This article originally appeared in the January issue of NCGA Golf Magazine
What’s New, Things You’ll Want to Know
If there was a theme for the 2026 NCGA tournaments and events schedule, it could simply be bigger and better than ever.
This season, there will be over 650 tournament days for female and male players of all abilities. Whether you’re a newcomer with a high Handicap Index, or a veteran scratch player, there’s an event for you.
Here’s a quick synopsis of some of the new things in2026, some of the changes (and non-changes) and other information that you’ll want to know as the season starts heading our way.
Schedule/Event Changes and Updates for 2026
- NCGA Amateur Week: What will be the 123rd NCGA Amateur will again tee off on a Sunday (Aug.9), with the event concluding on Thursday (Aug. 13). The first round of stroke play qualifying will again beheld at Poppy Hills before the championship moves over to Spyglass Hill. The NCGA Women’s Amateur, Senior Amateur, Senior Women’s Amateur and Super Senior Amateur will all be held Aug. 10-13 with play beginning at Poppy Hills and concluding at Spyglass Hill. The Senior Women’s Amateur (open to players ages50-over) made its debut in 2025.
- NCGA Four-Ball Championship: For the second straight year, the first round of the annual NCGA Four-Ball Championship (May 8-10) will tee off at Poppy Hills before heading to Spyglass for the second and final rounds. How important was the round at Poppy Hills in 2025? Each of the top three finishing teams, including winners Mason Benbrook and Luke Dariotis, shot either 64 or 63at Hills.
- Mid-Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships: There’s some big changes with the 2026 Mid-Ams. For one, both 36-hole championships (June 1-2) will beheld at Poppy Ridge instead of Poppy Hills. For 2026, the championships will also be held on a Monday-Tuesday, instead of being contested on the weekend.
- NCGA Zones: All regional events will again be held at Del Monte GC in Monterey and Poppy Hills. Each club can submit up to two teams, as long as one is women’s-only. The 36-hole finals will again be contested at Bayonet/Black Horse GC in Seaside (Aug. 24-25).
- Valley Amateurs: The 2026 NCGA Valley Amateur and Senior Valley Amateur (June29-30) will be held exclusively at Old Greenwood GC in Truckee.
- Associate Club Championship: The 2026 NCGA Associate Club Championship (Aug.24-25) will be held at Bayonet/Black Horse GC in Seaside.
- NCGA Junior Championship: The prestigious NCGA Junior Championship(July 6-7), won by the likes of legends Ken Venturi and Johnny Miller and current LPGA star Yealimi Noh, again returns to Lake Merced GC. The inaugural Junior Championship was held at Lake Merced GC in 1930.
- NCGA Super Senior Championship: The 2026 NCGA Super Senior Championship, open to players 65-over with a Handicap Index of 9.4 or less, will be held Oct. 5-6 at San Luis Obispo CC.
Golden Tickets—Exemptions Into USGA National Championships and Qualifiers
Winning an NCGA Championship or California Amateur Championship is an awesome feat and feeling in itself. But you can get even more rewards?
Yes you can, because once again there will be automatic spots in USGA championships or qualifiers on the line in some events.
How does it work? Which events?
The winner of the NCGA Amateur will earn an automatic exemption into the 2027 U.S. Amateur. The winner of this year’s California Amateur will get an automatic spot in this year’s U.S. Amateur, set for Aug. 10-16 at Merion GC.
Meanwhile, the winner of the NCGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship (June 15-17) and California Women’s Amateur Championship (July 20-24) will earn automatic spots into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur, set for Aug. 4-9 at The Honors Course.
Other events earning golden tickets: the winner of the 2026 NCGA Girls’ Junior will earn an automatic spot in the 2026U.S. Girls’ Junior at Old Chatham GC.
The winner of this year’ NCGA Senior Championship, set for Sept. 21-23, will earn an automatic exemption into the 2026 California Senior Amateur, set for Nov. 9-11. The Senior champ will also get a spot in the final qualifying event for the 2027 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.
Overall, there are more perks than everwhen one becomes an NCGA or California Amateur champion.
Sanctioned Events—USGA Qualifying
- This year’s U.S. Open final qualifying event for the California region moves back to NorCal, specifically Del Paso CC in Sacramento. The 36-hole final qualifying event will be held June 8.
- While the U.S. Open qualifying event is still a 36-hole affair (Golf’s Longest Day), remember that as per U.S. Amateurs, there are no more grueling 36-hole final qualifying events. Instead, there is an18-hole final qualifying event, set for July 13 at The Club at Ruby Hill.
To learn more about and see the complete 2026 USGA Qualifying Events calendar, please go here