The Carolina Cup Junior Challenge is still several weeks away, but the buzz among the ranks of North and South Carolina junior golfers makes it seem like the golf tournament is this weekend. The event blends both individual stroke play with a team component. All players will compete for individual titles over the weekend of December 5-6. Players that return the lowest score in their respective divisions will become state team members and their scores will be counted to identify the winning team that will take home the Carolina Cup. "The event is going to be fun, I have received text messages from friends in South Carolina saying that the North Carolina kids better be practicing hard, because South Carolina is going to take home the team and individual titles", said Sam Weekes, a High School Junior from North Carolina.

Text messaging has become such a large communication medium for teen and preteen kids, that it is no wonder junior golfers find it a convenient way to stay in touch with friends that they meet at various events. A recent web search on returned several blogs and messge boards where players were issuing challenges across the border between North and South Carolina as the Mid Pines event approaches. Kids and families are making advance dinner plans comparing hotel rates ( to see if anyone can beat the onsite rate of $79 per night at Mid Pines Resort), seeing who is staying where, making practice round plans and generally using the event as an opportunity to reconnect after several months after most juniors have returned to school fulll time and reduced their travel schedules.

The Carolina Cup Junior Challenge provides a lower cost, high quality tournament, relatively close to most juniors' homes. When the event is over most people will be at home in thier own beds by 9 pm on Sunday, December 6. The entry fee is $130 for 36 holes of tournament play. Entries close in November.

The event is hosted at Mid Pines by the Tarheel Golf Foundation. The Carolina Cup Junior Challenge is an annual event open to all juior golfers ages 19 & under that have not yet completed high school. Divisions include boys and girls, middle school and high school as well as select younger players.

Event information is available at www.tarheelgolf.org