If you follow professional golf you’ve probably noticed that distance/power has become one of the primary indicators of success. Almost every tour player is on some sort of fitness plan and some are taking it very seriously (Bryson, Brooks, Rory, D.J., etc.). College coaches understand the importance of fitness and the benefits it can provide to their players, which is why almost every one mandates some sort of fitness program for their team.

WHEN?

Most teams will have mandatory workouts 2-3 days per week, usually before morning classes (around 6:30-8:00am). Since most teams are practicing in the afternoon and going to class mid-morning, this is usually the only available time to work out. These early mornings can take a toll on players so it’s important to have good sleeping habits to avoid getting run down.

Players usually have access to the gym outside of scheduled team lifts and we encourage that players take advantage of this. Truth is, 2-3 days/week is enough to make small gains, but if you want to make significant improvement you should probably be in the gym at least 3-4 days/week.

GOALS

There are a variety of goals people might have when starting a fitness program, but when it comes to college golf workouts the goals are very specific…

• Increase stability, strength, and speed
• Improve mental toughness
• Injury prevention
• Build team camaraderie

College golf workouts are designed to push players out of their comfort zones and make gains both physically and mentally. It’s common for players to get sore from workouts, but this will get better over time. We recommend starting a training program in high school to improve your understanding of exercises and help avoid soreness during your freshman year in college.

TYPES OF EXERCISES

When you hear “golf workouts” you probably think stretching, bands, and body weight exercises. While this is true in some cases, most teams go far beyond this. Keep in mind that golf teams are commonly trained by football/basketball/baseball trainers which has the effect of making workouts more demanding than you might think. Most trainers will focus on the following…

• Combination of linear and rotational movements
• Emphasis on big muscle groups (glutes, core, chest, and back)
• Cardio endurance

Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for players to get injured during workouts, but it’s usually avoidable with proper form and mobility. Talk to your trainer about any physical limitations you may have and put together a plan to fix them before you load up the weight. The gym should be a place to get better at golf…don’t let it be the thing that puts you on the bench!

It’s no secret that practicing with great players is one of the best ways become a better player yourself. Unlike junior golf or professional golf, college golf provides a unique opportunity to practice alongside great players on a daily basis. College coaches want to take advantage of this, but with only 20 hrs/week allotted by the NCAA for team practice, they have to be deliberate with how they use their time.

Every team is different, but expect some combination of qualifying, play days, and structured practice. This is a good question to ask coaches as you begin your recruiting conversations since it varies so much between programs. That said, it’s safe to assume much of your practice will be “on your own”.

QUALIFYING

The purpose of qualifying is to simulate tournament pressure and see how players stack up against one another. Qualifying is done differently at almost every program so make sure to ask coaches how they qualify during the recruiting process.

Some teams qualify for every event separately…some qualify for multiple events at once. Some teams qualify for as few as one spot…some qualify for all 5 spots. Some teams have exemptions based on tournament finishes…some don’t.

Each coach will have a good reason for doing qualifying the way they do, but make sure it’s a system that works for you since that will be your path to playing in the lineup.

PLAY DAYS

Play days are when a coach wants to get the team together on the course without the pressure of qualifying. Sometimes this is to play a game with a specific goal (irons only, rough is OB, purposely miss greens, etc.) and sometimes it’s for players to compete more casually with each other.

STRUCTURED PRACTICE

Structured practice is usually conducted at the practice facility and focuses on skill development. This is the time for players to showcase their ability to hit specific shots as well as to learn new shots (usually around the greens).

While some coaches are happy to be your swing coach, most prefer that you have your own. Generally speaking, college coaches spend a lot more time talking about shot selection and course management than they spend teaching fundamentals.

Verbally committing and/or signing a National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a huge accomplishment for any junior golfer who gets the opportunity. While college coaches will remind you that committing/signing is not the finish line, it does mark an important milestone in your golfing career and the beginning of a new chapter.

