HOW TO GUARANTEE SUCCESS IN COLLEGE RECRUITING

There Is A Place For You To Play College Golf If You Follow These Three Steps

By Dr. Katie Brophy Miles

1. Start with a large list of schools

Many families are surprised to learn that I recommend that their son or daughter should reach out to 50-60 schools to begin with. Depending on when they start the recruiting process, this recommended number could be smaller or larger. It’s important to realize that coaches are looking for players who will be a good fit for their programs and contribute right away so they will likely prioritize getting back to players who are shooting the numbers to replace the players in their lineup (top 5-6 players) right now.

2. Be realistic about the types of programs you can play for

Coaches are evaluated year-to-year on their team’s performance. Some coaches are in more pressure-filled positions than others; however, most coaches want to put together successful teams. In golf, success is measured, in large part, by numbers - low numbers to be exact.

At top-25 and even top-50 programs, a team’s lack of performance can mean that a coach will get fired. Just like in any profession, if a person is not doing their job, there will be consequences for their actions. Recruiting top talent that improves a team’s ranking is a vital component of what makes a team successful in the long term.

If you estimate that coaches will bring in two players each year, then a team ranked in the top-25 will be recruiting players who are somewhere in the top-50 in the world. Following that simple logic, a team ranked 100 would be recruiting players ranked in the top-200.

This is where I often find there to be a significant breakdown. Many junior golfers don’t have a realistic view of where their game is. They think of the best case scenario and how good they could be if they career it in every single tournament from this moment forward, and they don’t think through the reality of where their game is in the present moment. I try so hard to deliver this type of feedback gingerly; however, it gets harder and harder each year as players ranked somewhere around 4,000 tell me that they want to play at Stanford. That is not a reality, and Stanford didn’t recruit me either. I had a great college golf playing career, and I truly was not meant for Stanford anyway. But it was their loss.

If you are struggling with reality and want to contact coaches at schools that are above your head, then you should also send emails to coaches at lesser-ranked colleges. See who is responding to you and make strategic decisions from there.

3. Personalize coach communications and clearly express interest

Coaches love when junior golfers show that they are paying attention to their season and have genuine interest in the university at large. I love hearing back from students who get positive feedback from coaches saying that they were impressed by their research.

Conversely, sending mass emails to coaches or messing up an email by addressing it to the wrong coach or mentioning the wrong program can have detrimental effects in your relationship with them.

Be thorough about your golf and academic accomplishments, but don’t write them a novel. In a first or second email to a coach, assume that you need to capture their attention and will continue to build this relationship over time. If a coach does not respond to you, then take a step back and ask yourself if you would contribute to their program. If you can honestly answer yes, then send them a few more updates. Coaches like to see continued interest over time and won’t always respond back to someone after the first or second emails.

MAY 20-21, 2023

OCOTILLO GOLF CLUB, CHANDLER, AZ

Welcome players and parents to the 6th Annual FCG Arizona Championship at Ocotillo Golf Resort! FCG is excited to return to this beautiful venue. All players will be receiving a dozen Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls as well as other tee gifts for Future Champions Golf.

World Championship Qualifier - Top 2 of each age division will qualify for the prestigious FCG Callaway World Championship being held July.

Ocotillo Golf Resort adheres to the highest standards of course conditions and customer service, creating an incredible experience at what has become known as one of Arizona’s finest daily-fee facilities. Designed by Ted Robinson, Ocotillo Golf Resort opened in 1986 and is recognized as a Top 50 Resort by Golf World and a 4 1/2 star golf course by Golf Digest.

AUGUST 5-6, 2023