April 9, 2020

How high school golf could take place during the…

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*Stay up-to-date with all state high school athletic association decisions for the spring golf season (link)

High school athletic associations, much like all of us, are facing unprecedented times during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As early as mid-March, some states have canceled all spring sports including golf. Other states have delayed the start of the season or have announced they will be closely monitoring possible delays.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released this statement recently about the decision to cancel spring sports. “The Association understands the extreme seriousness of this pandemic and joins in support of current measures being implemented as well as future considerations. In unwavering support yet with extreme sadness, we must cancel our spring sports programming. We join all Hoosiers in anticipation of a triumphant homecoming back to our schools in the fall of 2020 complete with a full complement of IHSAA sports.”

All organizations, groups, or individuals need to pay attention to CDC and WHO guidelines for social distancing and other recommendations.  Additionally, all national, state and local laws and guidelines are of the utmost importance. With that said, as we get to a point where events “can” happen, we should evaluate some precautions we can take on the golf side to lead by example and show that golf can be a great place to meet all of those guidelines and provide a healthy, competitive outlet.  

If we are fortunate enough that the time for safe events can be run in the next couple of months, high school athletic associations can adopt some of these same adjustments we are taking at the National High School Golf Association in order to run their local and state competitions.  As we prepare for our National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort this summer, we will be taking these following precautions:

Golf Tournament COVID-19 Precautions:

• Registration – Send all rules sheets electronically and remove paper handouts.  Starters or volunteers should stress social distancing and remind players or these recommendations
• Practice Facilities – Set up hitting stations at least 6 feet apart
• Scorecards – Use digital scorecards or do not exchange with other players.  Vocal confirmation at scoring may be used  
• Spectators and volunteers – Social distancing guidelines should be enforced and encourage walking vs. carts
• Golf Rules – Consider adopting USGA adaptations for the flagstick and bunker rakes
• Etiquette – Encourage players to not shake hands and maintain proper social distancing at all times
• Food & Beverage – if your event has F&B be sure all items are separated and individually wrapped
• General – Hand sanitizer or Lysol wipes should be readily available

Be sure to continue to check updates with your local and state governments on the COVID-19 implications around your area. Feel free to contact us Chris@highschoolgolf.org for more ideas and ways that we can all practice social distancing and enjoy a round of golf.

March 18, 2020

High school golf Instagram accounts

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Social media is a regular means of communication in all of our lives. High school students use platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to chat with friends and learn about events and activities in their community. A way for any high school golf team to celebrate their players and attract more attention is by starting an Instagram account. Let’s take a look at some great high school golf team accounts and keys to making yours successful. 

Great profile picture

The first step when creating an Instagram account is to have a recognizable profile picture. This is the image that people will see before clicking on your full account. A good idea would be to use your school mascot or team logo to standout. Manning High School in South Carolina does an excellent job including the school logo in their profile picture. Pro Tip: Include a link to your high school website or golf page, to let people know about your team. 

Variety of Pictures

It’s important to include a variety of different pictures for your account to attract the most attention. Include action shots from your players on the course, pictures with parents and coaches, and even team activities outside of golf. Huntley High School in Illinois does an excellent job of mixing up their pictures to show all different aspects of team life. 

Follower/Following Ratio

A key to any good Instagram account is to maintain a good follower too following ratio. In other words, never follow more accounts than you have following you. Try to keep the numbers as close to each other as possible. The Grissom High School Girls Golf Team Instagram account does a perfect job of maintaining this. 

Celebrate Accomplishments

Many of your players will have accomplishments throughout their careers. This could be signing to play college golf, or breaking a personal best on 9 holes. Celebrate those accomplishments with pictures and videos. The New Albany girls golf team in Ohio does a nice job celebrating players signing to play college golf and other local news stories. 

Whether you are tech-savvy or not, starting an Instagram account for your team is a perfect way to attract more players and celebrate accomplishments. Take the time today to help your team use this channel of communication to bolster its reputation. 

March 10, 2020

Best indoor golf drills

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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.

February 20, 2020

Running a high school golf tryout

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High school golf tryouts can be a stressful time for players and coaches. Players are anxious to play their best and make the roster. Coaches want to be fair when selecting and finalizing their teams. But how can coaches make sure they are providing each player an equal opportunity when making the team? Check out these tips below to help run a successful high school golf tryout. 

Set Expectations 

Golf, unlike other sports, is objective and quantifiable. 72 will always beat 75, and 75 will always beat 80. Before any of your players set foot on the golf course, clearly explain the structure of your tryout process. How many holes will it consist of? How many days? Will you give special exemptions to an upperclassman or returning players from the year before? Is there a certain score or total that has to be shot to make the team? 

