Kris Hart, Author at High School Golf

A guide to golf camps for parents

March 2, 2021March 22, 2021
by Kris Hart

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Golf is an amazing game that teaches life lessons beyond just learning the sport. If you are a parent looking for a golf camp for your daughter or son, this guide should be helpful. Below outlines the different types of golf camps, price points, and help you narrow down the right type of camp for you. Please note that the information below is our opinion about golf camps. We have no bias or financial incentive to promote any of the organizations described below.

Types of golf camps

There are 3 different types of golf camps that parents can choose from. Skill level, age of your child, and your budget will determine which type of camp is best.

Beginner Camps – These golf camps teach the fundamentals of the game in a low-key fun setting. PGA Junior Golf Camps are a good option for this. Local PGA & LPGA Professionals instruct and teach these camps. They take place all across the country and have 180 different local golf courses that offer camps. If there is not a PGA Junior Golf camp in your area, I’d recommend calling the local golf course to see if they are hosting any independent camps over the summer. Beginner camps are good for kids 7-14 years old.

Photo credit: PGA Golf Camps

Intermediate Camps – Mostly take place on college campuses by college golf coaches and assistant golf coaches. These camps are geared toward aspiring junior and high school golfers 13-18 years old. If you are a golfer who is playing in tournaments or aspire to play in tournaments, these camps are a good option. However, if you are a high school student looking at a specific college or university, going to a college camp will not increase your chances of making a college golf team or get recruited at the camp. If you go to a camp and are “exceptional” a coach may think more about you, but most of the time coaches are not recruiting students to their team specifically through a camp. You can find a list of the local golf camps in each state using this golf camp finder resource.

**There are some golf camps and organizations out there that cost a significant amount of money and promise that certain college coaches will be at the camp and it’s your chance to get recruited by these coaches. I would not recommend attending any golf camp that makes promises about coaches attending and recruiting guarantees. This is a “money grab” where many families can fall victim.

Elite Camps – There are many elite golf academies in the country which host golf camps, but also do 6 month or year long training for students. These academies are typically costly and meant for elite players who are trying to play college golf and receive a scholarship. If you are very serious about your game, want to take your game to the next level and want to work with top instructors like Sean Foley and Mike Bender, these could be a good option for you. I would not recommend sending a beginner golfer to an elite golf camp.

We hope you are enjoying this guide to golf camps for parents. If you enjoy this resource, you might like to take a look at some of our other education for high school golf parents.

Photo credit: PGA Golf Camps

Camps costs

Depending on the area of the country, length of camp, if the camp is during the day or overnight, the costs of camps really can vary. The cheapest golf camps are usually taught by people who are new to the game and may not be certified golf professionals through the PGA of America. Camps on college campuses tend to be some of the more affordable ones because in essence college campuses are community-based organizations and should be giving back to the local community. The most expensive camps are the elite camps taught by some of the best instructors in the world. The rule of thumb with golf camps is that you get what you pay for. The better and more experienced the instructor, the higher cost for the camp. Camp price ranges can go from $100-2000.

Camp alternatives

If you are not sure about making an investment into a golf camp, signing up your son or daughter for group golf lessons in your local community might be a good starting point. The best way to do this is finding a PGA Professional in your community. Beyond lessons at golf courses, the First Tee is a national organization that helps kids get introduced to the game and teaches lessons about life beyond just lessons on the course. Here is some info on where to find a First Tee program. Both the First Tee and local golf clinics are a little more cost effective if your child wants to test out the game.

Hope you enjoyed this guide to golf camps for parents and will check out the high school golf blog for more information and news specific to high school golf.

February 18, 2021

Junior Golf 101: Help for Parents and Coaches

Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you are new to the junior golf landscape, my guess is that you are finding out there is a lot of information available and it is difficult to decide what is best for you and your junior golfer. If you coach, train, advise or have a junior golfer in your family, the below tips and advice should be helpful for you to determine a good path forward and some of the best companies who can help you navigate your journey. This Junior Golf 101 article breaks down equipment, lessons, camps, discounts, tournaments, and recruiting. The National High School Golf Association helps golfers who are primarily between 14-18 years old who are in high school, but junior golf can start as early as age 5.

