Kris Hart, Author at High School Golf

How to become a high school golf coach

December 2, 2019December 2, 2019
by Kris Hart

Reading Time: 2 minutes

At the National High School Golf Association, we often get questions from avid golfers, parents, or PGA Professionals who are interested in becoming a high school golf coach. Being a coach in any form is a very rewarding job where you are able to contribute positively to your community and impact the lives of boys and girls through athletics.

Unfortunately being a high school golf coach is not a full time job so if financial considerations are your motivation for becoming a high school golf coach, I would advise not to become a coach. If you are seeking a part time (low compensation) or volunteer position and have a love for golf, high school coaching may be right for you (Why become a high school golf coach). Here are some important steps if you are looking to become a high school golf coach:

Associate with the right people in your local golf community – Coaches who are members of golf courses, have close relationships with PGA Professionals, or know the movers and shakers in the golf community can really help high school golf teams succeed. One of the most important attributes of a successful high school golf team is being able to practice and have matches at a local golf course. If you can deliver a golf course, instruction, or golf relationships to help the team succeed, your value as a coach is very significant.
Get a license and/or certifications – Do you have a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) so you can drive a bus? Are you certified in first AID and/or CPR? Have you completed SafeSport training? Being a coach is an important job which comes with a lot of responsibility. Some states will require specific certifications to coach high school golf so it is important to check with your local state athletic association to see which certifications your state requires.
Golf training, education and accolades – Being a good golfer with an impressive personal playing resume can certainly help getting a job as a high school golf coach since students will look up to you and want to play like their coach. Even though being a great golfer is helpful, coaches who are trained and educated in the business of golf are typically the best coaches. I am not advising that anyone looking to be a golf coach needs to be a PGA Professional, but the best high school golf coaches are typically coaching who are professionally educated and trained in the game trough the PGA. Attending education events like the annual high school golf coaches conference and getting certifications like PGA, TPI, and US Kids will help you become a better golf coach.

Taking the steps above will certainly help you if you are looking to become a high school golf coach. The easiest way to become a high school golf coach is working at a high school that is seeking a teacher to coach. Many golf coaching jobs never go to the community or job boards since the positions can be filled internally. If you do not work within a school system, but are looking for golf coaching jobs check out our golf coaching job board.

Hope the above commentary helps! In a perfect world, every high school would offer golf. If this vision was a reality, we would need a lot more high school golf coaches!!

October 30, 2019

Options if you get cut from your high school…

PGA Junior League high school golf alternative

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Golf is meant to be an inclusive sport that anyone can play, but some high school golf teams only have a small number of roster spots. If you happen to get cut from your high school team, don’t worry. There are plenty of other options for junior golf and many of them will help you improve so that you can make the team next year. Here are the best alternatives to playing on your high school golf team.

1. PGA Junior League – The #1 alternative to high school golf. PGA Junior Leagues offer divisions for anyone 17 and under in a team-based environment, just like high school. Each team is led by experienced coaches and PGA Professionals that help the kids with golf and general life skills.

2. Junior Golf Tournaments – There are many options for junior golf tournaments that anyone can participate in. Their are many different levels of junior tours, so it’s important to pick the one that best suits your financial situation, ability level and desire (or lack there of) to travel. Here is a comprehensive list of all the junior golf tours that you can pick from. If you need help picking the right one for your child, please email Chris Noble at chris@highschoolgolf.org.

3. Practice with your high school team – If you don’t make the actual roster, it’s worth asking the coach if you can still attend team practices. Maybe the team is packed full of Juniors and Seniors and the coach knows they’ll need fresh faces come next season. Most will be happy to let you attend practice and help you get better so that you can contribute next year.

4. Work at the course – Even if you can’t practice with the team, volunteering to help the team or working at the golf course will allow you an opportunity to practice and be involved with the team. Sometimes just showing up and showcasing to the coach that you are working hard at your game may provide the necessary exposure to help you get noticed. Working to earn some money and possibly getting the chance to play free golf or practice by working at a facility can really help your game.

