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"Golf… a young man’s vice and an old man’s penance." |
-Irvin S. Cobb |
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 "I wish everybody could have the experience of playing college golf, no matter what level," said Ted Gleason, whose Road to College Golf service is geared to help high school (and middle school) students play college golf. "The college experience is so much different than junior golf, and I think it's even better due to the fact that you've got 10 or 12 guys [or girls] there for the same reasons: to be competitive and enjoy that whole new experience of college life together." College golf tournaments can't challenge football or basketball for television ratings, but the sport certainly isn't losing popularity at that level. "Schools understand their donors want to play golf and want to be involved in golf. If these schools can get support for their golf programs and have a budget to travel and have golf facilities, then they can represent their universities in a very nice manner," Gleason said. "More programs are taking more stock in trying to put out a good product. And that's not only at the NCAA Division I level, that's at the Division II, Division III and NAIA levels." Looking for a college golf scholarship? Here's what you need to do: STUDY HARD Posting the best scores against the best junior competition is a great way to get noticed by college coaches. But those coaches could just as easily turn their backs if a student - regardless of talent - has a poor academic record. "You'd better be good academically, because no coach in today's world can afford to have an academic liability," said Gregg Grost, executive director of the Golf Coaches Association of America. One junior golf circuit has established an easy guideline to encourage scholastic success. To be a full-time participant on the Orange County-based Junior Amateur Golf Scholars (JAGS) Tour, a player must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in each semester of school. "If you couldn't maintain a 3.0 GPA in high school playing nine holes of golf two or three times a week for two months out of the year, then you'd have a very difficult time maintaining your academics and playing golf in college," said Cindy Warren, who runs JAGS with her husband, John. "That's why we set the standard very high." PLAY OFTEN Between studying, hanging out with friends and other commitments, teenagers are busier than ever. But those aspiring to play competitive golf beyond high school have to demonstrate the will and flexibility to fit as many tournament rounds into their schedules as possible. "You don't get any better in this sport on the sidelines," Grost said. "You need to have a body of work over a number of years that hopefully shows you're continuing to get better, so you see a steady upward trend as you get older and more mature." For those serious about playing college golf, that body of work should include at least some experience in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events. "Don't let anybody kid you differently - you need to play the AJGA," said Cindy Warren of JAGS. "And you need to score low there, because that's where you're going to get noticed more than any other tour." Because specific scoring thresholds aren't set in stone for each collegiate level, experience in the widest variety of situations – different tournament formats, course conditions, etc. – will enhance your profile. And while it's difficult for any other American junior tour to claim it has a stronger reputation than the AJGA, there are other viable options, some exclusively in Southern California (see list on page 44). KNOW THE GUIDELINES Even if you've got your academics in order and you're on your way to achieving your competitive goals, your path to a golf scholarship will stall without knowledge of the admission and scholarship guidelines for the schools in which you're interested. Because of Title IX, Division I schools can award up to six full scholarships for women's programs but only 4.5 for men. A similar correlation exists in Division II (5.4 for women, 3.6 for men), but in Division III, athletic scholarships don't exist, and schedules also differ from the two higher divisions. Don't feel bad if you're confused by the decimals. It's rare to get a full-ride scholarship in golf, so many schools often award partial scholarships. USE THE INTERNET As the junior golf landscape becomes more competitive, the Internet can help students and their families take advantage of the resources in that area to prepare for college. "The Internet is a valuable resource because you can get as much information as you want," Gleason said. "Kids need to get a really good sense of where they're at [competitively] and do their research, and the Internet has created a great opportunity to do that." If college websites don't have the information you want, request it. But be aware that college coaches face certain restrictions on initiating contact with recruits. Of all the sites that exist relating to golf scholarships, here are four essential bookmarks: • PING American College Golf Guide (collegegolf.com): The site has vitals for every four- and two-year intercollegiate golf program in the United States. • Golfstat (golfstat.com): The site tracks tournament data for every college so prospective players have an idea of