Golf Equipment

If you are new to golf, you should not buy clubs unless your son or daughter likes the game and wants to dedicate himself or herself to playing golf. One of the most important things for golf equipment is making sure you have the right size golf clubs. Unfortunately, golf clubs will need to change frequently as kids grow quickly. There are a number of organizations out there that sell junior golf clubs, but one of the best is US Kids which has a sizing chart and can help your child get fit for clubs. It’s best to buy used clubs versus new since you probably need to buy new clubs every year or other year. This article highlights some of the best places to buy and sell used clubs.

Golf Lessons & Clinics

If you are new to junior golf and just learning the game, a local PGA Professional can help guide you at the golf course. Even though many moms and dads know how to play the game, investing in golf lessons is important than trying to teach your kids bad habits. Starting off in junior golf group clinics might be better than individual lessons in my opinion since these clinics will cost you a little bit less and your junior golfer will have others learning the game with them versus individual instruction where they might need to focus more 1 to 1. Hopefully, group golf clinics are more fun and enjoyable.

Golf Camps

Going to a golf camp is a great introduction to golf. There are many golf camps that take place primarily during the summer, but there are also weekend golf camps and clinics which take place throughout the year too. Depending on your budget, the time of year, and where you live, the options available to you will vary. This platform of where to find golf camps might be helpful since it outlines the different golf camp options in every state. There are more advanced golf camp options on college campuses and through elite golf academies for more advanced players.

Greens fees & Golf Discounts

Many golf courses offer discounts for junior golfers. The best bang for your buck is getting a junior golf membership if your child loves the game of golf. If you are not sure if a golf membership is worth it, there is an organization called Youth on Course which helps make golf affordable for everyone. You can join Youth on Course for a small membership fee and then it only costs less than $5 per round to play golf after that. Learn more about Youth on Course

Golf Tournaments, Events, and Competitions

The competitive junior golf landscape is vast and there are a ton of options which exist for beginner golfers all the way to elite junior players who are trying to play varsity college golf. Below highlights the best options for tournaments if you are looking to get involved in the competitive landscape.

Beginners – PGA Junior Leagues – This event series takes place at the local level where kids are part of a golf team, just like a little league baseball team where they can meet friends, compete, and learn the game. Juniors will play in local events against other golf courses in the area and if your team is strong, you will be able to make regional qualifiers and then there is a national championship for the most elite players.

Developing Players

If your junior golfer is really enjoying the game, joining a junior golf tour and competing in the local area is a good start. It is important to note that all competition should start at the local level. If you can win locally, try state-wide competitions. If you can do well at the state level, then you should think about regional and national competition. Here is a link to where you can find junior golf tournaments in every state.

Elite Competition

If you are an elite player, you will want to play in an elite competition that is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard. This type of competition is quite expensive and time consuming since you will need to travel to many events. The best elite competition for junior golf is run by an organization called the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). Learn more about the AJGA.

College Golf Recruiting

Most junior golfers will not play college golf. To be more specific, there are about 224,000 boys and girls who play high school golf. Less than 7% of these boys and girls will play college golf at any level. The good news is that there is an organization called the National Collegiate Club Golf Association which governs collegiate club golf and helps make it a reality for 93% of juniors to play college golf at the club level. If you are thinking about playing college golf at any level, there are many companies out there to help you including Junior Golf Hub which is one of the leading organizations to help families with college golf recruiting.

The National High School Golf Association is dedicated to helping high school golfers, junior golfers and their families. If you have questions about this guide or need more advice, feel free to send us an email at Info@highschoolgolf.org.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

August 18, 2020

Celebrating the top high school golf coaches of 2020

Reading Time: 6 minutes

At the core of high school golf and the NHSGA are high school golf coaches who dedicate their lives to making high school golf great. Throughout the month of July, the NHSGA reached out to high school Athletic Directors all around the country and asked these ADs to nominate some of the best high school golf coaches and tell their stories. There was no politics, win total, or state championship performance needed as criteria as a nomination, rather a simple criteria stating “Is your high school golf coach great and goes above and beyond the call of duty, lets us know.” Below highlights and celebrates some of the top high school golf coaches of 2020.

