01/21/22 – Board Adopts Revisions to Golf Postseason for 2022-2023

January 21, 2022 Golf Blog Updates

The Board of Control conducted its fourth regularly scheduled meeting of the 2021-22 academic year on Wednesday at the KHSAA Office, approving changes to the golf playoff format, effective fall 2022. The changes will significantly increase the number of golfers advancing beyond the Regional Tournament, and create a State First Round of play to expand postseason opportunities.

After Regional play, an additional round of golf, deemed the State First Round, will be conducted across three locations. Each State First Round will include four defined Regions with each Region advancing 20 golfers to the State First Round for a total of 80 golfers at each site (Site #1 will include Regions 1-4, Site #2 will include Regions 5-8, and Site #3 will include Regions 9-12). 

In contrast to the previous format that advanced the winning team and top seven individuals not on the qualifying team, the newly adopted format will advance the top two teams and the top 10 individuals from non-advancing teams.

Thirty golfers from each State First Round site will advance to the State Final Round Tournament for a total of 90 participants: the top three teams and top 15 individuals from non-advancing teams from each of the three first-round sites.

With the change, up to 96 additional golfers will advance from Region to State First Round, promoting the potential growth of the sport in all areas of the state. With an increased number of participants advancing, regions with traditionally successful teams and individuals are not eliminated in favor of participants from other areas.

With the addition of three additional courses, strong relationships have the potential to develop, assisting with the continued growth of the sport. Both the State First Round and the State Tournament have the flexibility to start later in the day in the event of inclement weather, allowing for completion of play which has been a major challenge with the current format. Leachman Buick-GMC-Cadillac of Bowling Green will continue to be the title sponsor of the boys’ and girls’ tournaments (all rounds).

The State Final Round will have all 90 golfers compete for both days of the event without the necessity of a cut, and allow play to be conducted in one flight as players are accustomed to doing most of the year.

With the revisions approved, the shifting of the regular season and start of the postseason was included to accommodate the State First Round, keeping the ending of the State Tournaments in the same corresponding week within the NFHS calendar.

Revised corresponding dates for the 2022 Golf season:

• First Date of Practice: July 15
• First Contest Date: July 22
• Region Tournaments: Sept. 19-21 (Boys and Girls region sites must be on different days)
  (Top 2 teams and 10 individuals from each region advance to State First Round)
• Leachman Buick-GMC-Cadillac State First Round: Sept. 26-28 (Boys and Girls first-round sites must be on different days)
  (Top 3 teams and 15 individuals from each First Round Site advance to the Final Round)
• Leachman Buick-GMC-Cadillac State Finals: Oct. 3-5 (Boys’); Oct. 6-8 (Girls’)

Additional details will be shared as well as included in the annual rules clinic for coaches. Any course interested in hosting one of the three State First Round sites should contact the KHSAA.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 284 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 106,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.