5. Book lessons with your local PGA Professional – Almost every course has a PGA Professional on staff that is a talented teacher. Some courses even have a Professional that’s trained specifically to teach junior golfers. They are the best in the business at what they do and will help your kids get better in just a few short hours.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

October 23, 2019

Course management tips for high school golfers

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Golf is a game that requires more thinking than any other sport, and most of it must be done by yourself. I’ve seen plenty of players with beautiful swings and incredible ball-striking ability that simply cannot put up good scores because they make poor decisions. Here are some tips to help you think your way around the course and manage your game properly.

1. Don’t immediately pull out driver on par 4’s and 5’s – This was a mistake that I made for years playing high school and junior golf and got me into trouble more times than I can count. Unless the hole is incredibly long, you don’t necessarily need to hit your driver. Having a trusty wood, hybrid, or long iron that you know you can hit straight most of the time will give you confidence on the tee and a much smaller chance of making a double bogey or worse. So you have a 6-iron into the green instead of an 8-iron, big whoop. At least you’ll be in play and have a great chance at par more often than not.

2. Short is usually better than long – While this is just a rule of thumb and isn’t always true, it’s generally easier to get up and down from in front of the green than it is from behind. Trees, long rough, bunkers and other obstacles often lurk behind greens, and most green complexes slope back to front. An example is the image above, where clearly being short is much safer as anything over the green is likely in the water. If you’re between clubs take the shorter one and make sure to be in front of the green rather than behind to save yourself a stroke or two.

3. Avoid 3-putting – The most dreaded happening in golf, this one seems obvious but there are a few tips to help with this problem. Focusing on your lag putting will be the easiest way to avoid 3-putting during your round. On a put 20 feet or longer, your main focus on the putt shouldn’t be making it, but rather getting it close enough for a stress-free next putt. Often times when trying to make a putt, you focus too much on the line and forget to think about the speed causing the putt to be either well short or way past the hole. These 4-8 foot putts are where 3-putts can easily happen, so avoiding those putts by lagging it closer will ultimately save you strokes.

4. Take it one shot at a time and stay focused – I’ve found that dwelling on past holes or looking too far ahead to the next hole is the easiest way to make a double bogey or worse. Maybe you missed an easy birdie putt and can’t get it out of your head. Maybe a really tough hole is coming up and you’re thinking about the shots you’ll need to hit there to make par. Focusing every ounce of your energy on the current shot and current hole is absolutely crucial to success on the course.

I hope that these course management tips are helpful for you during your next round. You can also check out our tips on how to play good golf in bad weather, which requires a similar mindset and utilizes the tips listed above.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

August 26, 2019

High school golf van ride horror stories

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When I was in high school, we always went to golf matches in a school van driven by our 75-year-old golf coach. I’m sure many high school golf teams still utilize smaller school vans rather than buses or your own vehicles to get to matches and tournaments. We had a few interesting experiences with our high school van rides that I thought were worth mentioning.

The highway incident: This is the day that I thought my life was really going to end. I had a brief moment where I actually thought it was over. Our coach turned right to get on a highway without paying attention to the signs, and we were headed down the off-ramp towards incoming 70 mph traffic. We’re screaming “coach lookout” from the back seat and luckily he realized what was happening a few seconds before it was too late.

We stopped, turned around on the shoulder and exited the highway. We stopped at the nearest gas station so we could all get out and take a breath. Coach just chilled in the driver seat as if nothing had happened.

Bottoming out: On the driveway headed into the school parking lot, there were these massive speed bumps that for some reason my coach liked to pretend didn’t exist. He would go straight on through these bumps without slowing down, and all of us squeezed together in the back seat would bounce into each other a bit painfully.

This one time towards the end of the season, Coach went over the bumps a little too fast, causing the van to bottom out and break a hole in our muffler. We had our final match of the season the very next day and that van was the only one available, so we drove across town in the loudest vehicle you have ever heard. I may still have hearing damage from that day.

Speeding away: Coach pulled up to the curb at a local course so we could load up our clubs and hop in the van. 5 of the 6 of us put our clubs in the trunk and hopped in the van, leaving the trunk open for the final team member to come out of the bathroom and throw their clubs back there too.

