Do junior golf rankings really make a difference in the college recruiting process? What do coaches look at specifically during recruiting when it comes to junior golf rankings? Let’s explore this topic in depth.
Our Perspective
Rankings can be both helpful and a hindrance to the junior golfer and their families. Rankings are a great way to see where you stand in comparison to the fellow golfers in your state, region, or world. The issue with rankings is that we lose focus on our individual goals and personal growth to become the best player possible. Constantly comparing your success to others can be degrading.
Now let’s ask the coaches!
DI Assistant Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach
“Junior rankings are most definitely important to me as a college golf coach during the recruiting process. A ranking is established by playing highly ranked tournaments with very competitive fields. If you are able to perform under pressure at the highest level consistently, you’re going to impress college coaches.
Ranking is extremely important in college golf. If you win your conference championship at the end of the spring season, you receive an automatic bid to the NCAA post season, Regional tournament.
Just like junior golf, rankings are important in college golf. Rankings show who are the top programs in the country. If you fall short of winning the conference championship, but have performed well during the year and have established a great ranking, your team earns an at large bid to the NCAA tournament.
You want to play the most competitive tournaments you can against the most competitive players in the country. That’s how you learn, grow, improve, and gain confidence in your game and self. The success leads to you achieving your dreams of playing college golf.
Whether it’s WAGR rankings, ranking in your country, state, whatever your ranking is, work hard to become the highest ranked player you can become. Having that ranking will prove to any college coach the elite level of your game as a competitor.
But keep in mind, ranking isn’t everything a coach takes into consideration. There are many attributes college coaches consider; yourself as a person, your character, presentation, respect for others and the course, your academics, work ethic, and much more.“
DI Assistant Women’s Golf Coach:
“Sure, we definitely take a look at rankings, but that is just a small portion of the recruiting process. Rankings can be a great recruiting tool if you are a successful junior player, but if you find yourself as a middle of the pack player, don’t be discouraged. We take into consideration not only rankings, but how you’d fit in as a part of our golf family, your academics, your qualities on and off the golf course, your family dynamics, we look at it all.
Obviously competing in highly ranked junior tournaments will increase the likelihood of you being seen by college coaches, but it’s not the only way to be seen! We want to see your grit and determination, whether you’re having a good or bad day on the course!
Take care of what you can control, and I bet we’ll find you!”
In Conclusion…
As you read above, junior golf rankings are important but it is not the ONLY factor that coaches look at when recruiting. There are multiple checklists regarding the recruiting process and we suggest staying on top of your game both on and off the course because you never know who is watching!
If you would like some extra help through the junior golf recruiting process, contact the team at Path Fore Success today! Send us an email at info@pathforesuccess.com to get started today on your way to playing college golf!
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