The youngest players, boys 9 and under and girls 11 and under, play PGA Jr. League's shortest set-up: a course of up to 2,000 yards, with no par 3 over 100, par 4 over 215 or par 5 over 320. Each older division steps up to a longer set of tees, and the tables below show every step.
The ChartTee sets and yardage by age and gender
This is PGA Jr. League's suggested set-up. It names four tee sets by shape: Circle, Pentagon, Square and Triangle. Find your child's division in the second column.
| Tee set | Who plays it | Course total (up to) | Par 3 (up to) | Par 4 (up to) | Par 5 (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle | Girls 11 and under, Boys 9 and under | 2,000 yd | 100 yd | 215 yd | 320 yd |
| Pentagon | Boys 10-11, Girls 12-13 | 2,200 yd | 120 yd | 250 yd | 340 yd |
| Square | Boys 12-13, Girls 14 and over | 2,325 yd | 130 yd | 275 yd | 370 yd |
| Triangle | Boys 14 and over | 2,625 yd | 150 yd | 315 yd | 400 yd |
Source: PGA of America, PGA Jr. League course set-up guidelines, regular season 2026.
These are recommendations for that league, not rules for every junior round. The source says coaches may adjust the set-up for a player's ability and the course layout.
Older JuniorsYardage ranges for older junior divisions
The Georgia PGA's junior tour uses much longer yardages. These are the ranges it lists for each division.
| Division | Yardage range |
|---|---|
| Boys 11-13 | 5,600 to 6,100 yd |
| Girls 11-18 | 5,600 to 6,100 yd |
| Boys 14-15 | 6,300 to 6,900 yd |
| Boys 16-18 | 6,300 to 6,900 yd |
Source: Georgia PGA, Junior Tour divisions and yardages.
The Georgia PGA notes that these yardages can change with each course and its condition.
Using itHow to pick tees for your child
Start with the division. A 10-year-old boy is in the Pentagon group. A 10-year-old girl is in the Circle group, because girls stay in Circle through age 11. A 12-year-old boy is in the Square group, and a 12-year-old girl is in Pentagon.
Then look at the par columns, because they tell you more than the course total. If a hole at your course is longer than the cap for your child's tee set, move up to a tee box closer to the green or play from a marked spot part way down the hole.
If your course does not have junior tees, the table still gives you a target: the longest a par 3, 4 or 5 should be for that tee set.
For the clubs that go with each size of player, see the junior golf club size chart.
Watch forCommon mix-ups
Treating the caps as hole lengths. The numbers are the longest a hole of that par should be, not the length every hole must be. A course set to the Circle tees can have shorter holes than 215 yards for its par 4s.
Treating a guideline as a rule. PGA Jr. League's numbers are its recommended set-up. A coach can adjust them for the player and the course.
Using the wrong gender line. Girls and boys move up at different ages. Girls 11 and under play Circle, while boys move out of Circle after age 9. Read the row for your child, not the row for the same age.
Mixing the two tables. The Pentagon course total is 2,200 yards. The Georgia PGA ranges for boys 11-13 and girls 11-18 start at 5,600. They come from different programs, so do not compare a total from one table with a range from the other.
FAQQuick answers
What tees should an 8-year-old play?
Under PGA Jr. League's suggested set-up, a boy aged 8 is in Boys 9 and under and a girl aged 8 is in Girls 11 and under. Both play the Circle tees: up to 2,000 yards in total, with par 3s up to 100 yards, par 4s up to 215 and par 5s up to 320.
What are the Circle, Pentagon, Square and Triangle tees?
They are the four tee sets in PGA Jr. League's set-up, from shortest to longest. Circle tops out at 2,000 yards in total, Pentagon at 2,200, Square at 2,325 and Triangle at 2,625.
What yardage should a 12-year-old play?
In PGA Jr. League's set-up, a 12-year-old boy plays Square (up to 2,325 yards) and a 12-year-old girl plays Pentagon (up to 2,200). The Georgia PGA lists 5,600 to 6,100 yards for boys 11-13 and for girls 11-18 on its junior tour.
What yardage do older teens play?
The Georgia PGA lists 6,300 to 6,900 yards for both boys 14-15 and boys 16-18. Girls 11-18 are listed at 5,600 to 6,100.
Are these yardages rules?
No. PGA Jr. League calls its numbers recommended guidelines, and coaches may adjust them for a player's ability and the course layout. The Georgia PGA says its yardages can change with each course and its condition.
Do my child's clubs need to match the tee set?
Clubs are sized to a child's height rather than their tee set. The junior golf club size chart shows the sizes by height.