I guess Coach though we were all in the van because he quickly drove away with all of us yelling for him to stop because not only is the trunk with all our bags open, but our teammate is still inside the clubhouse.

The cookie incident: Our coach’s wife always made cookies for our van rides to matches. A player on the team didn’t get along very well with the coach, especially after his performance that day and thought it would be funny to crack open the window of our ’02 Chevy Astro van and drop cookies out the window as our coach sped down the highway. Coach finally saw what was happening out of the rearview mirror and proceeded to scream at us while driving. Unfortunately, that was the end of homemade cookies on road trips.

Have a high school golf horror story that you would like to share? Email chris@highschoolgolf.org and tell us about your cringe-worthy moments.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

August 2, 2019

Why every PGA Professional should care about high school…

Reading Time: 3 minutes

High school golf often gets a bad rap. Unfortunately, some high school kids are immature, not patient, and often are less skilled golfers than the best junior golfers locally at the course. The good news is that high school golfers are kids that are passionate about the game and are playing the sport competitively. In my opinion, every PGA Professional should coach or get involved with a local high school golf team for the following reasons:

Lessons and coaching – The majority of high school golf coaches are not PGA Professionals. With that said, high school coaches are the main influence on boys and girls who are playing high school golf. If I were a PGA Professional, I would develop relationships with the high school golf coaches in the area to offer coaching instruction and make sure the students and their parents knew I was available for private coaching and lessons. Better yet, why aren’t more PGA Professionals high school golf coaches? Although you make a small amount of money directly from the high school, the external revenue through lessons, coaching, tee times, and otherwise for a golf facility can be significant. Find high school golf coaching jobs

High school coaches need help – There are a lot of great high school golf coaches who love the game and the kids they coach. In our 2019 Annual NHSGA High School Golf Coaches Survey, we asked ~1400 coaches what was their biggest struggle as a high school golf coach. The most common responses from coaches was that they do not have golf course access, course access was limited, or course access was not affordable. I know course access can be difficult to grant as a PGA Professional, but the reality is most golf course are very under-utilized and allowing high school kids range access or even access for tee times at slower times (2-5 pm) when the course is slower could really help out high school coaches and their teams.

There are a ton of high school golfers– According to the NFHS, there are over 224,000 kids who play high school golf. When I am speaking to PGA Professionals, I often hear a lot about the elite junior players and kids that are amazing golfers. What about the 20 high school kids from the local high school team? Better yet, what about the 20 kids on varsity and 20 kids on junior varsity. If we really want to make a change in our game, we need to focus on the masses and not just the elite. I wish more high school’s offered both varsity and junior varsity golf. In my high school 30 kids tried out for the team, but the coach was only able to keep 12 kids since we could only get 3 tee times at the local course. As a result, as an industry, we just lost 18 “potential golfers” who are now going to run cross country or play another sport. It is important for golf professionals to embrace high school players at all levels.

New members & club revenue– High school kids need a place to practice while in high school, while in college and even after college. Entry-level junior memberships are a great way to start. Furthermore, if a high school kid wants to go to the golf course every day, the boy or girl’s family may consider joining the club since the golf course is a safe and secure environment for kids. Parents and kids who go to the course often will spend more money in the restaurant, pro-shop, and other amenities like the pool.

I hope my arguments above were convincing enough about the importance of high school golf. I know not every PGA Professional will care about high school golf or embrace the high school sport, but if this article convinces even one professional to coach high school golf or get more involved with the local high school community, I am doing my job and that makes me smile.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

July 15, 2019

3 reasons to attend a PGM college

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When looking to pursue a career in golf, attending a Professional Golf Management school at one of the 18 accredited universities is a great option. This 4.5-year program will cover all aspects of the industry through classes, hands-on seminars, and internships while also allowing you to pursue a college degree. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why it’s beneficial to attend a PGM University.

Passion for Golf – This program provides the opportunity to turn playing the game you love into a successful career. Throughout the 4.5 year program, you will attend classes that breakdown every aspect of the industry from the history of the game to club repair while also providing the opportunity for seminars from industry leaders. Internships are required each summer which allow the knowledge and skills learned from the year to be put to work. These programs offer multiple opportunities to play competitively within the University as well as nationwide with tournaments such as the Jones Cup and organizations like the NCCGA (National Collegiate Club Golf Association). Combining the opportunity to play competitive and fun tournaments while pursuing a career in golf is big reason PGM schools are a great avenue for those that love the game.

