The Northern Ohio Golf Association has made updates to its Player of the Year (POY) points structure for the 2026 season, introducing changes aimed at creating a more balanced and competitive race across all divisions.
One of the most notable adjustments comes in how points are distributed. The point allocation for the single-day NOGA Scratch Series tournaments category and the Northern Ohio Championships category, such as the Greater Cleveland Amateur, Stark County Amateur, and Summit County Amateur, have been switched to place greater emphasis on NOGA Scratch Series events. This shift reinforces the importance of participating in NOGA’s single day tournaments and rewards consistent play throughout the season.
NOGA Scratch Series tournaments will continue to feature a Championship Division (ages 19–54) and a Senior Division (ages 55+). New for 2026, a Super Senior Division has been added for players aged 65 and older. Competitors in this division will now have the opportunity to earn points toward a dedicated Super Senior Player of the Year race, with a structure mirroring the existing divisions.
Qualification pathways have also been updated to reflect the expanded format. The top 16 players in both the Championship and Senior divisions, along with the top 4 players in the Super Senior division, will earn spots in the NOGA Tour Championship. Following that event, the top 12 players in the POY standings will qualify for the Amateur Lewis Cup team. On the Senior side, the top 10 players from the Senior POY standings and the top 2 Super Senior players from the Super Senior POY will make up the Senior Amateur team for the Lewis Cup.
As a reminder players must compete in 3 NOGA Scratch Series tournaments that award Player of the Year points in order to qualify for the NOGA Tour Championship and Lewis Cup.
For an additional entry fee, Super Seniors will have the option to compete in both the Senior and Super Senior divisions in all tournaments except the season long match play qualifiers, earning Player of the Year points and gift certificate winnings in each division. If the top two Super Seniors also qualify for the Lewis Cup team through the Senior Division Player of the Year standings, those two players will earn their spots as Super Senior representatives, and the Senior Division standings will then be used to fill the remaining eligible positions on the team.
With these updates in place, the 2026 POY race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years. A full tournament schedule, combined with multiple avenues to earn points, will provide NOGA members across all divisions with ample opportunity to contend and make their mark throughout the season.
