My child is a sophomore in high school and wants to play college golf.
What should we do to get the attention of college coaches?
There are several items that college coaches want to know about junior
golfers who aspire to play college golf. The three major questions that a
coach wants answered are:
1) What kind of tournament resume does the player have?
2) What kind of GPA and SAT/ACT scores does the player have?
3) What kind of person is the player?
The first item tells a coach what kind of scores you are capable of
shooting in competition. Your high-school scores are important, but most
coaches want to see that you are playing competitive golf in addition to
high school golf. The Triad Golf Today Junior Tour is a wonderful
place to start developing your résumé. There are many junior tours and
many more single junior tournaments. Go to www.njgs.com (National
Junior Golf Scoreboard) and check out all of the tours and tournaments
that are listed. If you seriously want to play collegiate golf on a
competitive team, you must establish a tournament record.
Obviously your grades are equally important to the coach. If a coach is
looking at two players of about the same ability level and tournament
record, the coach will opt for the player with the better grades every
time. Every junior wants to go to college on a "golf"
scholarship. However, if you work really hard in high school and have
excellent grades, the coach may be able to recruit you and offer you an
academic scholarship. I’m proud to say that last year Greensboro College
had three golfers make Academic All-American (Mark Stillwell, Eric Bleile,
and David Horne). Each of these golfers received financial assistance
through an academic scholarship.
The third item takes some time to find out. A coach wants to know what
other people in your community have to say about you. What kind of
character and integrity do others say you have? Golf is a game that is
built around honesty and integrity. People will always respect those who
shine above the crowd. It’s important that you get along well with
others and are one who encourages others, not one who constantly finds
fault with others. Those who encourage others build team unity and help
everyone improve.
The last thought I have for you is to not and sit and wait for colleges
to call on you. Start sending information to several schools that you
might be interested in attending. Don’t panic if you don’t hear from
each school right away; but do continue to send updates as you play in
more tournaments.
My wife and children want to learn to play golf. Should I buy them
clubs first?
No! Nothing is more frustrating to an instructor than to have a student
come for a lesson with a new set of clubs that don’t fit. With all of
the equipment choices available today it is crazy to buy clubs without
being properly fitted. This holds true for 5-year-old kids as well as tour
professionals. It doesn’t cost any more to have the right equipment. If
you start off with clubs that don’t fit, you will learn bad habits in
the swinging motion of the club. Kids clubs are fitted based on the size
and strength of the young golfer. After age 12 or 13 clubs are fitted
based on your build and how you swing the club. For those who have never
played, clubs are fitted based on measurements taken at address with
strength being a major factor in determining a proper shaft.
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PGA professional Robert Linville is coach of the men’s golf team at
Greensboro College and was 1999 "Coach of the Year" in Division
III. He was also 1993 PGA "Instructor of the Year. He is owner of
Triad Golf Center in Greensboro.
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