#1  WHAT IS A COLLEGE COACH LOOKING FOR?

OVERALL:  A good golfer with a calm demeanor who can control themselves on the course in all circumstances. A team player. Someone who gets along with almost everyone.

KNOW THAT: Coaches normally DO NOT recruit you. With golf it doesn't work like a coach recruiting for a college football team. The PLAYER needs to make first contact with a coach (not the parent). Also a specific golf team only needs 'X' players to fill their roster. If it's only 1 or 2 players, you can see that the opportunity to make the team is limited. The coach is only searching for that 'one' person that fits the 'vibe' of the team overall.

#2  ARE SCHOOL GRADES IMPORTANT?

OVERALL:  Of course! But ... you don't have to be an 'A' student. However, the better your grades are, the more and better opportunities you will be presented with.

KNOW THAT: Schools typically DO NOT offer a FULL scholarship to any student athlete in golf for all 4 or 5 years of college. But ... there are ways to supplement your financial opportunities when playing college golf. Beyond any direct scholarship there are (a) academic grants, (b) supplemental grants, some of which do not need to be repaid, (c) college-specific based scholarships not related to your sport, and other options that the golf coach can share with you.

#3 HOW DOES COMMUNICATION WORK WITH A COLLEGE COACH?

OVERALL:  The coach is only interested in communicating directly with the golfer. The player is the person who could be on the golf team and interacting with everyone tied to the team and attending school. The parent(s) is brought into the conversation once a real possibility is in sight that the player could be offered a place on the team.

KNOW THAT: Coaches do *not* want to hear from a parent until they reach out to the parent personally. That doesn't mean you can't chat with them at a golf tournament or exchange pleasantries when you see each other. But a parent reaching out to a coach or asking a specific question on behalf of their son or daughter is a big no-no that can actually turn a coach 'off' to a specific player. If a player is 'uncomfortable' in this scenario, they'll need to remedy that in some way.

#4 WHAT IS MY VERY FIRST STEP IN PLAYING COLLEGE GOLF?

OVERALL:  Make yourself available. What does that mean? Get you, your game, your grades, your playing resume, videos of your swing, and other inventive things ONLINE for college coaches to discover you.

KNOW THAT: There are LOTS of additional steps you need to take on this journey. But the VERY FIRST step is getting established online somewhere. Anywhere. Our suggestion is to have a presence on a social outlet *and* then a college specific outlet where coaches seek out available high school golfers. We suggest "FieldLevel.com." You can sign up for FREE account with their basic option that covers everything mentioned above. It's a great way to begin your journey to playing college golf.