August 12, 2022

A celebration of high school golf at the National…

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Just a few years ago, a national tournament for high school golf was a foreign concept. Today, what started as an idea has become one of the country’s most important high school golf tournaments.

“Many other high school sports such as football, basketball, and baseball have national tournaments for high schoolers, so we thought, why not golf?” said National High School Golf Association (NHSGA) manager Chris Noble. “This event has become the pinnacle of high school golf and valuable to college coaches seeking hidden talent they may not see on the traditional junior golf circuit.”

One of the nation’s most diverse and inclusive national junior golf tournaments, this year’s High School Golf Invitational featured more than 500 of the top high school golfers from nearly all 50 states. The National Invitational is an event dedicated to celebrating and showcasing high school golfers at the highest level––public or private, Division 1A or 6A. This event highlights what makes high school golf so unique: families, teams, and coaches from all different cultural and financial backgrounds, races, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations. No two players or teams are alike.

“The National Invitational is a celebration of a player’s hard work and excellence during their high school golf season,” said Noble.

Players showed strength and composure over the three-day, 54-hole event at close to 7,000 yards for boys and 6,000 yards for the girls. Twelve boys finished at even-par or better but none could catch Jake Albert, a freshman from Virginia, who fired an impressive 10-under-par three-day total. On the girl’s side, 10 girls finished at 2-over-par or better, with Jennifer Seo, junior from Arizona, taking home medalist honors with a 3-under-par three-day total. Both medalists received an exemption into the Junior PGA Championship hosted at Cog Hill in August.  

Winning is nothing new for the girls from Lambert High School in Georgia. The defending champions came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and led this year’s Invitational wire-to-wire, finishing with a three-day total of 880 (+24). 

“All the credit goes to the girls,” said Shane Fortenberry, Lambert High School Golf Coach. “We started the season with one goal, and their hard work and dedication throughout the school year made that possible. We look forward to competing in the National Invitational for years to come.” 

In a similar fashion, the boys from Rivers Academy in Georgia couldn’t be caught after an opening round of 292 (-14), the lowest single-day team score recorded in event history. They finished with a three-day total of 875 (+11). 

For the second consecutive year, Titleist and FootJoy were the Presenting Partners with the NHSGA and the National Invitational to help enrich the high school golf experience. Both partners were on-site, providing every player with the tools to play their best. 

“At Titleist, we want to connect with the next generation of dedicated golfers,” said Chris Rohrs, Golfer Insights at Acushnet. “Our partnership with the NHSGA allows us to reach the players, coaches and parents and build those relationships. We’ve made great strides in the first two years working with the NHSGA and look forward to doing more in the future.” 

Although some of these players will go on to play collegiate varsity golf, the reality is that only seven percent of high school golfers across the nation will have that opportunity. For those not playing varsity golf in college, the NHSGA arms students with knowledge on how to continue competing outside of the traditional varsity college golf experience. The NCCGA is the governing body for collegiate club golf and offers a competitive outlet for thousands of college students yearly.

“The National Invitational is an amazing event that gives these kids not only a great golf experience for their resume but also one of the most memorable experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Derek Fox, PGA Professional and Corner Canyon High School (UT) Golf Coach. “We are honored to have been a part of your tournament and look forward to hopefully returning for many more in the future.”

August 24, 2021

Understanding College Golf Scores

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How good are college golfers and where can I play?

With a quick search on Google followed by a click-through Golfstat, you’ll know in a matter of minutes what the best college golfers in the country are shooting — spoiler alert: they go low — and you’ll be able to tell which teams are the best in the country. 

As a junior golfer, you’re likely interested in college golf scores for a few reasons, one of which is because knowing what college players are shooting helps you determine where you might be able to play college golf. 

Let’s start by defining the range of college golf scores… you need to know what players on the best and worst college golf teams in each division are shooting.

College golf scores from the best teams

The NCCGA has a great piece on their blog from a few years back illuminating what the best college teams and best players in the country are shooting. This article does a nice job of summing up just how good the best teams and players really are. The way I like to think about it is that the majority of players from the top 50 teams in the country are vying to become the next class of professional golfers. They are consistently shooting scores below par and winning tournaments. It’s the highest level of amateur golf in the country.

So understanding college golf scores at the top end is important, and fortunately, relatively easy to do. We can see which teams are qualifying for the DI, DII, and DIII NCAA regional and national championships, who is winning, and what kinds of scores they are shooting at those events. We can also look at season-long scoring averages. But the lower end… that’s a lot harder. 

