Ask any junior golf family what keeps kids off the course and the answer is almost always the same: green fees. Youth on Course, a Monterey, California-based nonprofit celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, exists to remove that barrier. Members age 18 and under play rounds for $5 or less at more than 2,300 partner courses across the United States, Canada, and Australia — including bucket-list venues like Spyglass Hill, Bethpage Black, TPC Harding Park, and Chambers Bay.
This guide covers everything families, coaches, and course operators ask about the program: what it is, what it costs, who's eligible, where you can play, and the career and scholarship opportunities that come with membership.
What Is Youth on Course?
Youth on Course is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that subsidizes rounds of golf for junior members. When a member tees it up at a partner course, the junior pays $5 or less and Youth on Course pays the course a subsidy to cover the difference. Courses fill otherwise-empty tee times and earn incremental revenue, families save on green fees, and kids get real, on-course reps — not just range sessions.
The scale of the program in 2026 tells the story: more than 445,000 members, roughly 2,394 partner courses, over 1.1 million rounds played by members this year alone, and more than 6.7 million total rounds since the program began.
How Much Does a Youth on Course Membership Cost?
Membership pricing is set regionally by the state and regional golf associations that administer the program, and averages around $40 per year. Many regions bundle additional benefits — in Northern California, for example, membership has historically included NCGA membership. The membership runs as an annual subscription, and financial assistance is available for families for whom the fee is a barrier, administered confidentially through the Crewe Cup Foundation.
Once the annual fee is paid, every round at a participating course is $5 or less. For a junior who plays even once a week during the season, the savings run into the hundreds — nationally, the program has saved families well over $8 million in green fees.
Who Is Eligible?
Youth on Course membership is open to golfers 18 and under (most regions enroll juniors starting around age 6). Registration requires parental consent, and members complete a short online curriculum on course etiquette and pace of play before their membership activates. Members access their digital membership card through the Youth on Course mobile app and show it at the pro shop to receive the subsidized rate.
Former members don't age out entirely: the Alumni Network extends a membership tier to those 19 and older, with networking events, curated job listings, and exclusive deals.
Where Can Members Play?
The course directory at youthoncourse.org lists all 2,300+ partner facilities. Individual courses set their own availability windows — many restrict YOC rates to off-peak times, which is exactly why the model works for operators. The roster ranges from municipal nine-holers to championship venues: Spyglass Hill at Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black on Long Island, TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, and Chambers Bay, host of the 2015 U.S. Open, all participate.
Beyond $5 Golf: Careers, Caddying, and Scholarships
Affordable access is the headline, but Youth on Course has built a development pipeline around it. Member programs include Careers on Course (paid high school internships and caddie opportunities in the golf industry), the Caddie Academy, DRIVE Club, a member Leadership Council, and college scholarships. The organization has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to high school students demonstrating financial need and academic excellence — many of them first-generation college students.
A 20-Year History: From NCGA Foundation to All 50 States
Youth on Course began in 2006 as an initiative of the Northern California Golf Association, originally under the NCGA Foundation banner. The concept was simple: junior programs were teaching kids the game, but green fees kept them from actually playing it, so the NCGA opened Poppy Hills — its home course — to juniors for $5. Within five years the program added caddie opportunities, paid internships, and scholarships. Demand from outside Northern California led to a 2014 expansion, and the rebranded Youth on Course spun out as its own nonprofit partnering with golf associations nationwide. Today the program operates in all 50 states plus Canada and Australia, with corporate partners including U.S. Bank, Bank of America, NBC Sports Next, TaylorMade, Pebble Beach Company, Topgolf, and DICK'S Sporting Goods.
Youth on Course Members in Competitive Amateur Golf
For readers of AmateurGolf.com, the program's fingerprints are increasingly visible on national leaderboards. Asterisk Talley, a Youth on Course member from Chowchilla, California, captured the 2026 U.S. Women's Amateur. And Jackson Koivun — who logged more than 300 rounds as a YOC member growing up in San Jose, many at longtime partner course Santa Teresa Golf Club — became the first Youth on Course alum to win on the PGA TOUR when he took the 2026 3M Open just weeks after leaving Auburn. Access, it turns out, scales all the way to the top.
How to Join Youth on Course
Registration takes a few minutes at youthoncourse.org/join. Select your region, pay the annual fee, complete the short online curriculum, download the mobile app, and start booking $5 rounds. Courses interested in becoming partners can apply through the same site, and supporters can donate directly — Youth on Course holds a four-star Charity Navigator rating and a Candid Platinum seal.
Youth on Course FAQ
Is Youth on Course legit? Yes — it's a 20-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a four-star Charity Navigator rating, backed by major golf associations and corporate partners.
Does every course honor the $5 rate at all times? No. Each partner course sets its own days and tee-time windows for YOC rates, so check the course directory and call ahead.
Can parents play with their kids? Yes — adults pay the standard rate, and more than 40% of YOC rounds are played alongside paying adults, which is part of why courses embrace the program.
Does membership work across state lines? Yes. A membership purchased in any region is valid at every participating course in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Youth on Course membership, course, and round figures cited are current as of August 2026 via youthoncourse.org.