Coach Le – California – The Harker School

In a sport known primarily as an individual sport such as golf, Coach Ie has promoted the concept of team since she was first hired eleven years ago. She believes in it, supports it, lives it even when some kids and families came into the program trying to fight it, Coach sticks to her guns and hasn’t backed down from keeping the kids committed and supporting each other as a team. The results speak for themselves in the boys program: Six straight WBAL titles (2014-2019), NorCal Championship 2017, 6th place state finish in 2016, 5th place state finish 2017. Coach Ie prepares golfers for the team concept many will see in college of which she’s helped place many at the next level.

She also coaches our girls squad and has coached them to a 2nd place CCS finish in 2018, their strongest finish ever, in addition to a 4th place finish in 2017. In 2018 she coached them to their 1st league title since 2006. I’ve witnessed Coach Ie work with quiet, shy golfers and turn them into confident, respectful young people by getting them out of their shells and supporting each other just like any other team sport. Coach runs the programs as a college coach would, creating a competitive environment daily throughout their practices. That has translated into some success in the girls and boys programs. Coach Ie was also named the California Coaches Association NorCal Boys Golf coach of the year in 2016

Coach Jastremsky – Pennsylvania – MMI Preparatory

MMI Preparatory is a small independent school on the outskirts of a tiny former coal mining town of Freeland in the heart of Northeast Pennsylvania. Needless to say Athletics play an important part to it’s student population of 215.

One of the hidden gems of athletics at MMI is the Golf program headed by Coach Ryan Jastremsky. Competing against schools in our conference 3 and sometimes 4 times our size, Ryan has been able to carve out success for our MMI golfers that rival those of the bigger schools we routinely compete against.

Over the past few seasons through Ryan’s endeavors, our school has seen golfers consistently qualify for district play. 2 Years ago one of our female golfers had the opportunity to qualify for the PIAA State Tournament.

It’s through Ryan’s efforts that makes this possible. He’s able to juggle a full time job and coach having small children at home as well. Cheers to Ryan and all the hard work he puts in on a day to day basis to make golf possible in this small town!

Coach Lipinski – Maryland – Springbrook High School

Lindsey Lipinski goes above and beyond the normal expectations of a coach on a regular basis. Golf at our school has low participation because kids are not able to grow up learning the game. Before she took over, our team would frequently not be able to field the required number of players in order to have their scores count in matches. Lindsey doesn’t accept this, and wants the team’s scores to count, so she actively recruits students to fill out the roster by holding meeting and practice sessions to introduce the sport to our school population. She always gets kids to join the team who have never played golf before, and she is able to instruct them from the very beginning while also really pushing the one or two students on the team who have more extensive experience.

Golf equipment is expensive and very few Springbrook golfers ever come with their own equipment. Our school has a partnership with a local organization, Leveling the Playing Field, that accepts donations of used sports equipment and gives to to local sports organizations in need. Lindsey has set up appointments and visited the distribution center multiple times in order to get clubs and bags For all of the kids on her team to have equipment to play with.

She works hard to create a very tight-knit team, promoting them on Twitter and through the school announcements. In our district of 25 high schools, most teams have parent volunteers who drive the athletes to practices and matches. Our school doesn’t have as many parents with the flexibility to drive at that time of day, so Lindsey piles up to 4 kids in her small car, along with their golf bags, to transport them to and from the courses.

For all of these reasons, Lindsey Lipinski deserves to be recognized as a giving, caring coach who goes above and beyond for her athletes.

