DRIVE, CHIP & PUTT

Eligibility

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.

 

Entries

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.

 

Schedule of Competition

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.

Scoring / Competing

• 40-yard wide grid - all shots must come to rest in the grid to score points.
• Flags, lines, ropes or signs indicate boundaries on both sides of the grid.
• A ball coming to rest on a boundary line is considered in bounds.
• A ball coming to rest on a scoring line will be scored in the longer of the two scoring grids.
• In the event of a tie, the contestant's third drive will serve as a tiebreaker (followed by the second drive and first drive, if necessary). If the participants are still tied, they will share the appropriate place.

Point System for All Ages

POINTS	DISTANCE	POINTS	DISTANCE
1	25 yards or less	14	190-200 yards
2	25-50 yards	15	200-210 yards
3	50-75 yard	16	210-220 yards
4	75-100 yards	17	220-230 yards
5	100-110 yards	18	230-240 yards
6	110-120 yards	19	240-250 yards
7	120-130 yards	20	250-260 yards
8	130-140 yards	21	260-270 yards
9	140-150 yards	22	270-280 yards
10	150-160 yards	23	280-290 yards
11	160-170 yards	24	290-300 yards
12	170-180 yards	25	300+ yards
13	180-190 yards

Chip Scoring

• Each participant will attempt three chips at the scoring hole. All chips will be measured from the center of the hole with marked scoring rings.
• A ball coming to rest on a scoring line will be awarded the higher point value.
• In the event of a tie, the contestant's third chip will serve as a tiebreaker (followed by the second chip and first chip, if necessary). If the participants are still tied, they will share the appropriate place.

Point System for All Ages

POINTS	DISTANCE
1	A ball finishing more than 10' from the hole
2	A ball finishing 8' – 10' from the hole
5	A ball finishing 6' – 8' from the hole
10	A ball finishing 4' – 6' from the hole
15	A ball finishing 2' – 4' from the hole
20	A ball finishing 2' or nearer to the hole
25	Ball Holed

Putt Scoring

• Each participant will attempt one putt from each distance (6', 15' and 30'). Putts will be measured from the center of the hole with marked scoring rings.
• A ball coming to rest on a scoring line will be awarded the higher point value.

Point System for All Ages

POINTS	DISTANCE
1	A ball finishing more than 5' from the hole
2	A ball finishing 4' – 5' from the hole
5	A ball finishing 3' – 4' from the hole
10	A ball finishing 2' – 3' from the hole
15	A ball finishing 1' – 2' from the hole
20	A ball finishing 1' or nearer to the hole
25	Ball Holed

National Finals Scoring

There will be 10 finalists in the boys division and 10 finalists in the girls division in each of the four age groups, for a total of 80 participants in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.

Drive Scoring

• 40-yard fairway width, length from 75 yards to 325 yards.
• A ball coming to rest on a boundary line is considered in bounds.
• Laser measuring devices will be used to determine accurate distances.
• Each player will have two drives to record his or her longer distance drive that remains in bounds.
• The player in each age group/division with the longest drive will receive 10 points and be declared the winner of the Driving Competition. The player with the second-longest distance will receive 9 points, all the way down to 1 point.
• In the event of a tie for first place in the drive skill, the winner will be determined by a playoff drive. All other ties will have points combined and split.

Chip Scoring

• Laser measuring devices will be used to determine accurate distances.
• Each player will chip twice, and his or her cumulative distance from the hole will be recorded.
• The player in each age group/division with the closest cumulative distance from the hole will receive 10 points and be declared the winner of the Chip Competition. The player with the second-closest cumulative distance from the hole will receive 9 points, all the way down to 1 point.
• In the event of a tie for first place in the chip skill, the winner will be determined by a playoff chip. All other ties will have points combined and split.

Putt Scoring

• Laser measuring devices will be used to determine accurate distances.
• Each player will attempt a putt from approximately 15’ and 30’ and will record his or her cumulative distance from each hole.
• The player in each age group/division with the closest cumulative distance after the two putts will receive 10 points and be declared the winner of the Putt Competition. The player with the second-closest cumulative distance from the hole will receive 9 points, all the way down to 1 point.
• In the event of a tie for first place in the putt skill, the winner will be determined by a playoff putt. All other ties will have points combined and split.

Miscellaneous

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.

Publicity and Promotion; Broadcasting

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.

You can view the results of past events by searching for the event HERE.