Who can earn points?
Junior golfers who have not started college, who are residents of South Carolina and have played in a minimum of 5 rankings events.
HCF Rankings
To simplify and better reflect the abilities of our SCJGA players, our rankings system will utilize the same format as the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA). Developed by Shotstat, the system will reflect the play of every player in the field, also taking into account is the player’s scoring against the course rating for that course under the competition radar. The Rankings use the last 12 months of play to determine the rankings number and only the age brackets playing the competition from the longest yardage of the tournament will count. Boys will have to have a minimum of 15 players in the field, and girls will need to have 6 players post scores to be eligible for rankings. The entire field is then awarded points with last place earning one point all the way to the champion with increments of one point and the champion receiving 5 bonus points for the win. In example, a field with 35 players would break out as follows: First place- 40 points, second-34, third- 33 etc. to last place receiving one point. Each tournament has a weighting based on the strength of field and those finish points are then multiplied by the weighting to give the player his point total.
Rankings are updated by the 10th of each month. Any non-catastrophic errors in a particular month will be corrected in the next update. If you have any questions regarding the HCF Rankings, please visit the HCF Rankings FAQ page or contact /rankings-faq. Click the button below to view the current HCF Rankings.
Beginning on April 1, 2020, each player’s total points (39%) earned, and tournament scoring differential (61%) are used to determine the rankings.
HCF Rankings FAQs
Is there a minimum of events that must be played?
Yes, juniors must play in a minimum of 5 events before being ranked.
What tournaments are used?
Any junior event conducted in SC and all states adjacent, (NC, GA, VA and TN) as well as pre-set national junior events. For an event in another state to be ranked, financial assistance must be made available to all players, e.g.: AJGA and USGA events. Men’s and Women’s tournaments are not eligible for our rankings.
Do you have to be a member of the SCJGA to earn rankings points?
No, players are added to the rankings automatically after they earn points.
How deep in the field are points awarded?
Each player who finishes a rankings event earns points.
How are rankings determined?
Each players total points (39%) earned, and tournament scoring differential (61%) are used to determine the rankings.
What is a player’s tournament scoring differential?
The stroke average from the ranking events the player has played in and subtract the average course rating for the course and yardage played to give each player their differential.
Why the course rating?
The course rating is the “USGA’s mark that indicates the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer under normal course and weather conditions.
The rating is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring ability of a scratch golfer.”*
What if a player does not start, no shows, withdraws, no cards or is disqualified from an SCJGA event?
If a player has more than 2 withdrawals after starting a ranked event, that player will be removed and suspended from the rankings. Withdrawal includes and is not limited to WD, JWD, NS (No Show), No Card (NC), JWD. Any players suspended from the rankings have the right to appeal with the potential to be added back with a penalty score.
Due to an increase in withdrawals at recent SCJGA events we have decided to adopt the Junior Golf Scoreboard policy on the below mentioned terms as of March 7, 2019.
DNS- No show before the competition begins
Players who do not come to the tournament at all
NS - No show
Completed one or more rounds and fails to report for tee time the following day and has not previously notified an SCJGA staff member
WD - Withdrawal
Reserved for a deliberate voluntary action or decision not to continue play after having started a competition and turned in a score for the partial/entire stipulated round
NC - No card
After having begun a competition – a deliberate decision not to sign or turn in a card
DQ - Disqualified
Reserved for an actual USGA rules infraction that occurs without a deliberate or managed intention
For all SCJGA events, partial round scores will be posted.
How are the points awarded?
Points are awarded in reverse order based on the size of the field. Overall winner also receives 5 extra points for winning.
Example: It there are 10 players in an event
1st place 10 + 5 = 15 points
2nd place 9 points
3rd place 8 points
4th place 7 points
5th place 6 points
6th place 5 points
7th place 4 points
8th place 3 points
9th place 2 points
10th place 1 point
The corresponding points are then multiplied by the “event multiplier”.
What is a multiplier?
The event multiplier gives us the chance to give more established events more points. The multiplier is determined based on historical data of the size and strength of the field.
What about ties?
They are split, unless an on-course playoff is held and then that playoff determines the finish.
Do all divisions receive points?
No, only the players who play from the longest yardage are awarded rankings points.
What if two or more divisions play from the longest yardage set of tees?