The terms “committing” and “signing” are often used interchangeably to describe accepting an offer to play for a university, but they are not the same. Each comes with it’s own set of advantages and disadvantages that we think you should know about. This article will help you better understand the roadmap of making your college decision and what your options are at different points along the road.

VERBAL COMMITMENT

Simply put, a verbal commitment is a non-binding agreement where a coach agrees to hold a roster spot for a player. This is usually the first step in the decision making process since a “verbal” can be made starting June 15th after your Sophomore year (this is the same day that recruiting conversations can begin).

Coaches will move at different speeds when it comes securing verbal commitments, but once they give you an offer, they usually want to move fast and may put deadline on their offer. While these deadlines may feel arbitrary and unnecessary, they should be taken seriously. This doesn’t mean you should rush to accept…just don’t assume it’s a bluff either. There are many great players on the market and coaches don’t want to spin their wheels with one player who is still on the fence and end up missing out on another player.

Advantages…

• Player can change their mind at any time
• Peace of mind that you have secured a spot on a team

Disadvantages…

• Coach can change their mind at any time
• No guaranteed financial aid
• Committing early may discourage other schools from showing interest

While it’s true that verbal commitments are based on the honor system and either party can “decommit” with no penalty, it’s a bad look to do this without a very good reason so it doesn’t happen very often (this goes for coaches too).

NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT (NLI)

Signing an NLI is the final step in the decision making process. For players who have already made verbal commitments, Signing Day is the day to put pen to paper and make their decision official.

Signing Day is the 2nd Wednesday in November of your senior year. NLI’s can be signed anytime between Signing Day and August 1st before you start college.

NLI’s are administered by the NCAA for Division 1 and 2 programs and the main goal is to formalize an agreement on financial aid (Division 3 and Community Colleges issue their own letters of intent). The terms of an NLI are meant to protect both the player and coach from the other party leaving the agreement.

Advantages…

• Guarantees roster spot
• Guarantees financial aid

Disadvantages…

• Other coaches are barred from making recruiting contacts
• If you decide to transfer you may lose up to a year of eligibility

It should also be noted that NLI’s do not guarantee playing time. Players who sign an NLI do not have any inherent advantages over walk-ons once they’re all on the team. It’s not uncommon for walk-ons to work their way into scholarship positions with good performance so don’t be concerned or offended if a coach doesn’t ask you to sign an NLI…just use it as motivation!

Playing tournaments is not just a great way to become a better player, it’s also the best way to increase your “stock” in the eyes of college golf coaches. The truth is, coaches don’t really care what you shoot in practice rounds or even what your handicap is…they want to see tournament results!

Playing tournaments might seem like an obvious prerequisite for college golf, but which tournaments you play in can be very important. Not all tournaments are the same so make sure the events you register for align with your collegiate golfing goals.

TYPES OF TOURNAMENTS

There are four main categories for tournament organizations…

• Local/State/Regional Junior Tours
• State Golf Associations – open to all amateurs
• National Junior Tours – AJGA, IGJT, etc.
• National Invitationals – USGA Championships, Junior World, etc.

Generally speaking, this list is in order of importance/significance when it comes to how college coaches will evaluate scores in such events. In other words, a round of even par in a local junior tournament carries less weight than the same score at the US Junior Amateur.

That said, there is a place for tournaments at every level. For instance, smaller tournaments can help you build confidence and teach you how to win. National tournaments, on the other hand, show coaches where you stack up against the best players in the nation.

Top programs usually concentrate recruiting efforts on national and invitational events, but that doesn’t mean that local events are meaningless to them. Just find a good balance that aligns with your ability and budget and let your scores do the talking.

WHERE TO PLAY?

This might be obvious, but golf in Northern California is much different than the golf in Arizona…which is vastly different than the golf in Texas or Florida. Coaches know this, and since most programs will play tournaments in different states, coaches want to make sure that your game travels well before putting you on their team. Part of this is to see how you play “on the road”, but they’re also curious how you play in different climates and on different types of courses. Here are a few things to consider when you’re deciding where to play…

• Play in a variety of states/climates
• Schedule tournaments near campuses you want to visit
• Ask coaches which tournaments they will be at and sign up accordingly
• College setups are usually 7,200 yards plus, so coaches want to see you play longer courses

WHEN TO PLAY?

