Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

MJT Mini Tour Policies & Procedures

The MJT has established the MJT Mini Tour as a series of events for young girls and boys aged 6 to 12 which promotes valuable on-course experiences and to qualify for next-level junior competitions in Canada and the U.S.

2024 MJT TOURNAMENT POLICIES

*PLEASE NOTE: All players are expected to play at a reasonable level, keep pace, score correctly and keep another competitors score. Caddies may help players with scoring

MJT Parent/Guardian/Spectator Policy

MJT will not tolerate:

• Rude, aggressive, accusatory language in all communications, whether verbal or written
• Yelling / abusive behaviour towards your child or any other person at a MJT event
• acts of violence, racism, sexism, or discrimination of any kind toward any party 
• unwelcomed physical contact with anyone

MJT requests that the decisions of the committee are respected and that reactions to those decisions are made in a respectful manner

If a parent has an issue with any matter arising at an MJT, here are the steps to follow:

• Seek out the Tournament Director (TD) to report the issue on site. Please respect the TD’s time in this regard. Please ensure you have all the facts.
• If further communication is needed, please send an email for your concerns to be addressed to Head Office at jrtour@maplejt.com

All are to comply with Rule 10.2 in the USGA/R&A Rules of golf, and avoid giving my player advice, and that any conversation between players or spectators may be construed as advice including any conversation in their native language. This may be subject to a 2-stroke penalty.

The MJT Mini Tour has regional tournaments in all locations, offering qualifying opportunities into other major national and international competitions.

Mini Tour events in Saskatchewan do not have international event qualifying, but invitations to the MJT Mini Tour National Championship will still be issued.

MJT Mini Tour Cell Phone Policy 

The emergence of multi-functional devices that can provide additional information to golfers is a relatively new development. For the avoidance of doubt, the MJT does not believe that it is necessary or appropriate for the Rules of Golf to allow smartphones. Conforming Distance Measuring Devices that only provide distances are allowed.

​Age Divisions and Course Set-up

The MJT Mini Tour courses will be set-up for 18 holes of competition with the following age divisions and yardage guidelines.  These guidelines will be adjusted provincially, so please check with your provincial Tournament Director for policies in your area.

Yardage Guidelines: (Based on U.S. Kids Golf and IMG Academy Junior Worlds Guidelines)

We will strive to use these yardage guidelines for all MJT Mini Tour events but some golf course tee structure make it difficult.

• All players may be asked to provide proof of age by submitting a copy of their birth certificate with their membership application.

Mini Tour Schedule and Registration

To access the MJT Mini Tour schedule, please click here.

If you choose to play both the Junior Tour and the Mini Tour you are required to purchase a membership on both tours.

Pace of Play

During all MJT tournament rounds, it is expected players play without undue delay. Where at all possible, players are encouraged to play ready golf in order to maintain a reasonable pace of play. Groups are considered “in position” if they stay immediately behind the group in front. Pace will be monitored by MJT Marshals and penalty strokes could be accessed to a player or group if they fall out of position. 

Pace of Play Tips

• Play “ready golf” throughout your round, even if your group is in position.
• Be ready to play when it is your turn.
• Play a provisional ball if you believe your ball may be out of bounds or lost in the general area, be sure to announce your intention to play a provisional ball.
• Play a second ball under Rule 20.1c(3). If a player has doubt as to procedure, he/she may complete the hole with two balls and a ruling may be made at the end of the round. The player must announce which ball he/she would like to score with and the facts of the situation must be reported to the Committee before the player returns his/her scorecard. This is an alternative to waiting for a Rules Official to make a ruling and can allow a group to continue playing without delay.

Rescinding a Penalty

Any and all prior one-stroke penalties will be rescinded each time a group regains their proper position. This requires the group to finish a hole within 14 minutes of the group ahead. On the final hole, the group must finish within 17 minutes of the group ahead.

Caddy Rules - Updated Rules for 2024

• Caddies WILL NOT be allowed on the teeing ground or the putting green at all (ie. tending the flag and green reading is NOT permitted)
• Ready Golf - it is expected that all players will play ready golf at all times
• Maximum Score - all players will pick up their ball once they have reached double par (EG score of 6 on a par 3) - this will be strictly enforced this season
• SLOW PLAY POLICY UPDATED - Players and their caddies will be required to play in a reasonable time.  If it is determined that you cannot keep pace, the Tournament Director will have the ability to ask you to not play any further events until you can keep pace
• Note: Caddie is an extension of the Player, all the same protocols listed apply to the Caddie. Should the Caddie be in breach of any of these protocols, the Player may be disqualified
• Limit of one Caddie per player.
• Caddies may help with Rules of Golf, scoring, carrying or pulling the player’s golf bag, keeping pace of play, and general help players maintain a safe physical distance from one another.

