VSWGA Major Championships include: Vermont Women’s Amateur Championship, Vermont Women’s Senior Amateur Championship, Vermont Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, and the Tri-State Championship. In addition, the New England Golf Association (NEGA) holds a Women’s Amateur Championship.
Eligibility: The following are required to participate in a VSWGA Major Championship Tournament.
- You must be a member in good standing of the VSWGA.
- You must either be a member of a VSWGA Member Club (real estate club) or a member of Vermont’s Lakeside Golf Club. A list of the VSWGA member clubs can be found on the VSWGA website.
- You must have an active Vermont GHIN handicap.
- You must have a handicap index of 36.0 or less (at the close of registration) for all tournaments except the NEGA Women’s Championship. The handicap limit for the NEGA Championship is currently 18.0.
In addition to the above requirements, the following criteria apply to our major tournaments:
- A VSWGA member who is not a resident of Vermont must be a member in good standing of a VSWGA Member Club (real estate club).
- A VSWGA member who is a member of Vermont’s Lakeside Golf Club must be a Vermont resident.
Vermont Junior golfers are eligible to play in the NEGA Women’s Championship and the VSWGA Amateur Championship. Registration for the VSWGA Amateur Championship is free to all Juniors but they must have an active Vermont GHIN handicap and meet the handicap requirement for the tournament.
Field Size: Vermont State Championship fields may be limited to 100 applicants with the lowest USGA indices (at the close of registration). For the Mid-Amateur Championship, the age reqirement is 25* and over, however the priority of the field will be to the 30-54 age group. For the Senior Championship, the age requirement is 50* and over, with the priority of the field given to the 55 and over age group.
Format: All tournaments are stroke play championships.
Awards: Prizes and Universal Certificates will be awarded based on the number of players in the tournament. All certificates expire on September 30th of the following year.
Tee Times and Lodging: All tournament tee times and lodging information will be e-mailed to registrants and posted on the VSWGA website.
Refund Policy: The VSWGA does not refund entry fees to players who withdraw from a tournament after the tournament has begun. If a player experiences an emergency and withdraws after the “No Refunds” date, they may submit a request for a refund, in writing, to the Board of Directors. If approved, a refund will be made, less an administrative charge.
*In 2020, the age requirement for the Senior Championship was lowered from 55 to 50 and the Mid-Amateur Championship age requirement was lowered from 30 to 25.
Practice Rounds: Available dates for practice rounds are at the discretion of the golf course and information will be e-mailed to registered participants. Cart fees are usually required for practice rounds.
Details Subject to Change: All information is current at the time of printing. Details are subject to change and will be posted on the VSWGA website if needed.
Restrictions: If the Championship course is declared unplayable and as a result it is not possible to complete the 36 or 54 holes of play in the period in which the Championship is scheduled, the Championship will not be extended beyond the last scheduled day and the winner shall be the individual who returns the lowest score for the number of stipulated rounds played.
Registration/Check-In: Registration/Check-in at all tournaments will be in the morning starting 1 hour before the first tee time, until 1 hour before the last tee time on the first day. Registration information will be emailed to registered players.
Carts: There is often a limited number of carts. On tournament days carts are not required. Cart fees are in addition to registration fees and will be paid directly to the course on the day of play. Players must indicated whether they want a cart when they register. Competitors are asked to share a cart whenever possible.
Caddies: No golf professional is allowed to caddie for any competitor. Parents and guardians are not allowed to caddie for a Junior player.
Distance Measuring Devices: Distance measuring devices may be used during the competitions, as long as players do not access features that indicate elevation or wind speed.
Complimentary Fees for Juniors: No registration fees will be charged to Juniors that play in the Vermont Amateur Championship. Juniors must join the VSWGA and register in Golf Genius. VSWGA Membership is free to Juniors.
Juniors: A Junior is any player who is a resident of the state of Vermont or meets the previously listed eligibility requirements and has not reached their 19th birthday by the opening day of the tournament. A Junior of 18 years of age is eligible only if they have not yet begun their first semester of college. A Junior does not have to be a member of a VSWGA member club if they are a resident of the state of Vermont. Parents and guardians are not allowed to caddie for Juniors.