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Every program is different on this. You would need to ask each coach. Some don't have them. Some have them but don't really ever take anyone. So have them and would take someone, but it's still really tough (this is us). Some have them and are looking for people every year.
I think you want to get detailed info from the coach about the process. I've seen many people over the years think they have a legitimate shot to earn a spot on the team, but they are surprised when they show up and they don't. Make sure you communicate with the coach to see how it really works. -
Sorry I missed the rest of your comments but I appreciate your nice words. Good luck! College golf is so awesome.
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I think you have control of this. You could technically graduate from high school late Nov 2014 and start college in January. You will have missed part of your Fall season, but you could do it.
You could also wait until the Fall. Some coaches do bring in players in the middle of the season in the scenario you are talking about.
I think you should be open to the situation, but also have your preference. If your preference is strong you should make sure that you list yourself that way in all the events you play so coaches aren't confused what year you are. If you want to be a 2014 make sure everyone knows that. If you want to be a 2015 make sure everyone knows that too. -
Yes. Good luck. I hope they send emails back.
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It never hurts to send info to a coach, but you may not get the kind of feedback or response from them until you put up the results that they are looking for. I don't think you have to do either/or. I say do both.
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Hard to tell. If you haven't heard from them their interest probably isn't real high, but they may still be interested. I would recommend asking them where they are in the recruiting process and if they are interested in you.
Coaches recruit multiple people and are constantly evaluating who they most want. Many things can influence where you may stack up. It's the job of the recruit to sell themselves to the coach as well as the coach to the recruit. -
The short answer is no. I've never had that scenario. Although most of our recruits are committed pretty early, I have added players in the summer after their senior year. It's rare, but if I had a roster spot and someone could make a big impact in our program I would certainly try to do it.
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Yes, I look at all of them and occasionally attend the events when I can.
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I think the AJGA is great and if you can play them you should consider it. But even the AJGA would be comfortable saying to you that it isn't the only way to get good at golf or get exposure.
On our team we have 10 players. Three of them never played at AJGA event. Two of them played quite a few AJGA events. The other five played only between 1-3 events. (my unofficial calculation)
If you are winning what you can play in the coaches will find you and want you. -
You can become great anywhere. It may take some creativity, but you can do it. The course I grew up on was rated 69.1, 126 and I was at least a decent college golfer on a scholarship. We often would make our own tees way behind the actual ones, change the pars, and do anything possible to make it tougher. I would assume you can find a way to practice tough shots even if the course itself isn't tough. Play the course from 180-220 yards on every hole to work on your long iron play. Hit driver on the short tight ones to learn to hit it into small areas. There are things you can do.
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Yes! Our next home event will be at Gold Mountain on Sept 16-17.
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I highly doubt a 10 handicap would be recruited to be on the golf team.
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The same rules apply to texting as apply to phone calls. A year from now those rules may completely change, but for now, texting isn't allowed unless you want to count it as a phone call.
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Sorry I'm late to respond to this. You can absolutely have both. You should pursue both. I don't think it is something you need to tell the coach, but if you think it would make you more attractive you could tell them. If a coach knows you are getting financial aid they may not feel they need to offer you as much. So you will need to make that call as to what is best for you and for the program you are joining.
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It's as simple as calling or emailing the coach to set it up. Most coaches are happy to show you around and get to know you a bit. If they don't contact you about the visit you should contact them.
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It probably means that they aren't very interested, but certainly not willing to say "no" at this point. Early in a class a coach wants to keep the options open. You never know who they will or will not get and you also never know who could have a breakout year.
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Scholarship is a huge part of all the decisions we make. Nowadays, to get elite talent most schools need to give an elite level scholarship. Because there are only 4.5 total scholarships for each program when you give a couple or a few very large scholarships the average for the rest of the team goes way down.
Right along with how much a coach likes a recruit and how they evaluate their talents comes a question of what scholarship it will take to get them. So there might be players that a coach wouldn't want at 25%, but that they would love to have at 5%.
A coach is always recruiting under lots of constraints that the recruit and their family may or may not know. Often we have very little scholarship to work with and only ones we could get are those that are "further down the list" as you say.
Ten years ago there were many more middle percentage scholarships, but the trend seems to be going to more high scholarships and more low scholarships.
The last thing I would say on this is that a coach's "list" may be very different than the various official rankings. To really get an edge on the competitors a good recruiter will see value where others don't. They will see the up-and-comer. What might appear as "down the list" to many could be the top of the list for a certain coach. I always try to look at recruits through my "three years from now" glasses. -
This is a really good question to ask each coach. I don't think many players are "forced" to play certain clubs. There may be a little more of that with the ball. This is getting tougher for coaches all the time. They want to be loyal to the companies that support their teams, but dont' want to force their players into anything.
I think what really happens is that a player can use whatever they want in most cases, but a coach might make certain things more readily available and may express preferences.
We've been more supported by some companies than others and that often shows in the equipment counts, but we've had players play all kinds of equipment and still do. -
If a player wants to work with their coach at home on holidays and breaks and a coach is "forbidding" it there are other questions. It's so important for a player and coach to be on the same page working for the same thing. Ideally, the coach would have a good feel what the coach at home is working on witht he player and vice versa and all would be working together for the good of the student.
There are certainly cases where a college coach does not believe in the teaching of the coach at home. If that is the case, I think the student should try to understand why as best possible and the coach should do a good job of explaining his/her position. I'd like to think that they can have mature communication and get on the same page such that they wouldn't need to "forbid" something like that.
Ideally the student has a team of people (coaches home and away, parents, friends, etc.)who are all on the same page and working toward the same thing. It's up to the player to learn who they should and should not trust.
When away for holiday or break the student can do whatever they want. -
I can't imagine a coach inviting someone on an unofficial visit if they weren't at least a little interested. We have plenty of other things to do. However, the unofficial visit is also a time to find out just how much interest you might have. Interest can certainly increase or decrease based on how the visit goes.
Also, I think many coaches would show around a recruit that wants to visit their school, even if the coach isn't very interested. Your question suggested the coach invited the recruit and in that case I would think the coach has at least a mild interest in the recruit.
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