When I fell in love with golf, I went all in. I read everything, watched everything and quickly figured out that a few players were worth learning about. Arnold Palmer was one of them.
I related to him. He wasn’t a country club kid. He swung at it hard and he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. When I was nine, I got to sit with him in the clubhouse at a Champions Tour event for a few minutes. It shaped the way I think and feel about this game more than I could have explained then. So when I heard a new junior tour would carry his name, it made complete sense to me.
What the Arnold Palmer Junior Golf Tour is
Bolt Ventures has partnered with Arnold Palmer Enterprises and the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation to launch the Arnold Palmer Junior Golf Tour (APJGT). It combines the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour and the Texas Junior Golf Tour, both acquired by Bolt Ventures earlier this year.
The tour will be based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and will run nearly 400 tournaments nationwide in 2027 for boys and girls ages 8 to 18. The first event is Jan. 2-3 at Champions Gate in Orlando. Family packages are available now at APJGT.com.
“Our goal with the Arnold Palmer Junior Golf Tour is simple: to create more opportunities for young people and their families to experience the positive benefits of golf, both on and off the course,” Blitzer said.
The man running it
I spoke with Joshua Press, the tour’s CEO, and his enthusiasm is contagious. He makes you realize how important it is to grow the game and how much it means for kids to get a chance to play.
“Mr. Palmer was a fierce competitor who was well known for aggressive play and a never-quit attitude but above all his wins and golf accomplishments, people talk most about his character and charisma,” Press said. “And that is the cornerstone of our tour’s message.”
Character and access
That message is built into the tour. As with the Arnold Palmer Cup at the college level, the APJGT will include a character program developed with the Palmer Foundation and Wake Forest University, Arnie’s alma mater.
“We want the next generation to understand that success in golf is measured not only by how you play but also by how you conduct yourself and the impact you have on others,” said Amy Palmer Saunders, Palmer Foundation Chair.
The foundation is also introducing the Palmer Foundation Player Access Award to help families facing financial obstacles to playing. More program details are expected in the coming months.
If you’ve got a junior who loves the game, this is going to create a lot more opportunities for them to compete and continue growing.
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