Document all of these expectations on paper to share with all players and families. Your goal is to set clear expectations even before the first tryout. The more clear cut your process is, the less confusion and controversy there will be later on in the season. 

Pair experienced players with newer golfers

If you have any upperclassman or returning starters from the prior season, try to pair them up with newer golfers. This will not only provide your returning golfers a leadership opportunity, but the inexperienced players can learn from playing with them. Good golf etiquette can be taught by your veteran players and help create a better team environment for the newer golfers. 

Pro-tip. Incorporate either a double-par or circle 10 rule for your younger players. In other words, once they reach double the par on a hole or hit their 10th shot, they will pick up their ball and record that score. This will help with the pace of play and overall morale for those players. 

Integrity first 

Cheating is a hot topic issue in high school golf. Set the precedent day one that cheating will not be allowed on your team. Consequences will be met if cheating is seen. One way to help limit the amount of cheating is to have all players in a group exchange scorecards with each other. Try to avoid a player ever keeping their own score. If there is an issue with a score on a certain hole, both players can be involved with coming to an agreement. 

Use the rules of golf 

Tryouts should not just consist of playing on the course, but also include a test on the rules of golf. The USGA has some great resources for players, parents and coaches with pre-made rules quizzes. Assign your players some homework to watch some of the USGA rules videos before taking the quiz and require that they meet a certain standard when taking the quiz. 

Action plan for golfers who don’t make the team 

A question that we ask on our annual high school golf coaches survey is asking coaches if they cut players from their teams? Over 25% of the 1200 coaches that responded said they do make cuts from their high school golf teams. For any players that are cut, encourage them to look at PGA Junior League – which exists to bring friends, families, and communities together around golf. This opportunity would also allow those players to be part of a team atmosphere. 

Additional questions on the best ways to run a tryout for your team? Feel free to contact me directly: Chris@highschoolgolf.org

February 13, 2020

High School Golf Coaches Conference

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This past January saw an important event take place for high school golf and coaches alike. The inaugural High School Golf Coaches Conference took place in conjunction with the PGA Merchandise Show. Over 80 high school golf coaches from across the country descended on Orlando for two days of learning, networking, and growth on how to be a better coach for their teams and players. 

Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America stopped by to greet the coaches and welcome them to the conference. “It’s shocking to us all that this is the first time that you have been invited, but it certainly won’t be the last.” Seth went on to say, “I’m jealous of you all, I think being a high school golf coach is one of the greatest jobs on earth.” Suzy Whaley, the President of the PGA joined the group as well, “Each and every day PGA professionals try to change people’s lives and impact them through the game of golf, and job well done to all of you for doing the same.” 

Friday’s education speaking panel saw the likes of top 100 PGA and LPGA teaching professionals, world-renowned sports psychologists, leaders on rules, inclusion/diversity and professional teaching models. Given that this was the first year running the event, we wanted to ask the coaches why they chose to attend the conference. “Professional development, a chance to get to a warm climate from Dallas, an opportunity to play golf, opportunity to learn some new coaching techniques (drills, examples), make some connections to compared ideas” Coach David Phillip from Texas.

Saturday saw a full day of talks, on-course instruction and golf played by coaches and PGA professionals alike at Timacuan Golf Club.  Jeff Hay, a PGA professional and coach at the Sean Foley Golf Academy welcomes the coaches with a talk on golf academies for high school golfers. Brendan Ryan, a college golf recruiting expert, spoke on the college golf recruiting process for any coaches who have players looking to play varsity golf in college. 

On course instruction saw some incredible teachers take center stage for the morning session. A putting guru and recipient of the 2019 Southern California teacher of the year, Preston Combs, put on an interactive putting clinic where he presented usable drills for coaches to use with all of their players. Brech Spradley who has appeared on Golf Channel Academy and is a FCG Top 25 Elite Junior Coach in US discussed the most common swing mistakes for a high school golfer and how to fix them. Cleveland Golf presented coaches with an opportunity to try their latest technology and line of wedges. 

When we asked Preston why he wanted to be involved with the conference, his response was simple, “When I was first approached about presenting with the NHSGA, I immediately recognized a tremendous opportunity. The unique chance to share quality information with a group that comes in direct contact with young people learning the game cannot be missed. Helping to establish a solid foundation for players that age is essential to their growth.”

For many of us, our best memories on the golf course are from our high school golf days. Our high school golf coaches are a big part of that. If you are a high school golf coach or know of one, don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend in 2021. For more information, feel free to email NHSGA Manager, Chris Noble at Chris@highschoolgolf.org

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.

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.

December 2, 2019

How to become a high school golf coach

Reading Time: 2 minutesAt 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 23, 2019

Course management tips for high school golfers

Reading Time: 3 minutesGolf 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.