“The Business of Birdies: What NCAA Policy Changes Mean for College Golf”

The Summer That Changed College Sports

The summer of 2025 marked a historic turning point in college athletics. In June of 2025, the House v. NCAA lawsuit reached a final settlement, allowing U.S. universities— for the first time ever— to directly share athletic revenue with their student-athletes.

The case was led by Grant House, a former Arizona State swimmer, along with other athletes who challenged the NCAA’s long-standing restrictions on compensation. Their argument was straightforward: rules limiting earnings from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and prohibiting direct pay were anticompetitive.

The result? A complete shift in the financial model of college sports.

From Amateurism to Direct Pay

Beginning in the 2025–26 academic year, Division I schools that opted into the settlement may now share up to $20.5 million annually with their athletes. That figure represents roughly 22% of average athletic department revenue and will increase by approximately 4% each year.

Historically, the “Power 5” referred to the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC—the most financially dominant conferences in Division I. Following conference realignment, the Pac-12 has dissolved, leaving what many now call the “Power 4.” These schools drive most of the revenue in college athletics with their football and basketball programs.

On the surface, revenue sharing formalizes an earning pathway that makes college sports look far more like professional leagues. For many athletes, that’s a major win.

But for Olympic sports like golf—programs that already operate on leaner budgets—the picture is more complicated.

Golf in a Football and Basketball Economy

While all athletes at opt-in schools are eligible for revenue sharing, football and men’s basketball are expected to receive the overwhelming majority—potentially more than 90% of distributed funds. These are the sports that generate revenue, and athletic departments will budget accordingly.

College golf, by contrast, is a non-revenue sport at nearly every NCAA institution. Programs rely heavily on university funding, alumni donations, and private sponsorships. Even elite programs such as Oklahoma State, Arizona State, and Florida rarely operate at a financial surplus.

With schools now responsible for up to $20.5 million in revenue-sharing obligations, athletic departments will need to rebalance budgets.

For golf, that could mean:

·       Uncertain scholarship funding – Well-funded programs may increase scholarships, while others reduce them, widening the gap in competitive balance.

·       Smaller rosters and heightened competition – Coaches will be forced to be more selective.

·       The decline of the walk-on pathway – Fewer opportunities for late bloomers and under-the-radar players.

·       Modest revenue-share payments – Likely small compared to football and basketball distributions.

·       Increased compliance complexity – NIL Go oversight and additional administrative layers.

·       Reduced travel budgets – Fewer national events and more regional competition. less trips for winter practice or to Hawaii or Puerto Rico for competitions and more teams traveling regionally.

·       Fewer individual tournament opportunities – Limited depth participation.

·       In extreme cases, potential program cuts.

So What Has Actually Changed in College Golf?

1. Roster Limits Replace Scholarship Caps

Previous scholarship caps (4.5 for men, 6 for women) have been eliminated. Instead, teams are limited to nine rostered players (eight in the SEC). In theory, all nine could receive full scholarships—though actual funding will vary by institution.

This is a dramatic structural shift. For the first time, schools may fully fund up to 9 scholarship players. Whether they choose to is another discussion (the Top30 programs will likely see their funding increase).

2. Walk-Ons Face a New Reality

With roster caps in place, traditional walk-on opportunities are shrinking. Programs that once allowed developmental players or legacy recruits to grow into contributors in the starting lineup may no longer have that flexibility. This represents a significant cultural shift in college golf.

3. Revenue Sharing Arrives (Modestly)

Although golf will not command a large portion of revenue pools, players may receive modest payments—often a few thousand dollars annually, depending on institutional revenue. These payments are in addition to scholarships and traditional NIL opportunities.

4. NIL Oversight Expands

All NIL agreements exceeding $600 must now pass through the NIL Go clearinghouse for fair-market validation. While this increases transparency, it also introduces additional administrative steps for athletes and schools. 

What This Means for Aspiring College Golfers

For junior golfers pursuing NCAA opportunities, the recruiting landscape has shifted.

The upside:

·       Direct revenue sharing is now possible.