Share in the coaches success as we celebrate them on instagram

Coach Higley – Wisconsin – Eleva-Strum

Coach Higley goes above and beyond for the students at Eleva-Strum. Although coach has a full time job working for a telecommunications company, he started coaching during the spring of 2013 and has never looked back. His initial motivation to coach was for his son for two years and nephews coaching for 4 years, but it became a passion and motivation to help kids. Over the years, the number of golfers has done gone, but no matter the size of the school or number of kids he coaches kids to really love the sport.

Although it’s not always about winning, some coaching highlights include: Qualified for state in 2015, 2016, 2017 (team runner up) – Matthew Higley (his nephew) – Father and son – Kent Higley won the state 1989 and 1990. In 2013, his first year coaching they got 3rd in section and had an individual Jake Rogness win the state title.

Coach Malin – Connecticut – East Catholic High School

Our long time boys golf coach, and former AD here for 43 years, Tom Malin deserves National recognition. Our boys golf program leads the state with 13 state championships and won again in 2019…sadly no 2020 season here so we could not get number 14. Coach Malin has been a huge component of East Catholic as a longtime coach, alum of the 1^st class, teacher, and athletic administrator. You can’t mention one without the other really! He has been a wonderful mentor to the current AD Jon Dahlquist who is in just his 2^nd year here. Coach Malin was awarded the National HS Golf Coach of the Year award in 2006 & 2015 from a different group, but the recognition and praise for someone who is 43 years on the job can never get old!

Coach Carley – Washington – Seattle Academy

As a Seattle Academy student Freddy Carley – class of 2004 set the school record for the lowest 9-hole round in school history. Freddy returned to SAAS in 2014 and a year later took over both the boys and girls varsity golf programs and the records and success have continued.

In six years, Freddy has led the boys’ golf team to two league championships (2015, 2019), one bi-district championship (2015) and the team has qualified for the State Tournament all six years, finishing 2^nd at State in 2018 and then winning the State Title in 2019. The boys were poised to defend their State title this spring, before the pandemic hit and cancelled the season.

Freddy has also led the girls to two league titles (2015 & 2016), with the girls qualifying for the State Tournament four straight years (2013-16), finishing second in 2014.

There are thousands of great high school golf coaches all around the country. If you know about a great coach or great story you wish to share, please email Kris Hart at Kris@highschoolgolf.org so we can make sure to celebrate your story.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

July 27, 2020

How to find the best golf instructor for golf…

Reading Time: 3 minutes

If you are a high school student or parent who is seeking golf lessons to help improve your game, get prepared to play college golf, or even someone who is learning the game, there is a golf instructor for everyone. Every golfer is at a different stage in their golf journey, but the learning and improvement provided by a coach never stops. It’s important to note that not all golf instructors are equal and this article will highlight some best practices and advice on how to find the best golf instructor for golf lessons.

Where to find an instructor for golf lessons?

There are many places to find information on golf teachers, but the easiest and most meaningful place to find information is through the PGA Golf Professional finder. This tool will allow you to search by zip code and find a list of different golf instructors for golf lessons in your local area.

How to determine if a golf instructor is good for you?

Unfortunately, there is not a great website that exists which lists out review from customers who have taken golf lessons from instructors. If there was a good ranking system like a yelp for golf professionals, this would be easy! One important distinction you should look out for is if a golf instructor is PGA or LPGA certified. These letters are very important as it shows that the golf professional has gone through formal training and is certified by the PGA or LPGA to be a golf professional. I would suggest only taking golf lessons from certified instructors and ask the person at your local golf course if they are PGA or LPGA certified.

What if I want to find the best instructor golf golf lessons?

If you are someone seeking elite instruction and the price tag is not concerning, I would use Golf Digest “Best Teachers by State” rankings to find the best golf professionals in your state. Depending on how far you are willing to drive and how much you are willing to pay will determine your interest in these teachers. Beyond Golf Digest, the local PGA section has awards each year that showcase the best teachers and golf professionals in your local market. Here is where to find award-winning coaches through your local PGA Section.

What type of instruction is best?

