High School to College Golf Resources from NHSGA

Interested in finding out if a college you’re interested in has a golf program? Whether you are looking to play NCAA Division 1 golf, attend a junior college, or play NCCGA club golf at the school of your dreams, the NHSGA college golf search will help you determine college golf options, information about colleges, and provide contact information for golf coaching staff. There are over 2000 opportunities to stay involved with golf in college!

The Checklist

Juniors

• Recruiting Questionnaires

  Fill one out for any college you’re interested in - even if you think it might be a long shot. This is THE first step in the recruiting process.

• Create and Send Off Your College Golf Resume

  Have you created one? If not, learn how by clicking the link above. Sending this out to coaches over the summer, between Junior and Senior year, is crucial! The sooner you can send, the closer to the top of the pile you’ll be and that’s a very good thing.

• Prepare for the ACT/SAT

  Study, study, study. Utilizing test prep services is a great idea, even if you don’t feel like you’ve had trouble with standardized testing in the past. The ACT and SAT are uniquely challenging, require different test-taking strategies, are scored differently, and weighted heavily.

• Register for the NCAA/NAIA Eligibility Centers

  If you play at the NCAA DI, DII, or NAIA levels this is a must.

• Call College Coaches

  Do this after your questionnaires and introductory emails are sent. Yes, you’ll need to actually pick up the phone if you want to stand out from the pack. Texts are a no-no, emails don’t count. Practice the conversation in advance if you’re nervous with a parent, coach, or friend. (See more on comms in the Video below)

Seniors

• Apply for Colleges/University You’re Interested In

  • Early Action gets you an admissions decision by early December , Non-binding, You have until May 1st to make an official decision whether or not to attend

  • Regular Decision gives you a later deadline to submit your applications and is the best option if you’re planning to re-take the ACT/SAT.

• Complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Form

  Fill this out as soon as you can after October 1st of your Senior Year.

• Schedule an Official Visit with the Golf Coach at the College(s) You’re Interested In

  This is a crucial step in understanding the culture of the school, the program and scholarship opportunities available to you.

• Begin Scholarship Negotiation Early in Your Senior Year (NCAA DI & DII)

  • Early Signing Period: November 14th - 21st, 2018

  • Regular Signing Period: April 17th - August 1st, 2019

• Communicate with Coaches/Programs That Have Expressed Interest in You and You are NOT Pursuing.

Want more information on how to approach college golf coaches? How to get in contact, email, call, etc? Take a look at this presentation (yes, a little tedious, but super useful) from Chris Noble at NHSGA who walks you through how to nail comms with a coach!