The world of college golf has varying levels of competitive opportunities. One thing is for certain; there is a place for everyone to play college golf if they are willing to commit themselves to hard work both in the classroom and on the golf course. 

Have the proper perspective – The recruiting process can be unpredictable and is ever changing. Understanding that there is a place for everybody to play college golf is an important perspective to maintain throughout the recruiting process.

Take an inventory of your golf and academic abilities – Evaluate your current academic resume (GPA & SAT/ACT once you get to high school) and your future academic goals. Additionally, take an honest inventory of your tournament results and competitive experience. Finally, what is your commitment to both academics and golf? Do your daily habits align with your goals? This honest self-evaluation will provide you the proper perspective as you begin to target schools that match your academic and golf credentials.

Do your due diligence online – An essential aspect of being proactive is researching your schools of interest. Use the Ping American Golf Guide, Golfstat and Junior Golf Scoreboard as resources as well as each university’s website. Pay particular attention to the scoring averages of the top-five players. Ask yourself, if only five players travel, how would I potentially fit?

Send your information to your target list of schools – Once you have done your due diligence online you can develop a preliminary list of schools. The golf coach of each respective school should be sent an introductory letter, golf and academic resume, swing video and upcoming tournament schedule. I also suggest you select a few “reach” schools as well as a few “safety” schools to compliment your list of potential “best-fit” schools. It is also a good idea to complete the athletic questionnaires for your schools of interest.

Visit campuses – Visits are one of the most important items in the recruiting process. The opportunity to see campuses you’re interested in firsthand (preferably while classes are in session), meet the coach and players and tour the golf facilities is essential. Equally important is seeing other on-campus attractions, such as the dorms, recreation center, library and dining areas. If you are unable to meet the coach during your visit, make sure to follow up with them via email to let them know you have seen the campus and surrounding area. Recruits are allowed to visit DI campuses beginning Aug. 1, prior to their junior year of high school. Note: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, there is an ongoing NCAA Dead Period for Division I & II through May 31. Coaches are not allowed to meet with any recruits on or off campus.

Attend a college golf tournament – Observe the level of play and the way college coaches interact with their players as well as the overall atmosphere of a college golf event. Admission is free and the public is welcome. Check Golf Stat or a local university’s website to find a tournament near you.

Compete – Compete in multi-day tournament at the local, regional or national level. The level of competition you choose will depend on your abilities, age and college ambitions. Multi-day tournaments are the most similar to the college format and will provide coaches the necessary information to properly evaluate you as a prospective student-athlete.

Know the NCAA Rules – Understanding the NCAA rules and regulations will allow you to confidently communicate with college coaches (DI and DII coaches are allowed to call, email and text you beginning June 15, prior to your junior year in high school) as well as ensure you are meeting the necessary academic requirements to compete in college. Familiarize yourself with the NCAA recruiting rules and eligibility requirements and utilize the 2019-20 Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete as your “go to” resource.

Promote yourself and continually revise your target list of schools – As you navigate the recruiting process, it is imperative you continually evaluate your target list of schools to ensure they align both with your abilities and your college ambitions. If you are not getting the interest from specific coaches or schools, it may mean you need to broaden your scope of schools to include other regions of the country and/or less competitive programs. I encourage you to also take a close look at Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior colleges. Remember the name or division of the school does not define your “success” and most important is identifying YOUR best-fit university.

In the recruiting world it is important to be positive, remain open to all possibilities and be proactive. Remember, there is a place for everybody to play college golf. Utilize the aforementioned recommendations as you navigate your way to college golf.

Good luck!

Have a question about navigating the road to college golf? Recruiting? What it takes to be a college golfer? Submit your questions here to be answered in upcoming content!

Ted Gleason is a veteran of the college golf space having spent seven years as a Division I coach and 14 years consulting for juniors and their families to help them navigate the college golf recruiting space. Gleason strongly believes that every junior golfer can find a place to play college and believes in the importance of finding the right college for each junior. Gleason hosts several college prep programs with SCGA Junior each year. Learn more about Ted and get involved here.

What snacks do you put in your golf bag when you play? Coach Teresa here, and my go to for on-course play is a peanut butter sandwich, a banana and my very favorite that guarantees me to get through the day, trail mix.   

Depending on where you play, many golf courses do not allow outside snacks and drinks. Many of these snacks are available in the snack shop or restaurant and I encourage you to pick them up at the course to support our local facilities. Here are some other suggestions to keep healthy and hydrated.   