·       NIL opportunities remain viable.

·       Scholarship flexibility technically increases.

The challenge:

·       Golf will only receive a small percentage of the overall revenue pool.

·       Roster caps mean fewer total spots.

·       Coaches are taking fewer developmental “flyers.”

Future recruits should:

·       Prioritize schools with a demonstrated commitment to golf.

·       Ask how revenue sharing will be distributed within the athletic department.

• By sport revenues? per-athlete flat rate? academic incentives?

·       Explore golf-specific NIL partnerships and local sponsorships.

·       Consider Division II, NAIA, or international pathways where funding distribution may be more balanced.

What are Coaches Saying

“The roster cap has certainly made recruiting more selective. It is only a few less players than many programs were carrying previously, but those 2 or 3 less spots make a difference. You really need to bring in freshmen now who have a good possibility of making an impact early for your program. It is harder to take a flyer on a more developed player who might not be able to help for a few years.”  - Matt Davidson, Head Coach, Furman University

“The new Division I model makes recruiting more selective. That creates opportunity at the Division II level. Programs committed to investing in golf can attract high-level players who want a real role, real development, and a chance to compete for championships. This is a moment for Division II to keep closing the gap.” -Bryson Worley, Head Coach, University of North Georgia (D2)

Coaches will have to make tough decisions on how they spend their athletic budget dollars. We will have to decide if we spend it on a trackman, a winter trip, or do we double down on 2-3 guys with revenue share money and then take a few walk-ons” – Trake Carpenter, Head Coach, Nevada Men’s Golf

“I just see a loss of opportunity in Division I for someone who might be just 6 months or a year away from having their competitive breakout.  Prospects need to keep an open mind to all schools/divisions if golf is one of their goals for college.  I believe you should still pick a school you would attend if golf was not part of the equation. Your degree is going to pay many more dividends than any NIL or rev share. School pride and being a part of building a program seems like it’s going to be a rarity.  If a player has success in Division III or a mid-major, there is this temptation to want to jump to the P4.  I would love to see players and coaches remain loyal to each other for the 4-year experience. There’s a lot to be said for creating a bond with your teammates, believing in your process, and watching your team evolve over time.  It’s hard to build a roster if you are uncertain about who might be leaving your team early for the portal.” – Adam Decker, Head Coach, Richmond Men’s Golf

The Bottom Line

The House v. NCAA settlement represents a historic shift in college athletics. It empowers athletes and modernizes compensation structures—but it also intensifies financial pressure on non-revenue sports.

For college golf programs, survival won’t be automatic. Investment decisions will vary by institution. The programs that thrive will be those whose universities view golf as a core sport—not an expendable one.

In recruiting, the impact is already clear: smaller rosters, increased selectivity, and fewer developmental opportunities. The margin for error is shrinking. Coaches will be more selective with who they decide to recruit and are taking fewer “fliers” on legacy recruits and “high ceiling” players.

For athletes and families, a proper recruiting strategy matters more than ever.
And for coaches, every roster decision carries more weight.

In this new era, fit and long-term program investment matter more than logo & notoriety.

Thanks for reading, 

Michael J. Smith

Founder, ForeCollegeGolf

ForeCollegeGolf is a college placement and recruiting business where Mike aims to apply his background in competitive golf and recruiting education to help educate players, their families, and coaches about the college recruiting process.

If you have any questions about the article above, any feedback, an article idea you would like to provide; you can contact us at mike.smith@forecollegegolf.com or www.ForeCollegeGolf.com

Copyright @ – 2026 – ForeCollegeGolf or Golf Excellence LLC

Tournament Scheduling in Junior Golf

Tournament Scheduling in Junior Golf

 ForeCollegeGolf 14min Video - WATCH HERE

For many players and families, tournament scheduling can be one of the most daunting, confusing, and overwhelming tasks to navigate. Junior golf is unique compared to college or pro golf because players have the autonomy to schedule their own events, travel individually (without a team or a caddy), and experience new challenges and learning opportunities around every corner.

