Team California (Southern), composed of 10 boys and 10 girls who earned their places through outstanding competitive performance throughout the season, brought the 2026 roster together for the first time, at Rolling Hills CC, for a team-bonding camp filled with games, camaraderie and great memories.
The camp kicked off on Friday, bringing the golfers together for the first time and introducing them to one another through team bonding activities. Golfers were split into teams for a blindfolded putting competition, with the two winners taking home coveted In-N-Out gift cards. The first day was closed out with a panel featuring past & present college golfers, college golf coaches and LPGA Tour winner Lizette Salas and PGA Tour professional Jeffrey Kang.
Day two started with individual and team photos to commemorate the 2026 camp followed by warmups, drills and advice from the captains — Holly Kennedy, PGA and Lizette Salas — and the coaches — Blake Jirges, PGA, Bryana Nguyen, PGA and Jon Schoepf, PGA — before an afternoon full of matches. Wrapping up an incredible weekend, day three featured more assessments and testing in the morning and afternoon matches, allowing the golfers to better get to know their fellow Team California (Southern) teammates on the course, followed by final assessments from the captains and coaches.
Team California (Southern) is one of 31 state junior team programs nationwide, created to expand, strengthen and diversify the pipeline for elite local golfers into the USGA’s U.S. National Development Program. The initiative provides key development, competitive and talent identification opportunities for athletes ages 13-18 and will continue adding new states each year, with the goal of all 50 states having a team by 2033.