College golf scores from the weakest teams

I struggle with calling any team “weak” because there are a variety of reasons why a team might not produce the lowest scores, but you get the gist of what I’m striving for here… which varsity teams are producing the highest college golf scores? And what are those scores? 

Knowing this allows you to understand whether it’s at all possible for you to play varsity college golf. Often, I hear this question in the form of, “what are the teams with the highest scoring averages that can still offer scholarships?” Or, “which of the top academic schools shoot the highest scores?”

Between digging around on Golfstat and the American College Golf Guide, I’ve put together the list below to give you a sense of the range of scores from the bottom 3-5 teams in each division:

Men:

DI: 74.6 – 88.2

DII: 75.7 – 87.2

DIII: 76.9 – 118.1

Women:

DI: 79.6 – 100.4

DII: 79.5 – 126.0

DIII: 80.0 – 135.2

Take all this with a grain of salt. Comparing high school golf scores to college golf scores isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. But I hope this gives you a sense of what’s possible. 

College Golf Scores vs. High School Golf Scores

Several factors make junior golfers more or less likely to see their scores go up or down when they get to college. Here are a few of the factors:

• Less time to practice in college (you are constantly competing, leaving little time for meaningful practice)
• Academic commitments
• Focus on future career / internships take priority over summer golf
• Weather
• Access to good coaching
• Goals (motivation vs. burnout)

So while it’s a helpful first step to know what college golfers are shooting in college, there’s a lot more that goes into recruiting that scores. And just because you can see what college players are shooting, don’t assume that that’s what they were shooting as a junior… don’t assume that those are the scores/scoring averages that got them recruited.

Understanding where you can play college golf

The best way to determine which college golf programs are a good fit for your golf ability is to compare your junior golf ranking and scores to the junior ranking and scores that college players shot when they were juniors. Essentially, how good were those college players at the time they were getting recruited? That’s what you really need to know if you’re trying to determine where you can play golf in college.

The Junior Golf Scoreboard makes this data available for each graduating high school class. You can see where junior players from the last four years have been recruited, and you can view each player’s junior golf ranking in their class and tournament scoring differential when they signed their National Letter of Intent. 

To make it easier to view this data and learn more about each school, I’ve put together a free search tool: The College Golf School & Scholarship Finder. It’s a great way to learn about all of the schools that offer NCAA varsity golf and identify which schools are a good fit for you based on your golf and academics.

Getting recruited is about more than just scores

As you can see from the data, there’s a lot of overlap between the level of scores that DI, DII, and DIII golfers are shooting. Many great golfers are competing at the DIII level who had the ability to be recruited to a DI team. 

At the end of the day, it’s about finding a school that offers the best fit overall. And that’s what coaches are looking for, too. They want kids excited about their team, want to keep working hard throughout college and be great teammates. It’s important to keep that in mind as you are communicating with coaches throughout the recruiting process. The qualitative factors can make all the difference!

More about Claire Sheldon Richardson, the founder of PSACC (Prospective Student-Athlete College Counseling)

Claire founded PSACC after spending three years as the Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at Harvard University.  During her coaching career at Harvard, she assisted the Director of Golf in the recruiting process for both the men’s and women’s golf teams.  She has seen first-hand what it takes to succeed in the recruiting process and as a Division I student-athlete. She is a former 4-year varsity golfer at Harvard, serving as captain her senior year. She set records for the lowest score in Harvard Women’s Golf history and still holds the record for most tournament wins. She also helped the golf team win 21 tournaments during her four years.

**You can contact Claire at http://www.psacollegecounseling.com or via email claire@psacollegecounseling.com.

July 22, 2021

High School Golfers Shine for National Invitational at Pinehurst

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The 2021 High School Golf National Invitational took place June 23-30th at Pinehurst Resort. 560 of the top high school golfers from 46 states (plus Canada & Guam) competed in this year’s event. The National Invitational, conducted by the National High School Golf Association (NHSGA) is one of the most diverse, inclusive & prestigious national junior golf tournaments. Invitations are extended to teams and individuals based on their high school golf season performance. Public or private. Small or large. Urban or rural. All high school state championship teams, individuals, coaches, and their families are welcome.

This year’s Invitational saw the largest field in its 3-year history. Players, coaches, and teams from different cultures, financial backgrounds, races, skill levels, sexual orientations & gender identities descended on Pinehurst for two special weeks. 

“The National Invitational is a celebration of a player’s hard work and excellence during their high school golf season.” – Chris Noble NHSGA Manager “This year’s event was met with eager anticipation from players, coaches, and parents after the entire spring 2020 high school golf season was canceled due to COVID-19.”