Flexible Major Options – Not only will a PGM University provide the opportunity to pursue PGA membership, but it also allows you to choose between majors. The options vary for each school but primarily within the business field you can select anything from business management to marketing. Having this alongside the PGM specialization is very important and even acts as a backup plan if in the future you decide to pursue a different career path. Combining a Bachelors in Business with a PGA membership will set you up for a successful career in the game.

Job Placement – After completing the PGM classwork as well as internships and courses towards your degree, you will be set to explore the many opportunities the industry has to offer. This program boasts a 100% job placement rate upon completion which is tough to compete against. With the experience and connections made through internships, you will be set up to come right out of school into a job you will love.

Here is a list of all the schools that offer a PGM program:

Arizona State University
Campbell University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
Eastern Kentucky University
Ferris State University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida State University
Methodist University
Mississippi State University
New Mexico State University
North Carolina State University
Penn State University
Sam Houston State University
University Of Central Oklahoma
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
University of Idaho
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
University of Nevada – Las Vegas

If you have questions about PGM programs or want to learn more, please email Ben Tyler (NCCGA Associate) at ben@nextgengolf.org.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

July 11, 2019

Top Men’s College Golf Programs by Division

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As with any college sport, golf has many different levels of competition ranging from top talent at the NCAA Division 1 to beginners at collegiate club golf (NCCGA). If you want to win a National Championship at any level, here are the top golf programs for each that you should consider joining.

NCAA Division I: Oklahoma State University, Vanderbilt University, and Wake Forest University are currently ranked as the best collegiate NCAA Division 1 golf programs in the entire country. There are many other top tier programs such as the University of Texas, University of Oklahoma, and Stanford University where top-ranked junior golfers are recruited to. These are some of the most competitive college golf programs in the country – be sure to create your college golf resume before reaching out to a caliber of a program such as these.

NCAA Division II: Florida colleges tend to dominate at the DII level, with Lynn University, Barry University, University of West Florida, Florida Southern College & Florida Tech as the top five ranked programs in the country. An NCAA DII program can provide you a better opportunity to compete on the team right away rather than “riding the bench” at an NCAA DI program. A golfer is still able to receive an academic and athletic (golf) scholarship at the DII level and schools are typically within 5,000-15,000 students in size.

NCAA Division III: There are always new teams rising up as powers in DIII golf, but the teams that are most consistently at the top of the rankings are Huntington College, Emory University, Wittenberg University, and Methodist University. Where NCAA DIII programs cannot offer an athletic or golf scholarship, they are still able to offer academic or merit-based scholarships. All of these programs do a fantastic job recruiting great students as well as top athletes, and attending will give you a first-class education and a chance at a championship every year.

NAIA: The NAIA stands for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Programs at the NAIA level are typically on the smaller side (less than 5,000 students) and are of religious background. Top programs at the NAIA level: Coastal Georgia University, Oklahoma City University, Texas Wesleyan University, Keiser University, and Northwestern Ohio University. The great thing with NAIA programs is that you are able to receive both an athletic and academic scholarship and don’t sacrifice much from a competitive standpoint from the NCAA.

NJCAA: The National Junior College Athletic Association are colleges which are two-year programs and can act as great stepping stones for those looking to transfer into a four-year school. Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona are plentiful with NJCAA colleges and have some of the top programs throughout the country.

NCCGA: The National Collegiate Club Golf Association has teams at over 350 schools nationwide with varying levels of skill. Club golfers shoot anywhere from 65-105, but there are a few teams that could easily play as a DII or even DI team if they chose to do so. Grand Canyon University and the University of Georgia have consistently been the best club golf teams over the past handful of years. They have each won at least one National Championship and have a handful of players that regularly shoot under par.

