The Best Advice College Coaches Have for Girls Going Through the Recruiting Process

By Brandi Jackson | Brandi Jackson Golf

Over the last few weeks I have been sharing responses from a survey I conducted asking college coaches to weigh in on some of the most important questions in the recruiting process. Every coach is different — they look for different things and have varying opinions — but what follows represents the most common and consistent themes from their responses.

This week’s question:

What is your biggest piece of advice for young ladies going through this process?

I saved this question for a reason. Because after all the red flags, all the data, and all the recruiting strategy — this is the heart of it. This is what coaches actually want young female golfers and their families to hear.

And the responses were beautiful.

Keep an Open Mind — Every Single Coach Said It

If there is one theme that ran through nearly every single coach response it is this — keep an open mind.

One coach said it simply: “Be open minded.” Another expanded on it: “Keep an open mind during your search. We all have favorites but that favorite might not actually be the right fit in the end. Brand names are cool too — but again, might not be the place you are meant to be. Find a place you feel a good connection with and that you can make a positive impact.”

This is one of the most important things I tell every family I work with. The school you have been dreaming about since you were 12 years old may not be the school that is right for the young woman you are becoming at 17. And that is not a failure — that is growth. Stay open. The right fit reveals itself when you stop forcing it.

Find a School You Would Love Even Without Golf

This one came up repeatedly and it is advice I cannot emphasize enough.

One coach put it perfectly: “Make sure you find a school you love and would want to be at if golf was not a factor. Really make sure you love the game because the amount of time you spend on it in college is much more than you do in junior golf.”

Another added: “Make sure they love the SCHOOL they are going to — not just the golf program or team. Injuries, slumps, and tough seasons happen all the time. They have to value the degree and the school above everything else. Their golf experience is a bonus.”

This is so important and so often overlooked in the excitement of the recruiting process. College golf is four (or five) years. Your degree and the relationships you build at that university last a lifetime. Make sure the school itself — the academics, the campus, the culture, the community — is somewhere she would thrive with or without a club in her hand.

Do Not Commit Early Just Because Everyone Else Is

One of the most timely and powerful pieces of advice in the entire survey came from a coach who addressed something I see families struggle with constantly:

“Focus on your own timeline and make sure you find the right fit for you. Do not worry about who else is committing when and where. We have seen and heard it so many times — players are committing early because they are afraid to get left out and within the following year they are wanting to transfer because it was not the right place for them.”

The pressure to commit early is real. Social media makes it feel like everyone around you is finding their home while you are still searching. But rushing a decision to keep up with others is one of the most expensive mistakes a recruit can make — not just financially but in terms of her happiness and development over the next four years.

Trust your timeline. The right fit is worth waiting for.

Be a Great Communicator

Communication came up more than almost anything else — and the advice coaches gave was specific and practical.

“You cannot communicate enough. Be persistent. Coaches are super busy and do not always have time to quickly respond — but we are paying attention when we can. Follow up with texts and messages. Those are more personal than emails.”

Another coach added: “Personalize your emails so the coach knows you are aware of what school you are communicating with — name the coach, mention something specific about that golf team, and state why you want that school and that program.”

And perhaps the most important communication advice of all: “Please be prepared on phone calls. We hate blocking off time for a ten minute call.” When a coach gives you their time treat it as the valuable opportunity it is. Come prepared with questions. Come ready to have a real conversation. Come ready to show them who you are.

One final note on communication — send your tournament results consistently. All of them. As one coach put it: “It is really annoying and bad to send only your top results because that does not show your progress and development. We are looking at where your game will be in two to four years — not right now.”

Be Authentic and Enjoy the Process

Several coaches made a point of reminding recruits that this process is supposed to be exciting — and that authenticity matters more than a perfectly polished presentation.

One coach said: “Enjoy the process and do not forget to be a kid and enjoy your time in high school. Too many show signs of too much stress and not enough enjoyment of the process and life in general. Show me that you actually love golf. And be your authentic self. You will find a place that loves you.”

Another added: “Be yourself — do not just spit out facts that mom and dad came up with.” Coaches are trying to get to know you as a person. The recruit who shows up as herself — genuinely excited, naturally curious, and authentically engaged — will always make a stronger impression than the one who delivers a rehearsed script.

Be Patient — and Know It Will Work Out

The recruiting process is not a straight line. There will be coaches who do not respond. There will be schools you love that do not love you back. There will be stretches where it feels like nothing is happening.

One coach said it best: “Be patient and know that it will work out. There is an option out there for everyone.”

Another reminded recruits: “You will hear more NO’s than YES’ most likely. Some coaches will not even respond. Be realistic in finding a team where you can contribute. Be persistent with coaches — they will pay attention when you demonstrate that you really want to go to their school.”

Persistence. Patience. Authenticity. Open mindedness. These are not just recruiting skills — they are life skills. And the young women who carry them into this process tend to come out on the other side with not just a college golf home but a stronger sense of who they are and what they are capable of.

That is what this process is really about.

A Final Thought From Me

After 15+ years of walking alongside young female golfers and their families through this journey I want to add one thing to everything the coaches shared above.

Enjoy this. I know it is stressful. I know it is overwhelming at times. But the recruiting process — done right — is one of the most formative experiences of a young woman’s life. It teaches her to advocate for herself, communicate with confidence, handle rejection with grace, and make one of the biggest decisions of her life with intention and clarity.

That is worth something. Do not rush through it.

Your college golf home is out there. Go find it the right way. 💛

Brandi Jackson is the RecruitPKB College Consultant and the founder of Brandi Jackson Golf. Her mission: Helping Young Women Find Their College Golf Home.

To learn more or schedule your free 30-minute consultation visit [LINK] or reach out at [brandi@brandijacksongolf.com].