By Chris Smeal, PGA — Founder, Future Champions Golf
As we move into October and the heart of the fall golf season, I think this is a great time to talk about one of the subjects I get asked about more than almost anything else:
How do I start the college golf recruiting process?
For a lot of junior golfers and parents, recruiting can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of college golf programs, different divisions, different levels of play, academic requirements, tournament schedules, coaches to contact and a lot of information coming from different directions.
But the process does not need to be complicated.
The biggest thing I tell players is this:
Start early, get organized, be realistic about your current level and keep improving.
And today, players have tools available that make this process much easier than it was when I first started coaching junior golfers.
One of those tools is Campus, and I believe every junior golfer who has aspirations of playing college golf should start building their recruiting presence now.
Step 1: Build Your College Golf Profile
Before you start emailing dozens of coaches, you need somewhere to send them.
Your recruiting profile should become your golf resume.
That means having your basic information, graduation year, tournament results, scoring information, academics, swing video and other important information all organized in one place.
This is one of the reasons we built Campus.
Instead of having your scores in one place, videos somewhere else and academic information in another document, your Campus profile can become the central location for your recruiting journey.
And you don’t have to wait until you’re a great player to build it.
Build it now and let the profile grow with you.
Step 2: Start Researching Colleges
One of the biggest mistakes I see junior golfers make is focusing on only a handful of famous Division I programs.
There are tremendous opportunities throughout college golf.
Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college programs can all provide incredible experiences.
Start looking at schools based on more than golf.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want to study?
- Do I want a large school or a smaller school?
- What part of the country would I enjoy living in?
- What level of golf am I currently capable of playing?
- What level could I realistically reach over the next few years?
- Would I be happy at this school if golf disappeared tomorrow?
That last question is important.
You are choosing a college, not just a golf team.
Campus can help players research programs, save schools they’re interested in and begin building a list that makes sense for them.
Step 3: Understand Where Your Golf Game Fits
This can sometimes be the hardest part of recruiting.
Players naturally want to play at the highest level possible, but recruiting becomes much easier when you understand how your tournament scores compare with the players already competing for the programs you’re interested in.
Look at college tournament results.
Look at the scores being posted by the fourth and fifth players on the roster — not just the No. 1 player.
Then ask yourself:
Could my game compete here today?
If not, that’s okay.
Now you have a target.
Maybe you’re a freshman or sophomore and have several years to develop. Your list of schools today does not have to be your list two years from now.
Your game will change.
Your scores will change.
Your goals may change.
Your recruiting profile should evolve with you.
Step 4: Play a Tournament Schedule That Helps Coaches Evaluate You
College coaches want to see tournament golf.
They want to see how you perform over multiple rounds, against strong competition, on different golf courses and under pressure.
You don’t have to play every tournament available.
You need to build a schedule that gives you opportunities to develop and gives coaches meaningful results to evaluate.
At Future Champions Golf, one of our major goals has always been to create pathways for junior golfers to compete, develop and ultimately move on to college golf.
As you improve, challenge yourself with stronger fields, longer golf courses and multi-day events.
Your tournament schedule should tell the story of a player who is progressing.
Step 5: Start Communicating With Coaches
Don’t wait around hoping a college coach discovers you.
Be proactive.
Introduce yourself. Tell the coach why you’re interested in the school. Share your Campus profile. Send your upcoming tournament schedule. Update coaches when you have a strong result or meaningful improvement.
And make the communication personal.
A coach can tell when the same generic email was sent to 100 programs.
Learn something about the school and golf program before you contact them.
Most importantly, as you get older, the player should increasingly own the process.
College coaches are recruiting the player — not the parent.
Step 6: Don’t Forget Academics
Golf is only one part of college recruiting.
Your grades matter.
Your course selection matters.
Your eligibility matters.
And strong academics can dramatically increase the number of opportunities available to you.
Take school seriously from the beginning of high school. Don’t wait until junior or senior year to start thinking about your GPA.
Players interested in NCAA programs should also understand the NCAA Eligibility Center and the eligibility requirements that apply to them.
What Should You Be Doing Right Now?
Freshmen
Start building your Campus profile. Focus heavily on developing your game and establishing good academic habits. Begin exploring different types of colleges without worrying about creating a final school list.
Sophomores
Update your profile regularly. Start researching programs more seriously. Compare your tournament results with college players and begin identifying schools that could potentially fit your academic and athletic goals.
Juniors
Your recruiting process should be very active. Keep your tournament schedule, results, video and academic information current. Build a targeted list of schools and communicate consistently with coaches while following the recruiting rules applicable to your situation.
Seniors
Stay proactive. Rosters and opportunities can change. Continue communicating, competing and expanding your search when necessary. Don’t assume there are no opportunities simply because you haven’t committed yet.
Use Campus as Your Recruiting Home Base
This is exactly what we want Campus to become for junior golfers.
Your profile.
Your videos.
Your tournament information.
Your academics.
Your college research.
Your coach communication.
Your recruiting journey.
Everything organized in one place.
You can start by creating a free profile and begin building it today.
The goal isn’t to magically get recruited because you created a profile.
The goal is to give yourself the tools to take control of your recruiting process.
One Final Piece of Advice
After coaching junior golfers for more than 20 years and watching hundreds of players move on to college golf, I can tell you that there isn’t one perfect recruiting path.
Every player’s journey is different.
Some players develop early.
Some develop late.
Some know exactly where they want to go.
Others discover a school during the recruiting process that they had never previously considered.
Don’t spend all your time worrying about who has contacted you or where another player has committed.
Focus on becoming a better golfer, a better student and a better communicator.
Build your profile.
Research your opportunities.
Compete.
Communicate.
Keep improving.
And enjoy the process.
There are a lot of opportunities in college golf, and the players who prepare themselves, stay proactive and keep improving give themselves the best chance to find the right one.
See you at the course!
Chris Smeal, PGA
Founder, Future Champions Golf
Co-Founder, Campus