With this article, our aim is to guide families, like yours, toward making the right considerations and ultimately the right decisions, on how to approach setting up your tournament schedule.

At ForeCollegeGolf, we ask our players to understand that tournament scheduling is much more than just signing up for events, tournament scheduling is inherently cyclical.

At FCG, we believe the stages of tournament scheduling are:

·      Plan - look ahead & take ownership

·      Prepare - ready your skillset for tournaments

·      Execute – perform & be excellent

·      Evaluate - reflect on past performance

Now, let's break down each stage.

Planning Stage

·      Start early! I see too many juniors who sign up late or hesitate leading up to an event because of the weather, course setup, playing partners or just their overall readiness. If you commit to an event, commit early, and commit 100%.

o   Most AJGA and other larger national events require you to sign up 4-6 weeks in advance, some invitationals even earlier. As a general rule, players should update their upcoming tournament schedules every 3mo (quarterly) and plan ahead and apply to tournaments.

·      Find your Balance – every schedule should include “Hard, Medium, and Easy” events to supplement the player and their development. Most juniors should aim to play a balanced schedule of 10-15 ranked events per year, not including qualifiers or HS golf. This is dependent on location, weather, and player preference, past history, where they want to be recruited. It’s very typical for a Freshman or Sophomore to play more often but play more locally, whereas, upperclassmen in their Junior or Senior years typically play less often but travel farther and play more national events or events near where they want to be recruited.  

o   Hard events – your “Majors”, these are events where there are many players at or above your skill level. If you win people will say, “Who is that guy?”

o   Medium events – your “Challenges”, these are events where there are a mix of players above/below your skill level. If you win, people will say, “I'm not surprised he won, he's been here before”

o   Easy events – your “Confidence builders”, these are events where you may be the best player in the field. If you win people will say, “He should have won, I’m not surprised”.

o   Note: Players should prioritize a balanced schedule to allow for periodic developmental growth. At the elite level, there may be instances where events overlap, and players will need to “double book” their schedules because some events, like elite invitationals, do not guarantee entry.

·      “Climb the developmental ladder” – “don’t skip rungs of the ladder”. Meaning, if you haven’t had a Top5 at the local level yet, don’t set a goal to Top5 at your next regional event, OR if you’ve recently won a regional event, don’t set an expectation to win your next national event, be honest with yourself & set expectations accordingly. Continuous growth and development is king.

·      Play where you want to be recruited – For example, if you want to play college golf in the Southeast, play tournaments in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.  

·      Cold-Weather Exception – If you’re in a cold-weather climate, give yourself 1 month after your home course reopens before you play in tournament competition. Also, don’t play tournaments in December or January; the weather is statistically poor, and NCAA D1 College Coaches can’t recruit off-campus during December**. Use this time to build and develop your swing, get a club fitting, or make major changes. (*2018 NCAA bylaw revision)

Preparation Stage –

·      Keep your schedule visible! – as the saying goes, “ink it, don’t just think it”, or in other words, put your schedule somewhere you can see it on a regular basis like your bedroom mirror or the refrigerator in your kitchen.

·      Prepare like a PRO - Remember, your schedule should determine how you practice and how you practice determines how you ultimately perform!

o   When periodizing practice, make sure to differentiate between technical, skill and performance practice days and be cognizant of when you need to work on certain aspects of your game.

·      Course Prep - utilize tools like Google Maps/Earth, Blue Golf or other apps to map out courses, targets, club selections, and strategy beforehand.

·      Play AT LEAST one practice round - and no, it’s not a cardinal sin to keep score in practice rounds, but keep an honest perspective, nothing counts until your 1st Tee shot.

·      Keep a “Growth-Mindset” – continue growing and adding to your developmental skillset each and every day. If you continue adding layers to your armor, it’s only going to get stronger and stronger over time to the point where it becomes impenetrable.

Execution Stage – “Go, Be Excellent!”

·      Be YOU- Play to your Strengths, know your game plan, and stay true to your identity. Be confident & take pride in who you are & all the hard work you’ve put in.