The type of instruction you are seeking really determines what type of instruction is best. If you are a beginner, group instruction may be a good start. If you are just looking to improve your game and shave a couple of shots off your game, private lessons once every couple of weeks may be a good fit. If you are a high school student looking to play division 1 college golf, finding a golf instructor who will push you, work with you on your game, and physically and mentally prepare you to play D1 golf is what you may need. Recently the NHSGA did a virtual college golf recruiting event and one of the topics discussed was finding a great coach and creating a plan. Hear from top coaches Mike Bender, PGA and Trillium Rose, PGA and their advice about finding a good coach at the 2:32 hour mark of the video recording.

How much does good instruction cost?

This is a great question and unfortunately, I do not have a great answer. It really varies depending on your area of the country, the experience of the PGA or LPGA Professional you are working with and what your goals are regarding getting golf instruction. For example, if you are a 20 handicap and want to get to a 10 handicap, it may take a series of weekly lessons over 2 years to complete your goal and cost thousands of dollars. If you just want to make the high school team, a couple of short private lessons to help improve your game for $50 each could be all you need.

Hopefully the above information was helpful if you are a high school student or parent who is trying to find the best golf instructor for golf lessons.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

May 6, 2020

6 Important College Golf Recruiting Lessons

Reading Time: 5 minutes

On April 30th, 2020 the NHSGA team hosted a 3-hour live event titled “Recruited: The Ins and Outs of College Golf”. This event brought together top players, coaches, junior golfers, and recruiting experts to tell their stories and help parents and high school students navigate the college golf recruiting process. The event supported the Golf Emergency Relief Fund to support golf industry employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests included Jennifer Kupcho, Keegan Bradley, Buddy Alexander, Herb Page, Katie Brophy Miles, Aidan Thomas, Jessica Meyers, Mike Bender, Trillium Rose and more. Below highlight 6 important college golf recruiting lessons we learned from the discussions with our speakers. You can sign-up to receive the full college golf recruiting video recording.

Lesson 1 – Jennifer Kupcho and Ed Oldham

I didn’t play in a lot of big events. I was NOT recruited heavily by many colleges outside Colorado. Her PGA Coach Ed Oldham spoke to the Wake Forest women’s golf coach at The Curtis Cup years after Jennifer was recruited to Wake. Coach Dailey said, “Jennifer was not on my radar. While passing by Jennifer’s group leaving the course at the USGA Junior Girls tournament, I heard an amazing sound when Jennifer hit the ball. Coach Dailey promptly called her assistant coach and told her to come out to watch Jennifer”.

Lesson learned – You can be one of the best players in the world, but sometimes you fly under the radar. It only takes one swing at the right place to get the chance to attend the college of your dreams. Play in the biggest events you can qualify or attend. For Jennifer, the USGA Girls Junior was that chance.

Lesson 2 – Keegan Bradley and Mark Bradley

Keegan grew up with an advantage in that his father was the PGA Professional at a golf course. Mark brought Keegan to the course on a daily basis, not for work, but because it was fun. Keegan would spend all day, every day at the course picking up balls, playing holes, meeting people, and most importantly learned how to work hard on his game. Even though Keegan was a grinder and worked really hard, going to the course was fun. Hitting balls was fun. Picking the driving range was fun. Hanging out with older people was fun.

Lesson Learned – Parents, make sure to keep golf fun for your kids.

Lesson 3 – Buddy Alexander and Herb Page

Retired Championship college golf coaches Buddy Alexander and Herb Page said when they were coaching college golf, “The Rankings” didn’t exist. Recruiting for college golf is a little bit easier these days for coaches since it is easier to get in touch with people and rankings can help. Both coaches agreed that the “rankings” are not an end-all because some kids cheat the system and only play in certain “ranked tournaments”. Buddy even said I’d rather recruit a kid who won his state Amateur at 15 years old versus a kid who is top-ranked in the country.

Lesson Learned – Rankings are not everything. Competition rounds and scores, regardless of the event size, matter. Coaches said that good recruits need to learn how to win a tournament, not just earn points for playing well in a ranked event.