Caddie-Related Rules

• Rule 10.2 states that the player's caddie must not deliberately stand in a location on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball for any reason. If the player takes a stance in breach of this Rule, he or she cannot avoid penalty by backing away.
• Rule 10.3 The player may have a caddie to carry the player's clubs and give advice and other help during the round, but there are limits to what the caddies is allowed to do. The player is responsible for the caddie's actions during the round and will get a penalty if the caddie breaches the Rules.

Please note: caddies will be allowed to stand behind their players at the scoring area to help with discrepancies and facilitate scoring for their players and fellow competitor, but not complete the actual scoring - please allow your player to complete his / her own scorecard.

Caddie Use of Carts

All players and caddies must walk for the duration of the event except where designated shuttles are provided. Pull carts, however, are allowed unless prohibited by the host golf course.

Penalty for caddie's breach of transportation condition (Decision 33-1/9.5): Two strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred; maximum penalty per round - four strokes (two strokes at each of the first two holes at which any breach occurred).

Caddie No Smoking Policy

The MJT wants to provide a healthy and safe environment for all participants, volunteers and visitors. The MJT recognizes the risks associated with second-hand smoke and wishes to protect its participants, volunteers and visitors from these risks.  

“Smoking” is defined as the inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying of any lit cigar, cigarette, pipe or other smoking equipment, including a vape. 

The penalty for smoking while caddying on the MJT Mini Tour will automatically assess a two-stroke penalty on the player.

Repeat offenders will be relieved of their caddying responsibilities.

Spectators

Walking spectators are permitted for all divisions.  We ask that all spectators observe the following guidelines:

• Remain one shot ahead of the players are all times. If a player is on the tee deck, spectators should be down the fairway, if players are on the fairway, spectators should be near the green. There should be minimal interaction with the player during his/her round, unless they are the designated Caddie.
• Golf carts are for spectators with disabilities only, unless authorized by MJT Staff and carts are rented through the Golf Shop.

Dress Code

Only golf attire is acceptable.  Tank tops, short shorts, swimwear, t-shirts, and denim are not considered appropriate attire and should not be worn during the competition.

Distance Measuring Devices

The MJT will allow players to use a distance measuring device that measures distance only. (No cell phones)

Graduating to MJT Junior Tour

The MJT Mini Tour will also be used to determine if a player aged 12 and under is ready to take the next step and play on the MJT Junior Tour.  MJT Mini Tour players will be allowed to compete in the MJT Junior Tour (a membership is required) if they demonstrate adequate knowledge of the Rules of Golf, carry their own bag, successfully keep the scores of two players correctly, keep up with the pace of play and shoot less than 100 from the longest tees set up at the MJT Mini Tour (approx 5000-5500 yards for boys and 4200-5000 yards for girls).  See below for more details.

Rules of Golf

MJT Mini Tour players who wish to play up in the MJT Peewee Boys/Girls U15 divisions on the MJT Junior Tour will need to possess a basic knowledge of the Rules of Golf, specifically for tournament golf.  You will be required to make rulings on the course, correctly keep both your score and the score for one other fellow-competitor in your group.  This is extremely important that players have this ability with no parents or caddies involved in this process. You will be required to meet with your Regional Tournament Director to discuss your knowledge of the Rules and whether you can implement them in a tournament setting correctly.

Carrying or Pulling your own golf bag

You must be able to adequately carry or pull your golf bag and not slow up your playing group.  This physical requirement is necessary for the MJT to maintain our pace of play policy

Players aged 12 and under who meet the criteria as outlined above can choose to compete in both MJT Mini Tour and Junior Tour events.

(Some players may already be exempt as have played in the past and have shown competence – this will be determined by Provincial Tournament Director).

Tie-Breaker Format

If players are tied following 18, 36 or 54 holes, the following tie-breaker shall be used in all MJT events.

Tie Breaker #1 – Sudden Death Playoff

• Only the low medalist position will be broken by sudden-death playoff. (This is at the discretion of Tournament Director on-site, with consideration given to daylight, travel, and course availability.)

If a sudden-death playoff is not possible, or there is a tie for 2nd or 3rd, we will implement the following for breaking ties:

• Tie Breaker #2 Low 18 hole final day score
• Tie Breaker #3 Low back nine score of the final day
• Tie Breaker #4 Low total of the final 6 holes played
• Tie Breaker #5 Low total of the final three holes played
• Tie Breaker #6 Lowest final hole played

All other ties will split the OOM points evenly for those finishing positions.

9 Hole Count Back (lowest score is winner)

• Final 6 holes
• Final 3 holes
• Final hole
• Hardest 1 hole