·      “Play” freely – do your best to minimize expectations, outside distractions, and negative emotions.

·      Be decisive & stay aggressive - The best players in the world have conviction in their decisions & make aggressive swings to small, conservative targets.

Evaluation Stage -

·      Evaluate your past performance(s) –vocalize and take ownership of the good and the bad. I always ask my players 3 questions…

o   What did you do well?

o   What could you have done better?

o   What will you do differently next time?

·      Track your Stats – many players make the mistake of keeping bad stats (fwrys, GIR, putts) or not keeping stats at all. Utilize a “strokes-gained” stats app, like UpGame or ShotbyShot, or DECADE, to input your stats after each round. If you stay disciplined, once you have a 20-30 round sample size this data can be used to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, which can be helpful to plan practice and strategize on-course.

·      Ask necessary Q’s

o   How will I schedule differently going forward?

o   Was the level of events appropriate compared to my skill level?

o   Did I play too often or not enough?

o   Did I give myself enough time for rest/recovery?

o   Were there any events that I couldn’t handle or where I was overly stressed?

o   Did I see any recognizable patterns in my game? Did these match my stats?

o   Going forward, is my focus to play for experience or exposure?

Now that you’ve gone through the tournament scheduling cycle, you should be able to assess and modify your approach from event to event.

Best of luck in your upcoming events!

Michael J. Smith - President, ForeCollegeGolf

Parents Role During Campus Visits

As a parent during a college visit your objective is to support your junior golfer along the way and to make a positive impression on the coach, have fun and continue the recruiting process. Campus visits (unofficial or official) are valuable opportunities for prospective student-athletes to make a positive impression with the coaching staff, members of the team, trainers, and academic support staff.  

Taking steps to prepare your junior golfer to approach these personal meetings in the most effective way can heighten the interest of a coach and potentially improve your position on a particular coach’s recruiting list. 

Many Coaches have explained to me, the best campus visits are when the athletes take “center stage” and parents take a secondary yet supportive role.  

Here are some suggestions to prepare for a successful campus visit:  

• Research the program – Before meeting with a college coach, encourage your junior golfer to research the school and golf program online. Coaches want to feel that your junior golfer has taken time to learn about their background, the golf program, and the school’s academic offerings. Most information can be found relatively easily by typing in the ‘School Name’, followed by ‘Golf Program’ using a google search. Team websites include an abundance of information including coach bios, team rosters, schedules, past results, pictures of the facilities, recruiting questionnaires, and sometimes even player interviews.  

• Schedule the visit – contact the coaching staff to confirm the date of your visit and set an agenda for the visit with the Coaching staff in advance! In most cases, it’s customary to schedule a guided tour of campus or an info session before meeting with the coaching staff, to explore the campus on your own, and learn more about admissions, academic programs, and the overall campus culture.  

• Dress for success – Having a “clean-cut” professional appearance is crucial when making a first impression. Before leaving for the visit, tell your junior golfer to wear nice golf apparel (business casual) and to be properly dressed. 

• Organize questions & take notes – Help prepare your junior golfer with insightful questions he/she should ask. These questions should cover a range of topics such as team practice, qualifying, academic support, and the coach’s current recruiting status (for your junior golfer’s graduating class). Coaches will expect your junior golfer to ask questions, so prepare them beforehand and make sure to take notes during each visit.  

• Prepare for questions that the coach may ask – Coaches will want to know about your junior golfer’s academic/athletic goals, strengths and weaknesses, practice strategies, and overall plan for long-term development. Help your junior golfer prepare for these questions and make sure they’re comfortable and confident answering them. This will show the coach that a detailed plan has been thought out. 

• Allow your junior golfer to take center stage – Be sure he/she understands the importance of showing initiative, and enthusiasm, and that they are independent during the visit. Confidently leading the introductions and conversation with the coach are a few key ways for your junior golfer to accomplish this goal. 

• Support don’t initiate – Throughout the campus visit, parents should never dictate the conversation, but should simply make comments or ask questions for clarification. 