The Girls Invitational was played on Pinehurst No. 6, No. 8 & No. 9 at close to 6,000 yards. Eleven players finished at 10-over-par or better and Chloe Johnson (2022 grad from IN) won medalist honors with a one-under-par 3 day total. Team Georgia (LMB) won the team competition with a 27-over par 3 day total.

Full girl’s leaderboard

The Boys Invitational players competed on Pinehurst No. 7, No. 8 & No. 9 at close to 7,000 yards. We had eleven players finish at 5-over-par or better and Simon Kwon (2021 grad from UT) won medalist honors with a four-under-par 3 day total. Team Utah (SKY) won the team competition with a 12-over-par 3 day total, becoming back-to-back champions. 

Full boy’s leaderboard

Experiencing Pinehurst for the first time for many teams and families made lasting memories. “The boys had so much fun and it created opportunities for so many great memories that they will be able to talk about and cherish for the rest of their lives.” Daniel Martinson – Oak Grove Boys Golf Coach

“The boys will never forget their experiences while there. They made lifelong memories with each other as well as new friends from around the country.” – Eric Massey Cambridge Academy

Titleist & FootJoy announced an exciting partnership with the NHSGA and the National Invitational to help enrich the high school golf experience. Both teams were on-site helping get players ready for the Invitational. Titleist provided players a special gifting experience and golf ball fittings for every player. FootJoy treated players to their new foot scan experience to help find the best fitting shoes. Titleist brought a club fitting team on the range where players could test out the latest equipment. 

Our returning supporting partners, Junior Golf Hub provided each competitor with a free premium recruiting profile helping players and families simplify and streamline the college golf placement process.  JGH was on-site at Pinehurst conducting Player Development Index (PDI) Assessments: a plan to achieve player’s goals in golf and to help look at one’s golf game in a different way.

The High School Golf National Invitational is conducted by the National High School Golf Association (NHSGA), a division of Nextgengolf, which is a subsidiary of the PGA of America. For more information on the NHSGA and the National Invitational, please contact Chris Noble at Chris@highschoolgolf.org

April 13, 2021

Titleist & FootJoy support high school golf

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The National High School Golf Association is excited to announce that Acushnet Company brands Titleist and FootJoy have become the Presenting Partners for the NHSGA and its annual High School Golf National Invitational. 

Acushnet is the global leader in the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of performance-driven golf products, which are widely recognized for their quality excellence. Titleist–the No. 1 ball in golf and one of its leading performance equipment brands; and FootJoy–the No. 1 shoe in golf and one of golf’s top performance wear brands–will bring their support to high school golfers, their parents and coaches. 

Throughout the next year, Titleist and FootJoy will engage with the High School Golf community by providing support, educational opportunities, and special incentives for coaches looking to purchase products through their local PGA Professional. 

For the participants attending the 2021 High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in June, Titleist and FootJoy will be onsite, providing a memorable experience for the best boys and girls high school golfers from across the country. The prestigious National Invitational is the largest, strongest, most diverse and inclusive high school golf tournament in the country. 

“Titleist and FootJoy have a long history and commitment to PGA Professionals and high school golf coaches, who work tirelessly to coach and train student-athletes into becoming not just great players, but quality young men and women,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “We’re thankful that Titleist and FootJoy have decided to extend their support and dedication to the over 220,000 boys and girls who play high school golf. It’s special to play high school golf. With Acushnet as our partner, the high school golf experience is going to elevate even more.” 

Public or private, suburban or rural, large or small, Titleist and FootJoy are dedicated to helping any and every high school golfer and coach succeed.

“High school golf coaches are mentors, guidance counselors and teachers,” said Peter Broome, Senior Vice President, Titleist Brand & Industry Relations, Acushnet Company. “As the conduit to our next generation of golfers, they are important stakeholders in the game. On behalf of Titleist and FootJoy, we appreciate the important role they play and we are excited for this opportunity to partner with the NHSGA as we, together, enrich the high school golf experience.”

To learn more about special incentives and purchase programs that high school golf coaches and teams can receive through Titleist & FootJoy, please visit the purchase program page.

March 25, 2021

Junior Golf Hub supports high school golfers, coaches &…

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For the third year in a row, Junior Golf Hub will be a proud returning partner of the 2021 High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst this June. The National Invitational is the largest and most diverse high school golf tournament in existence. This year, we will welcome 560 of the top high school golfers from nearly all 50 states to the Cradle of American Golf. 

