BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail proudly announces the formation of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Junior Golf Association and Junior Golf Tour.

In keeping with the Trail’s long-range plan to provide outstanding public golf, this association will provide young men and women the opportunity to develop their competitive skills, sense of fair play, and knowledge of the &uot;Game of Golf&uot;. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Junior Golf Association is committed to becoming a major player in the Junior Golf arena.

&uot; We are very excited about the formation of the Junior Golf Association and the opportunity we can provide Junior golfers,&uot; said Bobby Vaughan, CEO of SunBelt Golf Corporation.&uot; This again will allow us to showcase our highly acclaimed tournament courses and Alabama as a major golf destination.&uot;

The Trail will create three new Operational Divisions: Tournaments, Instruction and Junior Development. These divisions will focus on the different areas of Junior Golf, while sharing the common goal of enriching the lives of young men and women.

The first phase will begin with the creation of the Tournament Division, a regionally-based tour concept targeting juniors throughout the Southeast. The Junior TOUR will consist of events in late 2001 and a series of events including a TOUR Championship in 2002. The Trail’s tournament courses will provide excellent venues for juniors to develop their competitive skills. These are the same courses that have hosted the Men’s NCAA Championship, LPGA Tournament of Champions, NIKE / BUY.COM TOUR Championship and the RTJGT Junior Classic conducted by the A.J.G.A.

The Instruction division will develop a curriculum that specifically targets the needs of the tournament player; while the Junior Development division will create programs that make golf more accessible to Juniors of all races and economic backgrounds.

The Junior Golf Association members will be eligible for specially priced greens fees and a discounted rate for range balls at all nine Trail facilities throughout the year.