Lesson 4 – Brendan Ryan, Dr. Katie Miles, Roger Knick

If you want to play college golf, your scores are only one part of the equation. Brendan from Golf Placement Services cautioned that for anyone looking to get recruited to play college golf, having good grades is as important if not more important than just having good golf scores. Your SATs are a crucial part of the equation for anyone looking to play college golf.

Lesson learned – Be smart. Be realistic. Compare your SAT scores, golf scores, and grades to what a college program requires. Do your homework on a program and narrow down your search to find the best school that fits your numbers. Junior Golf Hub offers a great platform for high school golfers to help find schools that may be the best fit.

Lesson 5 – Aidan Thomas, Jessica Meyers, Dillon Brown and Tanner Kutek

All four students have had different experiences playing college golf. The students each shared advice about how they went through their college search and what it is like to play college golf. Students and parents thinking about getting recruited for college golf need to think about location, size of the school, the strength of the program, and how academically focused a college may be. Balancing school, college golf, and trying to have a social life is difficult. Tanner Kutek explained how his experience playing club golf was best for him since he has a difficult major and needed to study. Tanner also wanted to stay engaged with his two passions of golf and hockey. Tanner was able to get the best of both worlds by becoming an academic leader on campus while still pursuing his two passions through playing club hockey and club golf.

Lesson Learned – Everyone can play college golf. Whether you want to play varsity golf or NCCGA club golf, there is an opportunity for everyone to play golf in college.

Lesson 6 – Mike Bender, PGA and Trillium Rose, PGA

Mike and Trillium lead a discussion with two of their students Aaron Du and Rebecca Schiffman. Both Aaron and Rebecca talked about their PGA coaches and how much it means to them to have a coach who sets up a plan, teaches them lessons, and helps them become better golfers. Mike and Trillium talked about setting goals and having a plan. If you are a junior golfer looking to play college golf, it is important to have a coach who is going to help you along the way, set realistic goals on where you can play college golf, and utilize their relationships to help you get found by the right college coaches.

Lesson Learned – Every junior golfer looking to play college golf needs a team. Within that team are parents, friends, and most importantly a PGA golf coach who is going to set forth a great golf plan. Here is some info on how to find a PGA golf coach near you.

We hope you enjoyed this article sharing important tips for playing college golf. If you are interested in learning beyond these 6 lessons, you can sign-up to receive the full college golf recruiting video recording.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

March 10, 2020

Best indoor golf drills

Reading Time: 2 minutes

One of the unfortunate things about golf is the amount of land and space that’s required to not only play a round, but hit more than a putter and wedge. Some players can get very rusty either in the winter or if you don’t have enough space to practice all of your shots on a regular basis.

There are numerous golf drills that you can do indoors with confined space to keep your golf muscles and your mental game intact. Here are just a few suggestions for indoor golf drills.

Full swing drills

One thing that often goes away when you don’t play often enough is your swing path, especially when it comes to your backswing. Players tend to either bring the club too far inside or outside, creating an overcorrection on the downswing which can cause a slice or a hook. Try placing a mirror behind your setup and bring the club back exactly halfway. As you stop and look back at the mirror, your club should be exactly parallel to the ground and the clubhead should block the shaft and grip from view. Repeat this takeaway over and over until you can get the club in the correct position at least 10 times in a row. This will help with your consistency and swing path when you return to the course.

Indoor putting drills

Practice your 3-6 foot putts on a smooth surface (a smooth and fast carpet is probably best). The accuracy here isn’t important, but what is important is getting your putter on a consistent line and feeling confident that you can hit the ball straight off the face anytime you have a short putt. This is a 3-putt avoidance drill more than anything else but should give you confidence over short putts when you return to the course.

Indoor chipping drills

Your mom or dad probably has told you not to swing a golf club in the house. However, there is a way to practice your chipping without damaging any of the fine china. Grab a towel(s) and throw 10 balls down. Place the towel about 10 feet away from you and try to land all 10 balls in the towel. Once you do this, change to a smaller towel and repeat the drill. An easy way to focus on landing your chip shots to a spot rather than just chipping to the hole.

