Contacting College Coaches

     There are two things to remember when thinking about contacting college coaches.

     First of all, scouting services are a waste of your time and money.  Virtually every college coach that we've ever spoken to doesn't even open letters from these services.  Use the money that you would spend on those services to pay expenses to tournaments in the area where you are interested in going to college or on lessons with a respectable golf professional.

     Secondly, college coaches aren't interested in just receiving tournament results.  That information is readily available to them through the National Junior Golf Scoreboard so mailings or e-mails to coaches provide them with nothing that's not already in their hands and is a waste of the coaches' time.

     Coaches want to talk to people who have seen the players play and have a strong knowledge of how college golf works.  That's where the USJGT comes in.  Mark and Cliff are well connected in the world of college golf.   This has been established over many years of work and is not something that can be established overnight.  College coaches must learn to trust your opinion of players, your assessment of players and your inside knowledge of college golf.  It takes years to develop that level of trust.  No tour in this part of the country understands that better or does it better than the USJGT.

BE REALISTIC

     When thinking about where you want to play college golf, be realistic about your abilities.  College coaches are not looking for someone who can compete with their number four and five players.  Look at past results from college teams and target those where you can compete with their top two players. 

     Once you have made a list of schools that fit that qualification, send an introductory letter to the coach.  Include in that letter a brief description of your golf accomplishments, your academic standing, why you are interested in that school and a couple of folks that the coach can contact who know your golf game.  That could be your high school coach, your swing coach or a representative of the USJGT.