High School Golf News

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.

July 11, 2019

Top Men’s College Golf Programs by Division

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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

April 30, 2019

Best High School Golf Championship Courses

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High school golf state championships are the pinnacle for any high school golfer across the country. State tournaments showcase some of the most talented junior golfers in the state and allow an opportunity to compete for their school and on championship caliber courses. Check out some of the best venues from across the country that play host to a state championship.

Poppy Hills Golf Course – Pebble Beach, California

Pebble Beach is synonymous with great golf courses, and where Poppy Hills may take a back seat Pebble Beach Golf Links, this Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is a must play. Designed in 1986, this course was one of the courses used in the rotation for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from 1991-2009. In 2014 it was rated “Best Renovation” by all four of golf’s major publications.

Pinehurst No. 8 – Pinehurst, North Carolina

A classic Tom Fazio design that opened in 1996 – has hosted the PGA Club Pro championship twice in its history. Many who play the course compare it to No. 2 with its rolling terrain and demanding greens and approach shots.

Mission Inn Resort, El Campeon – Howey-In-The-Hills, FL

The El Campeon course at Mission Inn Resort just celebrated it’s 100 year anniversary in 2017. This is not your typical Florida golf course. With elevation changes of more than 85 feet and undulating fairways and sloping greens, this course will prove a test to the most accomplished player. Consistently ranked in the top 10 golf courses in Florida rankings for Golf Advisor and played host to the PGA Tour of Canada qualifying this spring.

Waikoloa Resort – Kings Course, HI

Designed by Tom Weiskopf and described as a Scottish links-style layout that meets numerous lakes and lava outlays of the Hawaiian Islands. Weiskopf designed this course with all player’s in mind to provide a welcoming and inviting experience to the inexperienced golfer to a fair test for the scratch golfer.

University Ridge Golf Course, WI

Home course to the University of Wisconsin Men’s and Women’s golf teams and designed by the famous architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr. Ranked #4 in the state of Wisconsin by Golf Advisor in 2018 and the course has hosted numerous Big 10 championships, the Wisconsin state open and a PGA Champions Tour event the past three years!

For a full list of state championship venues for the high school golf season, be sure to check out the state pages on the NHSGA site to follow along with all of the action!

April 11, 2019

Verbal Commitments – What are they & what do…

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High school golfers from across the country have goals of competing at the college level. There are over 222,000 high school golfers in the U.S. and approximately 7% go onto play at the varsity level in college. The term, “verbally committed” is tossed around a lot, but what exactly does it mean?

Timing

Technically speaking, you can verbally commit to a college or university at any time providing the coach has made you an offer. Verbal commitments are in place to allow an athlete to commit to a school before they are able to sign a National Letter of Intent or (NLI). A National Letter of Intent is a legally binding contract binding you to an academic institution for at least 1 year.

It’s best to look at all of your options and discuss the choice with your family before verbally committing to a school. When a coach extends an offer, it’s best to thank them and ask for a timeline that you need to follow to provide them a decision.

Non-Binding

Verbal agreements are non-binding verbal contracts. What this means is that you the athlete or the coach can cancel the verbal agreement at any time. Is this common? No. However, situations such as coaching changes can present a unique situation where the new coach is under no obligation to carry out the previous coach’s verbal commits.

Keep in mind that you should only verbally commit to a school if you are 100% certain that is the school for you. Ensure you understand the offer and have any outstanding questions answered before the verbal commitment.

National Letter of Intenet

The National Letter of Intenet program or (NLI) is a binding agreement between a student-athlete and academic institution (college) for one academic year. A student-athlete cannot sign a NLI until their senior year, thus the reasoning of having verbal commitments prior to this time.

The only time where you can “officially” commit to a college or university is after you sign your NLI and scholarship offer.

