The Illinois Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing playing opportunities for its members ages 8-18, conducting educational clinics and events, and serving as a junior golf informational clearinghouse. It was then that the IJGA began as the Junior Open Division of the Northern Illinois Men's Amateur Golf Association (NIMAGA). On January 1, 1983, the N
IMAGA junior division officially changed its name to the Illinois Junior Golf Association. The Illinois Section of the PGA and the Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) joined forces in 1991 to concentrate all junior golf activities under one alliance, the IJGA. Today, the IJGA is led by Executive Director Matt Wennmaker and five additional full-time staff. Wennmaker becomes the first paid IJGA Executive Director that is an alumnus of the Association – having competed in IJGA events from 2001 to 2006. He completed two internships for the IJGA upon graduation from Illinois Wesleyan University, where he was an All-American in 2010. He was hired full-time by the IJGA in 2011 and has served in a number of different roles since. The IJGA is continually looking to improve upon itself in order to meet the needs of its junior members, and looks to build on its strong history of service as it meets the needs of its present members, and works to stay in the forefront of the local, regional and national junior golf scene well into the future. Each year, the IJGA provides and manages over 140 separate events throughout the state of Illinois. These include one day 9-hole and 18-hole tournaments, and 36-hole and 54-hole major championships. The Mid-American Junior Golf Tour (MAJGT) is a Division of the Illinois Junior Golf Association. The MAJGT is designed for exceptionally talented junior golfers throughout the Midwest ages 12-18. The MAJGT is nationally recognized by the Golfweek Sagarin Rankings, Junior Golf Scoreboard and American Junior Golf Association with all of its events providing national exposure. Through communication with both current and potential members, we found that a strong demand exists for a series of events contested throughout the Midwest, events designed specifically for the elite player. The Mid-American Junior Golf Tour, is a direct result of the culmination of years of research and feedback gathered from Midwestern facilities, professionals, coaches, junior golfers and their families
VISION…
To be the leader in the promotion of junior golf in Illinois. MISSION…
To educate and promote the game of golf while providing playing opportunities to juniors in the state of Illinois.