what it takes to compete at a certain program or level. • NCAA (ncaa.org): Everything you need to know for competing at the NCAA level, including facts on college life, costs and eligibility. • Junior Golf Scoreboard (juniorgolfscoreboard.com): A comprehensive site for national junior tournament schedules and other pertinent data, such as individual rankings. MARKET YOURSELF A regularly updated résumé, complete with tournament experience, academic information and relevant extracurricular achievements, is a great tool to help coaches quickly learn more about you. Many online services and individuals exist to help compile a résumé, and parents can help too, but those methods aren't required. "I think the coaches would rather see it coming from the kids because it shows initiative," Grost said. Don't be bashful when it comes to sending your résumé to coaches, because it's important to give yourself as many options as possible. BE CONSISTENT There is no magic scoring average for playing Division I golf. But if there's a general trend coaches would like to see in prospective players, it's consistency. "If you're shooting 38-38-38-38, you have a great chance of playing somewhere," said Jacqui Nicoletti-McSorley, who co-wrote "Golf Guide for Parents and Players" with Sycuan Resort PGA director of golf Johnny Gonzales. "It's harder for the guy that shoots 34-43-34-45. A college coach is going to wonder, 'Which kid will show up?'" To obtain consistent results as a junior, Gonzales thinks it comes down to a consistent practice routine and regular work with an instructor. "If you stay consistent with a coach instead of jumping all over the place, you're usually going to be more successful," he said. "It can't be, 'Let's take a lesson today and come back in four months.' Parents and juniors have to be committed to excel." BE PASSIONATE If you're even thinking of playing golf in college, you've likely invested a substantial amount of emotion and energy into your game. You'll need even more if you want to keep competing in college, so make sure you love the game before taking that step. "I want to see kids that want to play a lot because they have a hunger for it," Grost said. This is an especially important element for parents, who should monitor their child's interest in golf and make sure any desire for a scholarship fits his or her personal makeup. But it all comes back to the junior. "If you're doing it for any other reason than because you love it, you're not going to go very far," Gleason said. BE BALANCED Juniors who want to play college golf should try their best to get a scholarship as long as it doesn't distort their values, sportsmanship or other pursuits. "Coaches like to see kids who are well- rounded," McSorley said. "They look at attitude: entitlement issues, kids who are spoiled, and those who think they're better than they really are." Parents should make sure golf isn't too dominant. Many advantages can be obtained from a college golf scholarship, but golf is still just a game. "That whole puberty thing really runs havoc. You never know what you're going to get on the other side," McSorley said. "Get into discovering your kid's personality. In the end, it really doesn't matter if you shoot 82, 92 or 72: I still love you." Besides well-balanced character, it doesn't hurt to supplement golf with other sports since it breeds familiarity in other competitive environments and usually illustrates attention to fitness. BE PROACTIVE Attaining a college golf scholarship isn't possible without personal drive. Students have to be willing to do hours of research on potential schools, and should also devote significant time to contacting coaches. "You can't wait for coaches to contact you. Put yourself on their radar," Gonzales said. Ideally, parents have to be willing to accommodate their children if they want to visit a campus or play in a tournament. Financial and emotional support are important, but too much support could backfire. "Parents need to provide guidance and support. They have to understand that there's an investment involved and they have to live with it," Grost said. "For those coming into college that never do anything for themselves, the first time they have a roadblock, they don't know how to handle it." BE REALISTIC Of all the traits to possess during the college golf scholarship process, this might be the most important. This is geared first toward students, but parents must share it as well. "The ultimate goal is to get a college education and experience college," Grost said. "You've got to be realistic of what your abilities are. Playing golf on a Division II school is not an insult: It's a great opportunity to experience something you wouldn't otherwise get to do. But parents and kids get so fixated on Stanford, Oklahoma State and others that they don't see the forest for the trees." The sooner you assess your skills and have an understanding of what's possible, the more efficiently you can go through the process. Aspire to your dream school, but don't end your dream of college golf if that school is out of reach. Give yourself enough options. "Whether you go to UCLA or an NAIA program, it doesn't matter," Gleason said. "If it fits where you are academically and in golf, you can have a great experience and build skill sets that will help you the rest of your life." |
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