• Give “one-on-one” time – If a campus visit with a coach lasts for more than an hour, parents should excuse themselves for a brief period to give their junior golfer some one-on-one time with the coach. During this time, take your own tour of the campus and leave your son/daughter with the coach.  

• Be authentic – Coaches are not expecting perfection during campus visits, they simply want to get to know the player and their family, all in the course of a few hours... Coaches are most interested in meeting your son/daughter’s true self, hearing about their failures and triumphs, and learning more about your family dynamic. 

• Assist with final remarks and "next steps”– At the end of a visit, parents are encouraged to certainly ask a coach any remaining questions that their son/daughter may not have asked. However, at the end of the visit, be sure to have your son or daughter ask "Coach, what’s the next step?”. 

• Show appreciation– Remind your junior golfer to show his appreciation for the coach’s time and interest by thanking them before leaving campus and writing the coach a handwritten thank you note can be a nice “old school” touch as well. 

The recruiting landscape is becoming more and more competitive each year. Properly handled campus visits can definitely help strengthen your son/daughter’s position as a prospective student-athlete. Campus visits are a great way to put your “boots on the ground”, meet Coaches, team members, and staff in person and begin to narrow down your options during the recruiting process.  

Best of luck on the recruiting trail!  

Mike Smith

Mike is the Founder & CEO of ForeCollegeGolf and specializes in guiding junior golfers & their families through the college recruiting process. Email him @ mike.smith@forecollegegolf.com

#campusvisits #collegegolf #collegeplacement #collegeadvisors #collegerecruiting #collegegolfhelp #recruitinghelp #recruitingservices #Collegegolfcoaches #collegecoaches #ncaagolf #ncaarules

Junior Golf Recruiting Timeline

In a very competitive world of junior golf, there seems to be much confusion and frustration hovering around the question; When is the “right time”? The right time, however, is subjective to each and every player. For some players, it might make sense to start taking visits to Power 5 conference schools (SEC, ACC, Big10, Pac12, Big12) during their freshman year. Other players, for example, might not start the basics of the process, like organizing a list of schools to reach out to, until their sophomore year or possibly even later.

This article will help you understand how to stay ahead of the recruiting curve at every stage of the game. We outline the complexities of the recruiting process vividly and give you insight into how to tackle the process in the most efficient ways possible.

First, we will take you through the NCAA Rules and Regulations as they pertain to your recruiting year. Then, we’ll touch on a few focus points you should be aware of each year in the process. Finally, we’ll bring it all full circle and help you understand if you’re ahead, on pace, or behind where you should be in the recruiting process. At the end of this article, you should be equipped with the tools and knowledge to put together a “to-do” list for yourself to understand your current position.

Key Terms

• PSA: (Prospective Student-Athlete) You are considered a PSA at the start of 9th Grade classes

• Contact: A contact happens any time a college coach says more than hello during a face-to-face meeting with you or your parents off the college’s campus.

• Dead Period: A college coach may not have any face-to-face contact with a recruit/player or his/her parents on or off the college campus at any time during a dead period. However, a coach may write and call a recruit/player during a dead period.

• Evaluation: An evaluation takes place when a college coach observes you practicing or competing.

• Official visit: During an official visit, the college can pay for transportation to and from the college for you, lodging and meals (Division I allows for up to three meals per day) for you and your parents or guardians, as well as reasonable entertainment expenses, including up to six complimentary admissions to a Division I home sports event or five complimentary admissions to a Division II home sports event. Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you must provide the college with a copy of your high school transcript and register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• Recruited: If a college coach calls a player/recruit more than once, contacts them off campus, pays their expenses to visit the campus, or in Divisions I and II, issues a National Letter of Intent or a written offer of financial aid, then the player/recruit is considered to be recruited.

• Unofficial visit: An unofficial visit is a “trip” taken by the recruit/player and his/her parents to a college campus. All unofficial visits are funded by the recruit/player. The college and/or coach may not pay for any expenses (except to provide complimentary admissions to campus athletic events). We encourage ForeCollegeGolf clients/players to make as many unofficial visits as they can and to take those visits at any time during the recruiting process.