Make Healthy Choices: 

Pass up the snacks with too much sugar such as, candy bars, candy, cookies and gummies. Did you know a candy bar has five teaspoons of sugar and a soda has 20 teaspoons of sugar? Try this at home: Put five teaspoons of sugar in the cup. Look how much sugar you would eat in one candy bar. Wow!  That’s a lot!  So, try to avoid these choices and pick drinks and snacks with less sugar.    

Snack Prep on the Course: 

When you’re getting ready to start a new hole, you think about what club to use and where you’re going to hit the ball. Now, start thinking about planning what and when you’re going to eat your snacks. When I have my snacks and a plan of when I’m going to eat them, I can stay energized and focused. Every two to three holes, I’m drinking water, which is by far the best tool to have for the day. If I’m playing 18 holes, I’m keeping my energy up and staying hydrated by drinking more than a sip every three-four holes to help me make it through the round. I like to take a sip of water on every tee box and by the time I get to hole 5 or 6… snack time!  

Often, we can get so caught up with how well we’re playing, focusing on each individual shot that we forget to take care of the most important thing: ourselves. So, try this method when you’re out playing your next round and during practice. Snack before, snack and hydrate during and finish with a good healthy meal after. Your body and mind will appreciate it!   

Here are a few additional resources to help you choose healthy snacks for not only on the golf course, but every day. I challenge you to find five snacks you enjoy and can eat for energy and good health. 

14 Cheap Snacks for Kids

20 Fun, Healthy Snacks for Kids

50 Low Sugar Snacks for Kids

• Finger stretch squeeze: Start with your hands open like you’re going to high five your best friend.  Squeeze your fingers into a claw, hold two seconds, and release and open back up to give out high fives again. 

• Stress Ball: Use a stress ball to build strength in your fingers and forearms. On your right hand squeeze the stress ball 10 times.  Switch and use your left hand and squeeze it again 10 times. Do this on each hand, three times.  Tip: If you do not have a stress ball you can use balled up socks. 

• Rubber Band Man: Get a rubber band and wrap it about an inch around your fingers and thumb of your right hand. Close and open your fingers and thumbs 10 times stretching them out as far as possible. Repeat on each hand three times. 

• Motorcycle Gas On, Gas Off: Ball your hands in a fist and start by moving your fist back as if you were giving a gas on motorcycle. Do this for eight seconds, focusing on giving the motorcycle gas. Now, focus on not giving the motorcycle gas and do eight seconds of gas off. Focus on gently bending your fists down turning the gas off. 

• Wrists Rolls: Start with your hands balled in a fist. Make circles with your fist to the right for 10 seconds, then switch and rotate them in a circle to the left.  Keep your elbows and arms close to your side to help you focus on making circles.   

Step 2: Gather markers, glitter glue, paint or anything else you have around the house to start decorating your golf balls.  

Step 3: Time to get crafty! Show your creativity and make them as unique as possible.  

Step 4: Have your family hide the balls around your house and in the yard.  

Step 5: Time to hunt! Grab your basket and start searching.  

Long story short, having clean clubs is going to help your game. 

Throughout the history of the game, irons and wedges have been built with grooves in the clubface. These grooves assist golfers by helping create spin on the ball. Advanced players will produce a specific type of spin on the ball so they can better understand what the ball will do when it lands on the putting green. Clean grooves will increase the likelihood of producing spin as well as provide a level of consistency on the spin that is created. Debris in the grooves or on the clubface will cause inconsistencies in the spin of the golf ball, which will affect shot shape, trajectory and roll.  

If your clubs look like this, it is way past time to clean. 

What You Need: Golf towel, water, golf-brush 

If a golf towel and golf-brush are not available, paper towels and an old toothbrush or toothpicks can be used to clean out grooves. 

What You Do: 

• Wet the corner of towel 
• Wipe the clubface and grooves with the wet portion of towel 
  • It is important that water does not get into the ferrule or hosel of the golf club. This can erode the epoxy that holds the clubhead onto the shaft, causing the clubhead to fall off. Do not submerge in water past the hosel or ferrule  
  • Note: The ferrule is the black piece above the hosel. 

• When needed, use a golf-brush, toothbrush or toothpicks to remove debris from the grooves on the clubface 

• Re-wipe clubface with wet portion of towel to remove any remaining debris 

• Dry off clubface and admire your new clean grooves