While spring remains a few months away, it’s never too early to begin thinking about getting your child signed up for a fun outdoor activity. Drive, Chip & Putt certainly fits the bill as an ideal way to get a junior started in golf or strengthen their passion for the game. Drive, Chip & Putt is a skills competition that tests three important aspects of golf in a fun, competitive atmosphere contested at some of the nation’s most prestigious venues, many of which have hosted major championships.

Recent age-group champions have even gone on to qualify for some of the USGA’s preeminent championships, including the U.S. Women’s Open.

Since its inception in 2014, the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship has proved to be an overwhelming success as a way to grow the game. This skills competition offers boys and girls ages 7- 15 a chance to have fun and compete, with the ultimate prize being a trip to Augusta National Golf Club to compete in the finals the Sunday before the annual Masters Tournament.

The USGA, the Masters Tournament and The PGA of America officially launched the 2018 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship by announcing the local qualifying schedule for the competition’s fifth year. The schedule includes dates and locations for participants to compete in local qualifiers across the country with the opportunity to advance to the National Finals at Augusta in April 2018.

Online registration is scheduled to begin on Jan. 25.

Drive, Chip & Putt is a free youth golf development initiative for junior golfers in four separate age divisions: 7-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14- 15, for girls and boys. The competition begins with local qualifying in all 50 states between May and August. Top performers at the local level will advance through subregional and regional qualifiers at some of the country’s best championship venues in July/August and September/October, respectively. The top 80 performers – 40 boys and 40 girls – earn an invitation to the National Finals at Augusta National on Sunday, April 1, the eve of the 2018 Masters. The event is televised by Golf Channel.

Each of the finalists also get the opportunity to observe the first official Masters practice round on April 2.