Practicing these drills will give you a leg up on the competition even before you step foot on the course this spring.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

March 4, 2020

What happens if I don’t get recruited to play…

Reading Time: 3 minutes

According to the NCAA and NFHS, around 7% of high school golfers will go on to play varsity golf at any level in college. Getting recruited to play college golf is a long and difficult process which causes confusion, time, money, and pain for many student athletes and their families. Since the odds are stacked against many high school golfers looking to play college golf, I thought it would be helpful to share some information for parents and students who do not get recruited to play college golf. There is a lot of advice out there about getting recruited, but not enough information to help the 93% that do not get recruited.

Play collegiate club golf

Did you know anyone can play college golf? The National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA) runs college golf tournaments all across the country for students at over 400 colleges and universities. NCCGA hosts weekend tournaments for students to compete on a local and national scale during the fall and spring semesters while in college. Anyone can play club golf since the events are co-ed, all swings are welcome (tournament scores range from 65-105), and the only requirement to play is that you are a full-time college student. Learn more about playing club golf.

Play golf for fun on campus

There are around 100 college campuses in the US that have golf courses directly affiliated with the campus. A course like Forest Akers on Michigan State’s campus is especially welcoming and accommodating to students by offering students 36 holes and the ability to play golf for a significantly low rate. If you are looking to focus on academics, but not playing on a golf team any longer, just playing for fun while at college can be the best medicine to relax during those stressful times.

Still looking to get recruited to an elite program, but started too late?

Delay college for a year

Delay college for a year – If you are someone who should have been recruited to play college golf, but may not be ready for college or need another year to prepare your game for a specific level program, there are many golf academies that help high school golfers with college golf preparation. Golf academies are typically very costly. However, they will do a great job getting you prepared for college and help you get recruited a year later. Need some help finding a golf academy?

Try to walk-on

Walking on to a varsity college golf team is very, very difficult. There are many great stories out there about kids who have walked on to programs and been very successful college golfers, but it is rare to even get a chance for a walk-on spot especially at a larger school. Although I do not have any direct data or research to back this besides numerous conversations with college golf coaches, the majority of coaches I speak to do not even off a walk-on tryout anymore. A better alternative to walking on the team might be playing club golf and proving yourself to the college coach. Here is a story about how Ian Martin from the University of Michigan did just that.

If you are in the 93% of high school golfers who do not get recruited to play college golf, do not worry since you are 1 of 200,000 other kids in the same boat. Hopefully the above advice is helpful for you to stay involved in the game of golf and enjoy your college experience at the same time.

Click here for a full, comprehensive college golf recruiting guide.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

February 26, 2020

How to prepare for a high school golf tournament

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Showing up for a tournament can be nerve-racking, whether it’s your first or the state championship Senior year. There are many ways to prepare the days leading up to a tournament, but here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you stay focused and shoot the best round possible.

Take it easy the day before a tournament. I recommend hitting balls for 30 minutes and spending an hour on the chipping and putting green. If you are heading out to the course, I recommend playing 9 holes and not keeping score. Hit some extra shots, especially around the greens. Don’t forget to hit some shots that make you uncomfortable so when they come up the next day, you’re ready.

Eat a healthy but light breakfast. In my experience, some fruit, yogurt, and granola are some of the best items you can have. Nothing too filling that’s going to make you drag during your round. Having a First Tee bar or another small snack in your bag for later is never a bad idea either.

Chat with your teammates and coach about strategy. Maybe there’s a member of your team who has played the course before and has some local knowledge. Maybe your coach has some ideas to help avoid those chunky chips you’ve been hitting. It’s important to strategize at least a bit to help you feel more comfortable on the first tee.

How to prepare for a high school golf tournament

Set two realistic goals for yourself. One can be your score, but the other should be something else entirely. Maybe you’ve been hitting too many drives Out of Bouds and it’s costing you strokes. Your goal for the day could be to keep your drives in play. Maybe that means iron or hybrid off the tee instead of driver or wood. These goals can actually help you strategize better and play a cleaner round of golf.

