This is the fourth part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series. In this article we focus on The Recruiting Process.  Written by Dianne Dailey, Women’s Golf Coach at Wake Forest University.

You are embarking on one of the most exciting times in your life and playing college golf only enhances that experience.

You will have a chance to play competitive golf at the highest level, play on courses all over the country, make new friends, test yourself, and get an education at the same time!! It is critical that you choose the right match for you and your abilities.

1. Research the School/Golf Program (No later than Sophomore year) – Check the school’s academic and athletic website to learn about the School/golf program. Learn about academic life, requirements. Check the team results, schedules, rosters, stats. Learn about the program from videos, press releases, online media guides. See how many spots are available for each class.   TIP: Make sure your academic and athletic abilities match the program.

2. Contact the Coach – Call and/or write the coach. Be sure to include introductory letter explaining interest in program, resume with golf and academic information, copy of transcript with SAT/ACT scores, tournament results and tournament schedule. If the coach writes you and you have no interest, let them know.   TIP: Become knowledgeable about NCAA Recruiting Rules.

3. Set up an Unofficial Visit – You can take as may unofficial visits as you’d like because you are paying for your expenses. On the visit, talk with coach, team members, academic counselors. Attend a class if possible, tour campus, facilities and a football or basketball game. Observe the school spirit, interaction of coaches and team. Assess how you would fit into the school/ team.   TIP: What are the Team Dynamics?

4. Questions to ask a Coach on an Unofficial Visit -

1. What is the coach’s philosophy of coaching?
2. How many spots are available for your year?
3. What does the coach look for in a recruit? Criteria for being offered a scholarship.
4. How much playing time can you expect?
5. What are the qualifying rules for playing on the travel squad?
6. Describe a typical practice day/week.
7. How are workouts handled? How often?
8. Are there walk on spots? Can walk ons earn a scholarship later?
9. How does the coach see you contributing to the team?
0. What academic resources are available to the student?
11. What are the requirements for Admissions?
12. Is summer school offered to athletes?
13. Can scholarship amounts be increased over the 4 years if given a partial scholarship initially.

5. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse – Should be done beginning of your junior year.   TIP: Meet with high school counselor to be sure you are taking the proper courses and have the required GPA/test scores for certification. See TRC Playing College Golf blog for more information about the NCAA Eligibility Center and on-evaluation tools.

6. Official Visit – Take this during the fall of your senior year in high school. You are allowed to take 5 official visits and the school pays for the visit. Most students have made their decision prior to the start of their senior year and many opt not to take the visit or they come to spend time with the team.  TIP: Develop a good relationship with the coach before you get to college. (Watch for the upcoming blog on Selecting the Right Coach, Team and University.

7. Verbal Commitment – After the coach has offered you a scholarship and you want to attend that school, you can make a verbal commitment. Once that happens, other coaches stop recruiting you.   TIP: Be sure and notify all the coaches recruiting you of your decision.  They need to be free to seek other prospects.

8. National Letter of Intent (NLI) – There are 2 signing dates for the NLI. An early date in November and a spring date in April. Once you sign an NLI, you are bound to attend that school for one year or you will have to sit out a year at another school and lose a year of eligibility. The NLI binds you to the school, not the coach. If a coach leaves the school, you are still obliged to attend the school for one year.   TIP: Be sure you will be accepted at the school and you will be certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse before you sign the NLI.  You should coordinate your senior year classes with the coach. Another  TIP: Take the most challenging schedule you can your junior and senior years (AP, Honor Classes) in order to have a solid base for college work.

9. Develop a relationship with the coach before you get to college – After signing the NLI, be sure to continue writing/calling the coach so you both can get to know each other better. Send your tournament schedule to the coach, so the coach can watch you play prior to enrolling.

In conclusion:
Your college coach will be the most significant adult in your college golf career.  It is essential that you make the effort to get to know the coach and to communicate often with him/her.  Send the coach emails and call the coach about your thoughts, concerns and activities.   Also, send the coach your tournament schedule so he/she can come watch you play.

The next blog will go into more detail about selecting the right school, coach and team and how to build a solid relationship with the coach.  The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf. The TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series will guide you through the process. This was the third part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, to follow more of the series click on the link below for the College Golf Series – Introduction and Playing College Golf.

About Dianne Dailey

Dianne Dailey is beginning her 22nd season as Wake Forest’s head women’s golf coach in the fall of 2009.  Under Dailey, the teams have notched 25 team victories, including 3 ACC Championships and 2 NCAA East Regional Championships.  The Deacons have finished in the top 20 of the final national rankings in each of the last 17 years.  Dailey,  former LPGA Tour player and President of LPGA Tour, she has been recognized by her peers as one of the nation’s best coaches.   In 2001, the National Golf Coaches Association inducted Dailey into the NGCA Hall of Fame.   She is just one of four ACC coaches in the prestigious hall.  Also in 2001, the LPGA named Dailey their Coach of the Year.

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College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid – Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach – Released on December 2, 2009
6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College -Released on February 10, 2010
7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
8. Careers in Golf

Related Articles:
Tips For Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf
Let the Game Begin: College Athletic Recruitment
Golf Recruiting 101
Myths and Realities of the College Golf Recruiting process
Playing College Golf
How to Get Recruited for NCAA Men’s College Golf
Women’s Golf Scholarships- Stats for Success
Golf Scholarships- Facts for Success
Seven Important Aspects to Researching and Selecting Potential Colleges
Myths and Realities of the College Golf Recruiting Process
NCAA Division I and II Recruiting Timelines for Junior Golfers
The Recruiting Process: Getting Noticed by College Golf Coaches

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 11:53 pm and is filed under Junior Tour Blog, TRC Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.