How to Verbally Commit

There are basically three ways that you can verbally commit to a college:

• On a phone call with a college coach
• During a campus visit
• Through written form in a note or letter

You do not need to use special words or anything specific to accept a coach’s verbal offer – simply saying “yes” is acceptable. Many times during phone calls or a campus visit, coaches will extend the verbal offer to you. Don’t feel pressured to make a decision right then, but following up in a note or email with writing that you accept is a good idea.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you navigate the world of college commitments and making the best decision for your college years!

April 3, 2019

Top 10 Ranked Girls High School Golf Teams –…

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The girls spring high school golf season is upon us! As we get ready to kick off the spring regional and state championship season, let’s take a look at the top 10 ranked high school girl’s golf teams from last year’s spring season.

Girls:

Austin Westlake High School – Texas – 6A

Austin Westlake High School won the 6A state championship with rounds of 290 and 299 for a 13-over-par two day total.

Lake Travis High School – Texas – 6A

Lake Travis High School finished tied for second at the 6A state championship with rounds of 309 and 295.

The Woodlands High School – Texas – 6A

The Woodlands High School finished tied for second at the 6A state championship with rounds of 303 and 301.

Houston Memorial High School – Texas – 6A

Houston Memorial High School finished fourth at the 6A state championship with rounds of 294 and 314.

Southlake Carroll High School – Texas – 6A

Southlake Carroll High School finished fifth at the 6A state championship with rounds of 303-307.

Lacassine High School – Louisiana – Division 2

Lacassine High School captured the Division 2 state championship with a 20-over-par two day total at Les Vieux Chenes Golf Course.

Auburn High School – Alabama – 7A

Auburn High School captured the 7A state championship with a 13-over-par two day total at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals.

Hoover High School – Alabama – 7A

Hoover High school finished second at the 7A state championship with a 14-over-par two day total at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail At The Shoals.

Montgomery High School – Texas – 6A

Montgomery High school places sixth at the 6A state championship with rounds of 312-310 at Legacy Hills Golf Club.

Northside High School – Alabama – 5A

Northside High School captured the 5A state championship with an 18-over par two day total at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail At The Shoals – Schoolmaster Course.

Stay up-to-date on all the regional and state high school golf tournaments this spring with the NHSGA.

April 1, 2019

Top 10 Ranked Boys High School Golf Team –…

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The spring high school golf season is upon us! As we get ready to showcase over 200 state tournaments this spring, let’s take a moment to introduce the top-ranked teams from last year’s spring season.

Boys:

Gaffney High School – South Carolina – 5A

Gaffney High School captured the NHSGA’s #1 national ranking with rounds of 280-269 to finish at 27 under par for the championship. Can Gaffney regain their number one ranking this spring?

Highland Park High School – Texas – 5A

Highland Park High School fired two rounds of 286-278 to finish at 12-under-par for the state championship, besting their nearest competitor by more than 30 strokes!

Mountain Brook High School – Alabama – 7A

Mountain Brook High School finished at 32-under-par for the state championship, firing rounds of 269-275.

Westlake High School – Texas – 6A

Westlake High School edged out the competition last spring with rounds of 283-290 for a 3-under par total.

Oklahoma Christian School – Oklahoma – 3A

Oklahoma Christian School captured the 3A state championship with rounds of 276-277 for a seven-under-par total.

Vandergrift High School – Texas – 6A

Vandergrift High School finished second at the Texas 6A state championship with rounds of 294-287 for a 5-over-par total.

Houston Memorial High School – Texas – 6A

Houston Memorial High School finished third at the Texas 6A state championship with rounds of 293-289 for a 6-over-par total.

Columbus High School – Georgia – 4A

Columbus High School captured the 4A state championship with a ten-under-par round of 278.

Christian Heritage High School – Oklahoma – 3A

Christian Heritage High School finished second at the 3A championship with rounds of 285-278 for a 2-under-par total.

 

Christ Church High School – South Carolina – 2A

Christ Church High School captured the 2A state championship with a round of 287 for a 1-under-par-total.

Be sure to stay up-to-date on all state and regional high school golf tournaments this spring through the NHSGA!