2025-26 South Dakota Changes, Clarifications & Reminders
- Class A Team Qualification – Regions with eight or more teams competing in the Region Tournament will automatically advance four teams (plus ties) to the State Tournament. Teams with seven or less teams competing will automatically qualify three teams (plus ties).
- Class A & Class B schools will receive a second coaches’ badge for each gender for the State Tournament as long as the following criteria is used and followed for the second individual receiving a coaches’ badge:
- Coach must complete all of the SDHSAA/NFHS required coaching courses
- Coach must be contracted by the school as a golf coach or as a volunteer golf coach
- Coach must be listed on the school’s team roster on the SDHSAA/Bound website by the date posted in the Golf section of the SDHSAA Athletics Handbook
- Class A – On State Tournament Day 1, team waves may be utilized off both tees (when applicable). Allows all teams who qualify a scoreable team (4 or 5 players) to play in waves on Day 1 regardless of the assigned starting tee. Teams that qualify as a top 3 team from Region Meets will play in team waves off the #1 tee, while teams that qualify enough individuals will be paired in team waves off the #10 tee.
- Class B – Allow an alternate golfer at the State Tournament for teams that qualify as a team. The alternate must be declared prior to the Region Tournament and may be subbed in on Day 2 of the State Tournament for any reason.