• Verbal commitment: A verbal commitment takes place when a player verbally agrees to play for a coach before he/she is eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent. The commitment is between player and coach not necessarily between player and college/university.

• NLI: National Letter of Intent, legally binding contract signed by a student-athlete verifying commitment to an NCAA institution. Once signed, other coaches cannot recruit the player.

• Preferred Walk-on: A recruit who does not receive a scholarship, but who is placed on the team roster as a full-time student-athlete just like the scholarship athletes.

• Personal Marketing Plan: your personal marketing plan is made up of a few components you will be utilizing during your college recruiting process. Traditionally, the marketing plan is composed of a resume, a bio, an introduction letter and a swing video.

Freshman Year

Many student-athletes make the mistake of not preparing for the recruiting process during their freshman and sophomore years. Personally, I encounter far too many families that come to me during the PSA’s junior (or even senior) year expecting to get their college recruiting process started. Many act as if they haven’t missed out on any opportunities and will be just fine beginning the process during the latter half of high school. Unfortunately for many, it doesn’t work out that way and their initial thought process about being “ok” couldn’t be farther from the truth. If you are a freshman or a sophomore, now is the time to get started!

Below is a checklist for you to follow throughout your freshman year. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Mike Smith at ForeCollegeGolf.

Academic

• Make an appointment with your guidance counselor to ensure you will fulfill all NCAA and NAIA requirements by the time you graduate.

• Take honors/AP courses, but only if you can maintain a high GPA and continue to do well in the classroom.

• Take note of next year’s dates for the PSAT and Pre-ACT so you can start preparing. Look into Standardized Test tutors/specialists if you need extra help.

Athletic

• Start contacting college coaches - send them your marketing plan (introduction letter, swing video, and resume/bio) – because this is your first year in high school, you don’t necessarily need to send them a resume or swing video yet – but your goal here is to have them put you on their mailing list and send you materials such as a recruiting questionnaire and information about their golf program.

• Play in bigger events, don’t rely on HS golf - If you are not currently playing in regionally or nationally ranked tournaments, make it a point to sign up for some – ultimately in the college golf world, many coaches will not recruit you based off of high-school athletics alone. Coaches like to see you becoming as competitive as possible and gaining as much tournament experience as possible throughout your time as a PSA*. Besides, playing tournaments year-round will help your skill level, keep you in golf shape, and provide coaches with more statistics to evaluate you.

• Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses – Look for in-depth statistical analysis where you need improvement in your sport and identify your opportunities and threats.

• Attend a few college golf tournaments - While attending events, look into the talent level of the players, player/coach relationships, and the overall atmosphere at the event. You can search for college events near you using GolfStat.com.

• Start recording your tournament finishes - from each and every event you play in. Soon you will be sending coaches “update emails” about your recent finishes and details about how you played.

• Plan “unofficial” college visits – it is never too early to start visiting different campuses to see what type of school environment you are most attracted to. Eventually, this initial information you gather will assist you with determining what your “best-fit” school looks like.

Other Thoughts

• Put Together a Family Budget - for recruiting. Include travel expenses and them time and resources you will have to use to gain exposure to college coaches.

• Google Search – Do a quick Google Search for your name, hometown and maybe even include the word golf if you have a common name (ex. Mike Smith) Do this to make sure that all references, images, and videos on the internet portray you in a respectful manner. *Social Media is the most readily available and accessible medium on the internet today which makes it extremely easy for athletic department officials and college golf coaches to find information on you. Understand that even though you might not think your posts on sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat can be seen by coaches, there is someone out there watching. My #1 Rule is if you wouldn’t show it to your mother or grandmother, don’t post it online.

• Review the NCAA/NAIA Rules and Regulations (Guidebook for the College Bound Student-Athlete).

• Set Goals & Learn your “why” - Set personal, academic and athletic goals while constantly tracking your progress.

• Be Realistic – keep your expectations in check and don’t reach out to schools far beyond your athletic or academic abilities.

