The United States National Development Program (USNDP) announced Tuesday that all 50 states have joined the USNDP State Junior Team Program, creating a nationwide player-development pathway for elite junior golfers years ahead of schedule.
The program launched in 2024 with seven pilot states with the goal of expanding, strengthening and diversifying the pipeline of junior golfers ages 13-18.
When Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament Charities committed $1.5 million over three years to support the expansion of the State Junior Team component of the USNDP, the program received a major boost. The investment accelerated the growth of the program.
“This is a significant moment for the U.S. National Development Program and for junior golf
in this country,” Heather Daly-Donofrio, managing director of the USNDP, said in a release. “When we launched the State Junior Team Program, the vision was to create meaningful development opportunities for young athletes across the country. Having all 50 states committed to the program brings that vision to life and gives us the foundation for a truly national pathway. Most importantly, it will allow more young golfers to access the resources, coaching and competitive opportunities that can help them reach their full potential.”
Southern California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee were the seven pilot states. The goal was to establish teams in all 50 states by 2033. Now it'll be achieved next year.
Ten states joined in 2025 while the program grew to 30 states in 2026. Now, with the addition of the final 20 states, the program has achieved nationwide participation five years ahead of the USGA's original 2033 target.
“It has been incredibly gratifying to see the vision for the USNDP State Junior Team Program come to life, and having all 50 states on board is an amazing milestone,” said Scott Nye, director of golf at Merion Golf Club and captain of Team Pennsylvania. “In our first season with Team Pennsylvania, I saw firsthand the pride our players took in representing their state, supporting one another and building friendships that go well beyond the golf course. The support we received from clubs and so many people throughout the state made the experience even more special. Having worked in golf in Pennsylvania since 1990, seeing our team walk onto some great courses with Team Pennsylvania bags and uniforms filled me with tremendous pride and excitement for what the future of this program can become.”
State Junior Teams are established through collaboration among the USGA, Allied Golf Associations, PGA of America sections and state junior golf programs. State committees oversee team-selection criteria and program operations using guidelines provided by the USGA. To be eligible for a State Junior Team, a player must be a U.S. citizen, not be enrolled in college, be at least 13 years old by Jan. 1 of the competition year and not turn 19 before July 15 of that year.
Announced in 2023, the USNDP was designed to ensure American golf is a leader in the game by focusing on six key pillars: talent identification, access to competition, national teams, athlete resources, player development and relations and financial support.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: All 50 states join USNDP junior golf program ahead of 2033 target