The relationship between the NHSGA and Junior Golf Hub is a natural one. High school golfers are able to better understand their journey and steps to college golf by utilizing the tools, technology and knowledge JGH has available. The world of college golf recruiting can be confusing and JGH helps families successfully navigate it. Where other athletic recruiting networks specialize in all different types of sports, JGH solely focuses on golf. 

For all 2021 Nat’l Invitational participants, each player will receive a complimentary membership to Junior Golf Hub for one year and a 30-day trial to their Premium Membership. What does that mean? Players will have access to create a digital online college golf recruiting profile, access to a college golf program database (2,200 + schools), and exclusive content, webinars & resources to help them through their journey. 

JGH staff will be on-site at Pinehurst this June for activation with families, coaches, and players. Rick Dowling, JGH director of customer success, “ Junior Golf Hub and the NHSGA share in a mission to bring trusted resources to the high school golfer and their family. At this year’s National Invitational, JGH coaches will be on-site conducting PDI (Player Development Index) Assessments to provide participants with an objective measurement of their game and a baseline to kickstart their journeys to better golf.  We also invite all National Invitational participants to download our JGH mobile app and access our Premium Membership to track their player development, better understand the tournaments and college golf program landscape, and get enhanced exposure to college golf coaches.”

Additional info on how to set up your PDI with Junior Golf Hub at Pinehurst will be communicated closer to the event. 

If you would like to learn more about Junior Golf Hub and how they can help your family navigate the college golf recruiting journey, please visit their site or contact Rick Dowling at rick@juniorgolfhub.com

March 2, 2021

A guide to golf camps for parents

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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. 

March 2, 2021

College golf by the numbers

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High School golfers across the country dream about playing college golf one-day, but many don’t know what options are available. There are over 220,000 high school golfers that play annually each year, and less than 4% of those will play at the NCAA Division 1 level. However, there are many other options available.

High School Golf

223,021

of high school students play golf each year

19,143

of those high school students make it to play varsity golf in college

3.3%

of high school students compete at the NCAA Division I level

62:1

odds of a high school student playing on a NCAA Division I Golf Team

0

college golf teams in Alaska, the least of any state

104

college golf teams in Pennsylvania, the most of any state

1

High School Golf National Invitational

Men’s College Golf

NCAA Division I

301

Teams

2,941

Total golfers

10

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

4.5 

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$18,015

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division II

221

Teams

2,291

Total golfers

10

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

3.6

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$6,495

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division III

312

Teams

3,211

Total golfers

10

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

$0

Athletic scholarships available at the NCAA DIII level (academic & merit-based scholarships are available) 

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

177

Teams

1,787

Total golfers

10

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

5

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$7,836

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

169

Teams

1,153

Total golfers

7

Students on the average men’s golf roster

8

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$2,137

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA)

Did you know that there are over 400 colleges and universities that have organized club golf teams? The National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA) runs competitive weekend college golf tournaments for students during the Fall and Spring semesters

Not sure if you are good enough to play varsity golf in college? Check out Junior Golf Hub – JGH helps players and parents navigate the journey to college golf. Check out Junior Golf Hub’s recruiting platform.

Women’s College Golf

NCAA Division I

270

Teams

2,220

Total golfers

8

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

6 

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$18,827

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division II

198

Teams

1,547

Total golfers

8

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

5.4

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$7,986

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division III

248

Teams

1,787

Total golfers

7

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

$0

Athletic scholarships available at the NCAA DIII level (academic & merit-based scholarships are available) 

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

171

Teams

1,202

Total golfers

7

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

5

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$7,733

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

95

Teams

317

Total golfers

3

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

8

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$2,627

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

For those who do not wish to participate at the varsity level in college and would prefer a more relaxed and fun atmosphere, club golf could be the answer. The unique part about club golf is that it is co-ed and welcome to all player abilities to play golf in our events. The potential to compete in weekend events 2-3 times each semester, without missing a class during the week appeals to many parents and students. In addition, 2 National championships a year. What level of golf will you find yourself playing in college?

*statistics for article provided by https://scholarshipstats.com/golf

February 18, 2021

Junior Golf 101: Help for Parents and Coaches

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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.

February 2, 2021

High school club champion golfers competing for a national…

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Winning your club championship is a big deal. Winning it while you are in high school, remarkable. Two high school golfers, Alyssa Buist a senior at Ridgeline High School in Utah, and Emma Abramson, a sophomore from Massachusetts, join elite company by adding their names to their respective club championship titles while still in high school. With their wins, Alyssa and Emma will both make history competing in the inaugural PGA National Club Championship at Pinehurst Resort this March. We caught up with them both as they gear up to compete for a national title. 