• Use Your Resources – NCAA Guide to becoming a Student-Athlete 2017, Junior Golf Scoreboard, PING College Golf Guide, AJGA U, GolfStat.com

Sophomore Year

Your sophomore year is the best time to start contacting coaches and being aggressive in the recruiting process. It’s important to understand that the recruiting process isn’t something that happens overnight. Most often, the players and families that are proactively patient are the most successful during the process. At this point, you should have one year of high school athletics under your belt and hopefully a few years of local, regional or national competition. That being said, you should have a good grasp for what tournament golf is all about and a good starting point from a competition standpoint to strike up an initial conversation with coaches.

By Sophomore Year, you should have already accomplished the following:

• Played 4 or more nationally ranked events in the past calendar year.

• Started contacting college coaches by sending them introduction letter and pieces of your personal marketing plan (see above).

• Spoken with a guidance counselor to ensure you will fulfill all NCAA and NAIA requirements by the time you graduate. If you are behind in classes, make arrangements to make-up classes in summer school or possibly even at a local junior college.

• Started to build upon your marketing plan by creating a recruiting email address. (ex. MikeSmith2021@gmail.com, or Mikesmithgolf@gmail.com)

• Looked into taking honors/AP courses, but only if you can maintain a high GPA.

• Attended a least one college golf tournament and evaluated the talent gap between you and college athletes and started to understand how college coach/player relationships work.

• Planned “unofficial” college visits – it is never too early to start visiting different campuses to see what type of environment you are most attracted to.

• Reviewed the NCAA/NAIA Rules and Regulations (see Resources)

Academic

• Take the PSAT and/or Pre-ACT – Take these pre-tests seriously. You should gain some insight while taking the tests as to which test might fit you better and which test you feel more comfortable with.

• Register with the NCAA/NAIA Eligibility Centers – get your name in their system early. Simply sign-up and enter your personal information Sophomore Year.

• Look at next year’s dates for the SAT and ACT so you can start preparing – it’s best to take these exams in your junior year so that if you are not satisfied with your score or you need a higher score to gain admission to a school of interest you can have a chance to retake it your senior year.

Athletic

• Record a swing video – you might even consider adding a personal interview or an additional section to the video. Most times these video files are too large for an email or regular electronic communication so I would suggest uploading this video online to a platform like YouTube for easy viewing, and then include the link to each component of your Personal Marketing Plan (resume, swing video and intro letter).

• Start contacting college coaches – by sending your personal marketing plan via email.

• Get comfortable speaking with college coaches - To get ahead of the curve, begin to make a few follow-up phone calls to a few of the coaches you send emails to. You can also “role play” with your friends, parents, or a college recruiting consultant like Mike from ForeCollegeGolf. *Note: D1 Coaches aren’t allowed to respond to your phone calls until June 15th after your Sophomore Year.

Other Thoughts

• Reach out - to friends/acquaintances that are former/current college golfers and ask questions relevant to college golf and the recruiting process. Seek help and ask questions.

• Be a good role model – Coaches are seeking leaders for their golf programs. It’s important that you learn to become a self-confident individual if you want to impress coaches. Be someone who makes those around them better.

• Set Goals and Learn your “Why” - Set personal, academic and athletic goals while constantly tracking your progress

• Be realistic – keep your expectations in check and don’t reach out to schools far beyond your athletic or academic abilities.

Junior Year

Your junior year is the most important in the recruiting process, both academically and athletically. This is when coaches expect you to peak athletically during high school, and it is extremely important to perform at a high level both on the golf course and in the classroom. Make sure you are narrowing down your schools of interest so you can start your senior year booking “official” recruiting trips (if possible) and talking seriously to coaches. Speaking deliberately, with specific intentions will go a long way in the recruiting process.

By Junior Year, you should have already completed the following:

• Been practicing how to speak with coaches – doing things like role-playing, making introduction phone calls or just practicing your communication skills at home.

• Taken the PSAT and or Pre-ACT. Been preparing for the SAT and or ACT exams.

• Registered for NCAA/NAIA Eligibility Centers.

