year $500, HOJGA Three-Year Accumulative Point $750, NUCOR Steel Most Improved Golfer $500, K of C Sportsmanship $500, Marion County Youth Foundation MERIT $1000, Charles W. Emans Memorial Patriot $500 and the HOJGA 13-15 Player of the Year $750 Scholarship.
To help support the HOJGA Scholarship fun, tournament sponsorships are being offered. A gift of $300 would obtain a tournament sponsorship of choice of seven tournaments. The company or individuals would receive newspaper and radio publicity within the seven-county Central Ohio area which HOJGA serves, signage posted and recognition at the tournament chosen, follow-up results and season’s-end newspaper(s) publicity and also placed in the year-end booklet and HOJGA website.
The presentation of scholarships, awards and raffle prize (complete set of Callaway X-Series S O Steel Irons 5-9, PW, AW) will be held at the Year-End Appreciation Banquet on July 30 at Kings Mill. Guest speaker, parents and friends will be invited to honor the season’s junior golfers. Safety concerns will rule.
Information and entry forms for juniors are on the website (www.hojga.org) or call 740-389-6207. To sponsor a scholarship, tournament or contribute as a patron, send to HOJGA, P.O. Box 821, Marion, OH 43301-0821.