Can you tell me a bit more about you, your golf journey, club champ winning details?

Emma – “I love having the opportunity to excel on and off the course. In the classroom, I have utilized my leadership and communication skills by serving as Class President for the past two years. I am also a Sports Illustrated Kids Kid Reporter (1 of 10 selected across the country) where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview prominent professional sports figures including Coach Krzyzewski, Bobby Orr, Suzy Whaley, Ben Crenshaw, Jane Blalock, Brad Faxon, and recently Vanderbilt’s football sensation Sarah Fuller. Golf has always been my greatest passion, but up until a couple of years ago, I also played on competitive soccer, basketball, and dance teams and I love to ski.

Team sports have made me a better golf teammate and mentally tougher. Coming from Massachusetts, I’ve been known to play (a lot!) in 30-degree weather in my snow pants and a wooly hat or take my shovel to the driving range! Over the last few years, I have become friends with many of the early morning maintenance workers and late-night crew at my home course.”

Alyssa – “I am a senior at Ridgeline High School in Logan, UT. I have played mostly basketball and softball my whole life until I discovered golf. I live in Logan with my parents and sister and two dogs. I enjoy outdoor activities that include not only golf, but skiing, hiking, and rock climbing. 

I started playing golf seriously when I was 14 years old. I chose to try out for my high school golf team in 9th grade and made the team. I was able to earn a spot on the Varsity team as a Freshman and have been able to play in each Varsity tournament since then. As a Freshman, I was able to play in our state championship and ended up being ranked 32nd in the state. My sophomore year my high school won the state championship and I was able to move up to 15th in the state. Unfortunately, my junior golf season was canceled due to COVID, but the state Jr PGA put on an individual state tournament that I was able to play. I placed 5th in the state. Over the past summer, I played in many UJGA and Jr PGA tournaments. At the end of the summer, I placed 3rd in Jr PGA for my age group. All of this has led up to the Club Championship at Logan River Golf Course.” 

How did it feel to be the youngest winner ever in the club’s history?

Emma – “This past summer I had the chance to play in our 36 hole stroke play Women’s Club Championship. The women were very welcoming of me and I really enjoyed my time out there on the course. On the final 9 holes of the tournament, neighborhood friends and members came out to watch and cheer me on. On the last hole, I had a 40 yard shot out of a bunker I had never been in before to a par 5 green surrounded by water. I was able to get it on and two-putt for par to win by 5! Winning at age 14 was really cool as this was the first non-junior event I played at my club. I now get to have my name etched on the wall of past club champions and get to go to Pinehurst!”

Alyssa – “The Club Championship was a two-day tournament over a two week period. At the end of the first day, I was in 3rd place with a score of 82. That morning I had another tournament at a different golf course. So I ended up playing 36 holes that day. On the second day of the tournament, I was paired with the two people ahead of me at that point. One of them being the current and 4-year consecutive winner of the Club Championship, Julie, and the other had also won the Club Championship in the previous year. I was 5 strokes behind the leader, Julie, going into the round. I was pretty intimidated because all of the women are way more experienced than I am. I think it is pretty cool that someone that is young and doesn’t have as much experience can be the champion. The other women in the association were pretty excited for me being so young and to have a new champion.”

What are you looking forward to most about Pinehurst?

Emma – “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go back to Pinehurst, but this time to be playing in a competitive tournament. In spring 2017, I went to Pinehurst on my first father-daughter golf trip with my friend and her dad. We got to play courses 4, 8, and 9. It was an amazing experience playing the unique golf courses, bonding with my dad, and getting to eat at the 1895 grill! Now to return to Pinehurst several years later, with my dad caddying for me, I am excited to have fun, use my new skills, attack the courses, and take on the Donald Ross challenge!”

Alyssa – “I am excited for a few reasons. I have watched tournaments on TV at Pinehurst and am so excited to play at such a famous course. I can’t believe that I am going to get to play on Course No. 2, the same course as the best golfers in the world have played on. My dad has been a HUGE part of my golf career and success and I am excited that he is going to caddy for me and we are going to be able to play a practice round together before the tournament.” 

Wishing Alyssa and Emma all the best next month as they compete at Pinehurst Resort for the PGA National Club Championship while making history in the process. The NHSGA will also be heading back to Pinehurst in June for the 2021 National Invitational. If you have a club champion that you would like to recognize, you are able to submit them on pgaclubchamp.org