Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thank you for letting me be part of this journey as the RecruitPKB College Consultant. I look forward to another great year of sharing content and insight. Brandi Jackson
It’s often reported that when young athletes are asked about their least favorite moment in sports—or even why they eventually quit—one of the most common answers is “the car ride home.” After a long day on the golf course, everyone is tired. Emotions are high, and while it may feel like the perfect moment to break down your daughter’s round, it’s usually not. Let her decide if—and when—she wants to talk about it. She’s already replaying every shot in her mind, especially if she didn’t play well. If you do say anything, keep it positive.Let her know you enjoyed watching her compete, regardless of the outcome. If you feel you need to ask questions, focus on effort and attitude—not score.Ask whether she gave her best effort.Ask if she felt she showed good sportsmanship.If she says yes, then your response is simple: “I’m proud of you.” There will [...]
“Do not initiate communication with a college coach before your daughter does.” This reminder is so important. As a parent, it’s perfectly acceptable—and expected—to build a relationship with a coach during the process. Asking questions, discussing finances, and understanding logistics are all part of your role. After all, you are handing your daughter off to this person for four years, and a coach knows you’ll have things to clarify. But the initial contact and the majority of communication must come directly from your daughter. She should be the one writing the emails, making the phone calls, scheduling video chats, and carrying the conversations during visits. Coaches want to hear from her—not because they don’t value parents, but because they’re evaluating maturity, initiative, communication skills, and independence. When parents take over, two things happen: It hurts her recruiting chancesCoaches immediately question whether she is ready for the expectations [...]
Quick Tips for Improving Your Coach Communication Etiquette Email Etiquette Always address the coach by name and begin with a proper greeting. Double-check grammar, spelling, and tone before sending. Make sure any necessary documents are correctly attached. Use an appropriate and professional email address. Break your message into clear, short paragraphs. Reply in a timely manner and keep communication consistent. If you’re not interested in a program, respond politely with a brief, appreciative note. Phone or Video Call Etiquette Sit up straight and stay attentive, enthusiastic, and engaged. Smile—even on a phone call—it changes your tone. Avoid filler words like “um” and “uh.” Come prepared with questions and topics to discuss. Use good manners and express gratitude for the coach’s time. Minimize background noise and distractions. Visit Etiquette (Unofficial or Official Visits) Arrive on time—early is even better. Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and smile. [...]
Taking Time Off: Why It’s Part of the Process I once had a conversation on Instagram with a young golfer that stuck with me: Her: “What are your thoughts on taking a break from golf? Like, not picking up a club for two to four weeks?”Me: “I see absolutely nothing wrong with it if you feel it’s needed — I’d almost encourage it, especially if you’ve never taken a break like that before.”Her: “Thank you! I just see other girls still grinding it out, but I don’t want to get burned out. I need to focus on me and not feel FOMO.”Me: “Exactly. A couple of weeks off will not hurt you. You have a long golf career ahead, and rest is just as important as the work you’re putting in.” Rest is Part of the Game We often see quotes with Tiger hitting balls in the [...]
Don’t Get Caught Up in the “DI or Bust” Mentality If you ask most junior golfers about their college golf goals, many will say, “I want to play Division I golf.” I hear it all the time — and just last night during a webinar, someone asked, “What’s better: low D1 or top D2?” There’s no doubt playing DI golf can be an incredible experience. It’s a big goal that can drive motivation and focus throughout your junior golf journey. But at some point, you have to recognize that DI golf isn’t the right — or even realistic — option for everyone. There simply aren’t enough spots. And with new roster limits being implemented, those opportunities are shrinking even more. It’s also important to understand that not all DI programs are created equal. Playing at a mid- or high-level D1 school can be overwhelming. The time commitments, [...]
First, we are going to assume the NCAA rules allow the coach to respond (current 2026 and 2027 recruits). Once that is established, there are several reasons why you may not get responses, with the most common usually being that you aren’t being realistic with the strength of the golf program. But here are a few reasons why the coach may not be responding to your attempts to contact them: 1. The golf program isn’t realistic for your resume 2. Your academics aren’t strong enough for the school 3. It was a poorly written intro email 4. Your resume doesn’t have all the necessary info 5. They are done with your recruiting class 6. They are busy and just not focused on recruiting 7. They simply aren’t interested or are not seeking out new prospects I know it can be really frustrating not to get responses [...]
I wrote an article about this topic a few years ago, but it’s one that continues to come up — and for good reason. You’ve probably heard it (or said it yourself): “She shot 72 in her practice round… why can’t she do that in tournaments?” As a long-time competitive player and coach, I want to respond with, “It’s just not the same thing.”But I know that answer alone doesn’t help anyone understand why it’s different — so let’s take a closer look at what truly separates practice rounds (and on-course practice) from tournament play. The Consequences Are Real Even when a player takes her practice rounds seriously — counts every stroke, plays with focus, and stays disciplined — there’s still one key element missing: real consequences. In practice, no one’s asking you to sign a scorecard. There’s no live leaderboard. You don’t have coaches, friends, [...]
Things to Consider When You See a College Golf Commitment Post One of the hardest parts of the college golf recruiting journey is scrolling through social media and seeing another player announce their commitment. It’s easy to let comparison creep in or feel like you’re falling behind. However, the reality is that each player’s journey is unique, and what you see online rarely reflects the full picture. Here are a few important things to keep in mind when you come across those posts: 1. Timing matters, and not all commitments are created equal. The timing of a commitment—for example, commitments that happen in the fall of junior year versus the fall of senior year— can be significantly influenced by many factors, making the two situations not directly comparable . What a college coach desires and hopes to get in recruits early in the process will change [...]
Does Playing High School Golf Matter in the College Recruiting Process? Last week, I shared an article about this topic, so I wanted to share some insight through a video for those who prefer to watch instead of read, so you can check it out HERE
