12 Common College Golf Recruiting Mistakes

 

Here is a list of the most common and detrimental mistakes that junior make in the college golf recruiting process. Start the process early, and do your best to avoid these blunders!

 

Not enough focus on academics

Every single coach out there is going to ask for your transcript and test scores. You’ll need to have a certain GPA to be recruitable and admissible. And often, higher academics can help coaches piece together a better scholarship offer, too.

Many coaches, especially at Ivy League and Ivy-like schools, need to have your test scores before the end of junior year at the absolute latest — so being on top of your testing can make a huge difference. For more info on how the SAT/ACT impacts recruiting, check out my article on the FAQ of the SAT for recruited athletes.

I’ve seen doors close for kids who wait too long to take their tests or who just haven’t put in a sustained effort throughout high school. Don’t let poor academic planning or effort be what rules out schools for you.

 

Waiting for “good results” before reaching out

The recruiting process is a long journey. One of the reasons why the process can take so long is because coaches want to get to know their potential team members. They care about a lot more than just scores — personalities are just as important. 

If you wait for “good scores” before reaching out, you’ll miss out on the opportunity for coaches to get to know you. They’ll pass you over for someone who’s been showing strong and genuine interest throughout the process, who they know will be a good fit for their team.

Coaches know that golf has a lot of ups and downs. Express your interest early and keep coaches updated throughout the process — you’ll build better relationships and have more options.

 

Believing you will get discovered

Unless you are ranked in the top 50 in your graduating class, you will not get discovered. And even then, the schools that are reaching out to you aren’t often the schools that you most want to attend. 

Coaches go to tournaments knowing which players they are going to watch. They don’t hang around the practice areas or first tee waiting to see who looks like a good player.

Take the time to proactively reach out to coaches and get on their radar early — it’s worth it!

 

Sending impersonal emails

We’ve all been on the receiving end of a form letter. You’re excited to get mail, but as soon as you read the first line, you know it’s junk. And then without more than a glance, you chuck it. 

Don’t let this be what happens to your emails to coaches! Take the time to write a personal emails to each coach and you’ll be much more likely to get meaningful interest in return and develop strong relationships with coaches.

 

Looking at the wrong schools

This is a big one, and I see it all the time. It’s why I created the School & Scholarship Finder, and why I put so much emphasis on having a well-balanced school list. Yes, email your dream school, just make sure that you aren’t going after only “reach” schools, and that you are communicating with schools that would want you tomorrow, even if your game didn’t get any better throughout the remainder of your junior golf career.

 

Assuming no answer = not interested 

Coaches get hundreds of emails every week. Some slip through the cracks. Don’t email once and then assume that a coach isn’t interested just because they don’t reply. 

Until a coach tells you they have finished recruiting for your class, there is still a chance. Just make sure that you are communicating with a handful of other coaches and developing good options at other schools.

 

Focus on getting recruited, not college experience

At the end of the day, you’re trying to find the school that will provide you with a great college experience (golf is a part of that) that will set you up for success in the future in whatever career you choose.

But today, kids and their parents focus on committing early to limit stress, post on social media, and put a bumper sticker on their car. These things are nice, but if you put your focus here, you probably won’t make the decision that’s in your best interest long-term.

 

Unrealistic expectations 

Unrealistic expectations around the recruiting process is the primary reason why kids (and their parents) are looking at the wrong schools. The college golf recruiting process has gotten so competitive. It’s important to take the time to learn what it takes to get recruited, not just how your current scores match up with college scores.

I also see kids and their parents with unrealistic expectations around athletic scholarships, academics, and the experience of playing golf in college. Take the time to learn about the experience of playing golf in college, and listen to the experts when they try to help you.

 

Too much focus on rankings and leaderboards

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot you can learn from Junior Golf Scoreboard. But at the end of the day, focusing on what other people are doing is often a big waste of time. The more you can learn to focus on your game and your process, and measure your progress against yourself, the more progress you will make in the long run, and the less stressed out you’ll be.

 

Not asking for honest feedback

It’s hard to hear honest feedback sometimes. If you ask a coach where you stand, you might not get the answer you want… but that’s better than not asking and ending up with no options. 

So many kids are afraid to hear the truth that they never ask where they stand with coaches. Vulnerability is essential. Take the time to ask and then really listen and learn what you need to improve to become a top prospect.

 

Parents are too involved

This is a huge red flag to a coach. In fact, anyone communicating with a coach on a prospect’s behalf can be a red flag. Coaches want to get to know their potential team members… not their parents.

Coaches want their team members to be mature, independent, and genuinely interested in their school. If a parent is communicating on their child’s behalf, coaches can’t gauge this.

 

Inappropriate social media presence

One way to get dropped by a coach in no time is to post something questionable on social media. I’m not saying don’t be on social media — it’s a great way to learn about college teams and for coaches to learn more about who you are — just be mindful of the image you are presenting and know that the internet isn’t as private as you think.

 

Conclusion

There you have it! For more information on how to navigate the recruiting process, check out my article for NextGen Golf with 11 Tips for a Successful College Golf Recruiting Process and review my article on the college golf recruiting timeline.