Then the divisions are merged into one overall division and points are then awarded for the overall and not the divisions.
What do the rankings reflect?
How well individual players have fared in the PAST 12 MONTHS in selected tournaments, unless they have graduated from high school, then they are deleted the September after they graduate from high school.
Is there a minimum number of contestants in an event to be used for rankings?
Yes, there must be at least 20 boys or 5 girls playing from the longest set of tees in each event before the results can be used.
Do you add events in mid-season?
Yes. A boy’s tournament with 20 boys or a girls tournament with 5 girls playing the longest set of tees in that event will be used.
The multiplier for those events will be set after the results are received and evaluated based on the size and strength of the field.
Can the multiplier be adjusted after the competition?
While each event is judged on the previous year’s field, the rankings committee reserves the right to adjust the multiplier.
This may be done if the field is small, or the depth of the field is not as deep as it was in the past.
Does a canceled round affect the multiplier?
Since the number of holes to be played does factor into determining the multiplier, the multiplier is reduced to the percentage of holes that are canceled.
For example, if a 36-hole event with a 4 multiplier is shortened to 18-holes, the multiplier is reduced by 50% to a 2.
Why only individual events?
We do not use Four-Ball or team score events because results do not reflect the contribution of two players in all cases. In some cases, one player may “carry” the other.
Is it updated daily?
No. They are updated by the 10th of each month, unless otherwise noted. As we share data with the CGA, we must wait until the 5th of each month and make sure all their player profiles are updated as well.
What about mistakes?
Unless catastrophic errors are found, mistakes are fixed for the next update.
Is there a maximum or minimum yardage to be played from?
No. We do recommend that the boys play a yardage around 6700 yards and girls play a yardage around 5700 yards, but there is not a requirement.
Are juniors who have graduated from high school deleted?
Yes, juniors who have graduated are deleted in the September rankings after they have graduated from high school.
Why is my name not listed in the HCF Rankings?
There are many possible reasons why your name may not be listed on the HCF Junior Rankings:
- You may not have 5 events under your profile
- Your profile may not contain your hometown or graduation date.
- Your name may have been misspelled from another tournament/event. Ex: do you have a nickname?
If an event is not listed, it will still be eligible for rankings if it meets the minimum guidelines. Standard rule of thumb is if there is no field selection, entry is based on date of entry, a one-day tournament will be a 2 weight and a 36-hole event will be a 4 weight.
Players Series Rankings
In February of 2022, the South Carolina Junior Golf Association announced a brand new tournament series called the Players Series that is designed to give junior golfers from South Carolina the opportunity to develop their skills and earn exemptions into future major championships hosted by the SCJGA.
Players Series Rankings FAQ
Who can earn points?
All Girls 13-18 are eligible to receive Players Series points. All Boys 13-18 ranked outside the top-75 in the January update of the Heritage Classic Foundation Rankings are eligible to receive Players Series points.
Is there a minimum of events that must be played to appear on the Players Series point standings?
No, any eligible player who has recorded a finish in a Players Series event or statewide SCJGA One-Day event will be included in the Players Series point standings.
What tournaments are used?
All Players Series events and statewide SCJGA One-Day events are included in the Players Series point standings.
Do you have to be a member of the SCJGA to earn Players Series points?
Yes, Players Series events are open to all Boys and Girls aged 13-18 who are also members of the SCJGA.
How deep in the field are points awarded?
All eligible players who finish the tournament and post scores will receive Players Series points. The amount of points awarded for a two-day Players Series event is consistent with the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup points (500 for 1st place, 300 for 2nd place, 190 for 3rd place…). All statewide SCJGA One-Days are included in the Players Series point standings, as well, with half the amount of points up for grabs (250 for 1st place, 150 for 2nd place, 95 for 3rd place…)
What about ties?
They are split, unless an on-course playoff is held and then that playoff determines the finish.
Do all divisions receive points?
Only Players Series-eligible players in the Boys and Girls 13-18 divisions receive Players Series points.
Does a canceled round affect the amount of points allocated for a tournament?
Yes, in the event of a canceled round, the amount of points will be reduced by the percentage of holes that were lost due to the canceled round. For example, if a 36-hole Players Series event is cut to 18-holes, the amount of points awarded to each finisher will be cut in half.
When are the Players Series point standings updated?
The Players Series point standings are updated within 24 hours of the completion of each Players Series event.