There is never a “bad” time to post tournament scores. College coaches like players who are eager to compete so play as many tournaments as possible!

Coaches can evaluate players year-round but usually do most of their tournament evaluations in the summer months. The only times that coaches are not allowed to evaluate at tournaments are during quiet or dead periods. This does not mean you shouldn’t play tournaments over these dates, just don’t expect a coach to show up and watch.

Getting in touch with a college golf coach can be tricky. Not only is their schedule very demanding, but every year they have hundreds of players from each recruiting class vying for their attention. With so much competition, how do you stand out from the crowd?

Well, before we dive into ways to stand out, remember that scores are the most important factor and likely the first thing coaches will look at when considering a player. While the following tips will help you appeal to college golf coaches, they are not a substitute for scores.

RESEARCH

The first step in this process starts as early as your Freshman year in high school. This is the time to begin thinking about qualities you are looking for in a university and make a long list of schools to consider. Things you should be paying attention to in your research include…

• Team results/ranking
• Tournament schedule
• Roster size and class make up – how many seniors will be graduating the year before you arrive?
• Coach’s biography

This info will be useful to determine which programs you should reach out to and will give you discussion topics with coaches.

EMAILING COACHES

Once you have a long list of schools to consider it’s time to fire off some emails. We recommend sending your first recruiting email during your Freshman year to introduce yourself to each coach and place you on their radar. Here are some important things to remember for this email…

• Keep it short and concise – if it’s too long it may get skimmed
• Tailor emails to each coach/program – include info from your research to show your commitment to their program and that you’re willing to put in the effort
• Attach resume (read more about college golf resumes here)

Coaches cannot engage in recruiting correspondence until June 15th after your Sophomore year so don’t worry if you don’t get replies right away. Be persistent in your communication and continue to update coaches on your tournament results via email. Here are some things to remember during this phase of communication…

• Coaches generally prefer when the junior takes the lead with communication – not parents or coaches
• Feel free to add context to your results by including stats or a quick analysis of what you learned from each event, but don’t make excuses for poor play

RECRUITING CORRESPONDENCE

After June 15 (after your Sophomore year) coaches can begin emailing and calling you. This is the time to get to know the coach and begin to narrow down your list of potential schools. Continue to use email as your primary tool to update coaches on your tournament schedule/results, but also try and set up some phone calls with coaches so you can get to know each other. Here are some things to remember when it comes to phone communication…

• Don’t cold call coaches – use email or text to set up calls first
• Stay up to date with the team’s schedule and results – these are good conversation starters and will help you avoid reaching out during team travel/competition
• Be yourself – if you change your personality to appeal to a coach then you might be setting yourself up for failure later on

A college golf resume is your opportunity to make a good first impression and communicate the critical information that coaches are looking for. College golf coaches have busy schedules and generally don’t like reading long emails with unnecessary “fluff”. It’s not that they don’t care about your life story…truth is, they probably do. The problem is that they get numerous recruiting emails every day and don’t have time to dive into the details of each one. Because of this, long emails are often skimmed and important info may be missed. 

Your resume can be an attached document or in the body of an introductory email…that’s up to you. The most important thing is that you highlight your most notable accomplishments on and off the course. This will not only increase the likelihood of your email getting read in it’s entirety, but it shows that you understand how valuable a coach’s time is.

A good resume will include your…

• Graduation year
• Home city/country
• Recent tournament results
• Upcoming tournament schedule
• GPA and SAT/ACT scores
• Swing videos
• Social media accounts
• References

At the end of the day, scores are the single biggest factor in the eyes of a college coach. While there are other factors that will be considered, it’s false to believe that you can convince a coach to give you a scholarship based off how much you “want it” or how great of a “team player” you will be. They’ve heard all of these lines a thousand times, so even if it’s the honest truth, these sayings have very little impact on coaches. Stick to the important information and let your scores do the talking!