Keep in mind that there are over 1,300 varsity college golf programs throughout the country, not to mention the additional 350 NCCGA club golf programs as well. Be sure to do your homework on a school and program before reaching out to a college coach. Have additional questions on college golf? Contact NHSGA manager Chris Noble: chris@highschoolgolf.org

Posted By: Kris Hart |

July 8, 2019

Inaugural NHSGA National Invitational showcases diversity & top talent

Reading Time: 3 minutes

About a year-and-a-half ago, a national tournament for high school golf was a foreign concept. During the last week of June in Orlando, 43 states were represented and nearly 300 high school golfers competed in the inaugural High School Golf National Invitational, turning what was just an idea into one of the most important high school golf tournaments in the entire country.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

March 27, 2019

Best on course practice drills for a high school…

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Golf is a sport that takes practice, practice, and more practice. However, staying at the driving range and putting green day after day can be frustrating and boring for your high school golfers. Try some of these on course drills to spruce up your practices and get your players more engaged with their golf game.

1) The 3-club challenge: This is a classic golf challenge/drill that really works. I do prefer a modified version though, which actually allows for 4 clubs (4th must be putter) because I don’t see any real value in putting with another club. This drill will teach your players how to hit a wide variety of shots (irons off the tee, knockdowns, bump and runs, etc.) due to the limited club selection. It will also teach them course management and that sometimes the “typical” shot is not always the best shot. Some of your players might even score better then they do with a full set!

2) Play it forward: A great way to force your players to hit a wide variety of shots both off the tee and to the green. Play the first 4 holes from the longest tees, forcing players to hit driver and long irons. Then, the next 5 holes are played from the next set of tees up and so forth. The last 5 holes are played from either the most forward tees or the beginning of the fairway.

3) Build your own modified par-3 course: Before practice begins, head out to the course and set up 9 holes as a par 3 course. Move the tees into different spots and distances (maybe a 200 straight shot to an easy pin location followed by a 50-yard pitch shot over a bunker to a tucked pin). The shot variety will mirror that of an 18 hole round but will take less than half the time to play.

Try out one of these ideas during your next practice. Your players will not only learn a lot about their own game but will also have a lot more fun than bashing balls at the range. Do you have other ideas for practice drills? Let us know at chris@highschoolgolf.org.

Posted By: Kris Hart |

March 1, 2019

What you need to know about high school golf

Reading Time: 2 minutes

High school golf is often an oversight by the golf industry but is an incredibly vital aspect of the community. It’s where many players, both casual and competitive, first begin to play the game and develop a passion for golf. The main purpose of NHSGA is to give high school golf the love, visibility, resources, and recognition that it rightly deserves. Here are the main items that everyone should know about high school golf.

1. Unlike most junior golf tournaments, high school golf is team and individual-based – Most junior golf tours like the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) operate tournaments where boys and girls compete individually. What high school golf offers is a real team atmosphere where you are practicing with a coach and your teammates every day.

2. There are over 220,000 high school golfers who play nationally – According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, there were 144,024 boys and 78,781 girls that made up the high school golf community in 2017-18. The high school golf community is one of the largest community of golfers within the industry.

3. Each state’s high school athletic association governs golf differently – Some states run golf in the spring, others in the fall, and a select few in both. Also, women’s and men’s are not always the same season. States host either an 18, 36 or 54 hole state tournament and either two, three or four player scores are used toward a team total. To learn more about differences between states, check out our blog article on high school golf seasons by state.

4. High school golf has never had a national competition, until this year – The first ever High School Golf National Invitational takes place this June in Orlando. The Invitational field will be made up of 224 boys and 124 girls of the top high school golfers from across the country.

5. Less than 7% of high school golfers go on to play at the varsity level in college – Many high school golfers are ultra-competitive, but others are just out there to learn the game and enjoy time with friends. While it certainly helps bolster college golf resume’s, high school golf is also a great place for the casual player to have fun and be part of a team.

6. Any former high school golfer can play competitive golf in college with the NCCGA – The National Collegiate Club Golf Association runs competitive and fun golf tournaments for non-varsity players. Scores range from 65-110 and are co-ed and open to all college students. If you are unable to play varsity golf at your dream school, you no longer have to choose between your education and golf.

Posted By: Kris Hart |