What about mistakes?
Any mistakes made on the Players Series point standings will be corrected within 24 hours following awareness of the error.
Is there a minimum number of contestants in an event to be used for rankings?
Contrary to the HCF Rankings, there is no minimum number of players in a tournament for a division to be included in the Players Series point standings.
Are junior golfers who have graduated from high school deleted?
No, any high school graduate will remain on the Players Series point standings until the end of the calendar year. Carolina the opportunity to develop their skills and earn exemptions into future Major Championships hosted by the SCJGA. The Players Series began with the Fripp Island Junior Challenge in early February and will contest 15 different tournaments by the end of 2022.
All Players Series events are included in the Heritage Classic Foundation Rankings, as well as the year-long Players Series point standings, which will reward players with exemptions into future SCJGA Major Championships based on the standings at the conclusion of the calendar year. All Players Series events are included in the year-long points race, as well as all statewide SCJGA One-Days, such as the President’s Day One Day.
Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series Point Standings
The Hootie & the Blowfish Summer Chapter Series is a developmental program for junior golfers looking to expand their knowledge of the game, tournament experience, and fun-natured competitive spirit. The Chapter Series is conducted in 14 different regions across South Carolina. Individual chapter schedules normally begin in June and run through early-August, with tournaments normally taking place on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Competition is broken out into 7 age divisions: Girls 7-9, Girls 10-12, Girls 13-18, Boys 7-9, Boys 10-12, Boys 13-14, and Boys 15-18. Kids 12 years old and younger will play 9 holes while 13 and older will play 18 holes. Each competition will be individual stroke play style format with a double par maximum for each hole. Members compete for All-Star points as well as SCJGA Heritage Classic Foundation ranking points.
Hootie Series Point Standings FAQ’s
Why is there a points race in the Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series?
The Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series Points Standings are used to determine the players that will represent their respective chapters at either the Thomas D. Todd North All Stars Championship or the Tommy Cuthbert South All Stars Championship. The top-2 points leaders in each division of each chapter are invited to compete at All-Stars, and if a particular division has 20 or more players who receive points over the course of the season, the top-3 points leaders are invited to compete at All-Stars.
Who can earn points?
Any player who is a member of a chapter and plays a tournament conducted by that specific chapter will receive points. The amount of points the player receives will be determined by their finish in their respective chapter is determined by the player’s finish in that tournament (1st place receives 25 points, 2nd place receives 20 points, 3rd place receives 16 points, 4th place receives 13 points, 5th place receives 10 points, 6th-10th place receives 5 points, 11th place and below receives 3 points).
Some chapters may run a multiple-day “Tour Championship” that is worth double points for All-Stars.
Can a player earn points by playing outside of their chapter?
No, while players are allowed to sign up and participate in other chapter events, they will not receive Chapter Series points for participating in those tournaments.
What about ties?
Ties are split evenly between each player involved in the tie. If a playoff is used to determine a champion of a particular division, each player involved in the original tie will receive the same amount of points.
Does every tournament finish in the Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series count towards the Point Standings?
Any tournament played by a member of a chapter in that specific chapter counts toward the Point Standings. If a junior golfer competes in every event on their respective chapter’s schedule, their worst two finishes will be dropped from their score (ex. If the Columbia Chapter has seven events on the schedule and a player competes in all of the tournaments, their best five finishes will count toward all-stars. If their chapter has six events on the schedule, a player’s best four finishes will count toward all-stars).
Is there a minimum number of contestants in an event to be used for rankings?
Contrary to the HCF Rankings, there is no minimum number of players in a tournament for a division to be included in the Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series Point Standings.
When are the Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series Point Standings updated?
The Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series Point Standings are updated within 48 hours of the completion of each Chapter Series event.
Do you have to be a member of the SCJGA to earn Chapter Series points?
Yes, Hootie & The Blowfish Chapter Series events are open to Boys & Girls 7-18 who are members of a Chapter of the SCJGA.
What about mistakes?
Any mistakes made on the Chapter Series Point Standings will be corrected within 24 hours following awareness of the error.
Are graduated high school seniors able to receive points?
While graduated high school seniors who have yet to turn 19 are welcome to compete in Chapter Series tournaments, they are not allowed to compete at All-Stars, so they will not receive points on the Chapter Series Point Standings.