Stay calm. If you’re nervous on the way to the tournament, try keeping your mind off of it by thinking of other things. Listen to your favorite music. I’ve had the issue before where I imagine what the first tee shot would be like all the way to the golf course and proceeded to hit my drive OB. That shot was all I thought about all morning and I put way too much pressure on myself to follow through.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

December 17, 2019

How to get a golf discount for high school…

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On the 2019 annual high school golf coaches survey, many coaches cited the biggest struggle for their golf team was course access at a reasonable rate and team fundraising. Since the NHSGA is owned and operated by the PGA of America, we are working with golf professionals on a daily basis to understand their needs. If you are a high school golf coach seeking advice on getting a golf discount for your team, the advice below should be helpful when working with local golf courses and PGA Professionals.

Help out at the course– Many golf courses are small businesses who rely on the help of part-time staff to be successful. PGA Professionals are always looking for reliable, part-time help to work at the golf course. If the players on your high school golf team work at the course, typically they will get to play free golf. If students are not interested in working at a course, bringing the team to the course a few times during the season to help pick the driving range, pick up trash on the course, or pick-up leaves/sticks to clean up the course will help build a relationship with the PGA Professional. If you help out at the course, your players should be able to get a better discount if not free to play and practice.
Offer to play and practice at off-peak times – Weekend mornings and twilight weekday golf are the busiest times for golf courses. If you are looking to get a reasonable discount at the course, offer to play at off-peak times. The good news is that many high schools will practice and play after school (around 2pm-3pm) when golf courses are slower. Ask your local PGA Professional when are the best times when you can play and hopefully you will find a good time when the course is slow and you are not getting in the way of full paying customers at the course.
Purchase your team gear through the course – Golf teams have many options when purchasing team gear. Sometimes the PGA Professional owns and operates the golf shop at the course which provides this individual with an income stream. Purchasing your gear at the course may be a little more expensive, but putting money in the PGA Professionals pocket may help you get a better discount for greens fees at the course.

Hope this advice is helpful for getting a golf discount for high school golf teams.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

December 9, 2019

Education and Training for High School Golf Coaches

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Although many high school golf coaches are teachers, in my opinion, there is a lack of education and resources available for high school golf coaches. Being a good coach requires knowledge in leadership, communication, and sport-specific expertise. Golf, being an individual sport is different than many other high school sports given the swing mechanics are complex in nature, the mental game is crucial to playing the sport well, every field (golf course) is different, and students do not need to be athletes to be a successful golfer.

Instead of saying education needs to be improved, the team at the National High School Golf Association decided to take action and will host the first annual high school golf coaches conference in conjunction with the PGA Merchandise show January 21-25^th 2020 in Orlando, FL. Given the NSHGA is owned and operated by the PGA of America, this conference will showcase top PGA Professionals and golf instructors who will provide world-class coaching to the high school golf community in attendance.

Learn more about the conference

The conference will include 2 days of classroom and on-course education, networking between senior leaders and brands in the golf industry, and include a golf coach tournament for coaches to show off their personal golf talents on the course. “The high school coaching community has been asking the NHGSA for education to help high school golf teams and coaches better perform. We are excited to partner with the team from the PGA Merchandise show to make this a reality in 2020,” says Chris Noble, NHSGA Manager.

Beyond the in-person conference, the NHSGA team will continue to provide weekly content on the NHSGA blog, work with local PGA of America sections to offer in-person education at the local level, and provide digital education for coaches in the future. If you are a high school golf coach who is seeking help, would like education brought to your area, or have topics of interest you would like us to research and explore, please connect with NHSGA Manager Chris Noble at Chris@highschoolgolf.org.

If you are seeking the best education for high school coaches, join us in the warmth and sunshine in January at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando FL for the Annual High School Golf Coaches Conference. If you can’t make it this January, no worries, the PGA Merchandise Show is an annual event held at the end of the month each January.

Posted By: Kris Hart |