Drive, Chip and Putt Age Divisions for the 2026-27 Cycle

The age-six exception. A player who is 6 may enter Local, Subregional and Regional qualifying if the player turns 7 on or before April 4, 2027.

The upper limit. A 15-year-old who turns 16 on or before April 4, 2027 is not eligible.

Source: Drive, Chip and Putt Rules and Regulations, Eligibility 1 to 3.

For registration status, entry, deadlines and advancement across those divisions, see the 2026-27 Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying guide.

Use the player's age on April 4, 2027, even when a Local Qualifier is held months earlier. A player who is 6 at registration may enter only if the player will be 7 on or before April 4, 2027.

Keep proof of age where you can find it. The rules expect every participant who advances to a Regional Qualifier to show proof of eligibility there, and a player without a birth certificate or another proper form of verification is ineligible to compete.

Source: Drive, Chip and Putt Rules and Regulations, Eligibility 1 to 4.

April 4, 2027 is the date of the 2026-27 National Finals, and the 2026-27 qualifiers were played in 2026. A family looking at a Local Qualifier in a later year needs a different date, and the organizer had not published it when we checked on October 11, 2026.

• What the organizer says in general. Its FAQ reads: “The age bracket is based upon the participant's age as of the date of the current qualifying season's National Finals.”
• What was published. The rules page still named April 4, 2027, and the registration page read “Registration is currently closed.”
• What was not. A National Finals date, an age date or rules for a cycle after 2026-27.
• Where it will appear. In Eligibility on the Rules and Regulations page, once the organizer posts the next cycle's rules.

Do not work out a division for a later cycle from April 4, 2027. A birthday near the age date can move a player into a different band, or make a 6-year-old or a 15-year-old ineligible, so wait for the published date.

The format is not the same all the way up the ladder, which is a detail to know before practicing for it.

Setup is not fixed either. The rules reserve the right to modify the competition setup at any time and give examples: the driving grid may contain slopes, doglegs, rough, bunkers or immovable obstructions; the chip may be played from fairway or rough height and from a distance other than 10 to 15 yards; and putts may be straight, uphill, downhill or breaking. The qualifying rules set the three putts at 6, 15 and 30 feet. Confirm the setup for a specific site with the organizer rather than practicing to one assumed layout.

Source: Drive, Chip and Putt Rules and Regulations, Local, Subregional, & Regional Scoring; National Finals Scoring; Scoring & Competing 5 and 6.

The 7-to-9 band covers three ages; each older band covers two. That is the arithmetic of the four bands, and the rules do not state why the organizer chose it.

The age band determines eligibility. It does not predict readiness, development, or outcome. Families can use the date to confirm the bracket and use coaching judgment for preparation.