• Planned “unofficial” college visits – it is never too early to start visiting different campuses to see what type of environment you are most attracted to.

• Attended a least one college golf tournament and evaluated the talent gap between you and college athletes and started to understand how college coach/player relationships work.

Academic

• Be aware of all NCAA/NAIA rules - regarding coach contact/interaction. (See Recruiting 101)

• Decide what schools are at the top of your list - and most attractive to you. Then add schools to the list that are actively recruiting you.

• Gather important dates - for the application process for the schools you are most interested in.

• Take the ACT/SAT

Athletic

• Continue to play in nationally ranked tournaments – Junior Year, again, is the most important year of the recruiting process and you will likely gain the most exposure to coaches during this time. Because of this, it is recommended that you pick your tournaments wisely. Play in events where you’ve played well before, play events where you are most comfortable, play events that will improve your ranking and give you the most face-to-face exposure to college coaches.

• Update your Personal Marketing Plan – with changes to your resume and swing video.

• Edit and update your School Database – make necessary changes to stay organized and up to date.

• Continue communication with college coaches – who you’ve already been speaking with and keep expressing your continued interest in their school/program.

Other Thoughts

• Be open, honest and vulnerable with Coaches - they want to hear your weaknesses and struggles so don’t think about achieving perfection.

• Keep building relationships with coaches - don’t expect to receive scholarship offers right away. Put genuine relationships first and everything else will fall into place.

• Be a good role model – coaches are looking for high character individuals.

Senior Year

Your senior year is a balancing act between finishing out your playing career strong and preparing yourself for college. You will need to prioritize your time in making sure all steps are being taken to speak to coaches and keep up with your grades and athletics.

By Senior Year, you should have already completed the following:

• Be speaking regularly with coaches– calling coaches weekly and building relationships

• Do necessary recruiting activities to progress the recruiting process and find your “best-fit” school - be proactive by sending emails, make follow-up phone calls and take a few unofficial visits to schools of interest.

• Taken the SAT and or ACT exams. Make necessary adjustments and reach out for help if necessary.

• Registered for NCAA/NAIA Eligibility Centers.

• Gathered important dates for the application process for the schools you are most interested in.

• Been aware of all NCAA/NAIA rules regarding coach contact/interaction.

Academic

• Retake SAT/ACT – if you are not satisfied with your score.

• GPA – keep your high-school grades up and stay focused in the classroom. Many Universities will require you maintain a certain minimum GPA during your senior year in order to be accepted as a Freshman college student.

• Consider looking into financial aid – the average scholarship in Division I Men’s Golf is only 45%. Understand that full scholarships are not guaranteed and ask admissions department officials or college coaches to look into whether you qualify for an academic scholarship.

• Apply to schools/universities of interest – keep a close eye on admissions deadlines and make sure you have the required documents to apply.

Athletic

• Send info to Coaches - If you haven’t already verbally committed, send your updated personal marketing plan to interested coaches and start discussing the details of potential scholarship offers.

• Signing Day – Be aware of dates for NLI Signing Day. Understand that there are the Early (1 week in Nov) & Regular (Mar-Aug) signing periods and ask your Coach.

• Begin to build relationships - with the student-athletes on teams of interest

• Take visits! - as a PSA you are allowed to take (5) official visits Senior Year, and an UNLIMITED amount of unofficial visits. Normally the official visits will be offered if you are heavily recruited or if you have already committed to a college or university.

Other Thoughts

• Talk with each genuinely interested coach about verbally committing and eventually signing the NLI (National Letter of Intent)

• Determine your best-fit school

• Negotiate scholarship money

• Verbally commit to a university

• Thank the coaches at the schools you visited but decided not to attend and notify them of your decision

• Sign NLI – www.nationalletter.org

• Set a competitive summer schedule to prepare yourself for college golf. Keep your edge!

Mike Smith is the Founder & CEO of ForeCollegeGolf and specializes in assisting junior golfers & their families through the college recruiting process. If you have any questions about the material provided above please email him @ mike.smith@forecollegegolf.com