Over the years, I have conducted coach surveys to ask their opinions on different topics. Below are some of the responses from coaches on their views of social media in the recruiting process. Don’t feel like social media is something you must use in the process if you aren’t comfortable with it, but it can be a great resource for exposure and research.

Keep in mind that every coach is different — they look for different things and have varying opinions — but what follows represents some of the most common and consistent themes from their responses.

What are the best ways for recruits to use social media during the process? And what turns you off?

What Coaches Want to See

The responses were remarkably consistent on this one. Coaches want to see a genuine mix of golf and personality — not a highlight reel, and not a personal diary, but an authentic window into who you are as both a player and a person.

Here’s what kept coming up:

Tournament updates and results. Almost every coach mentioned this. Posting your scores, finishes, and schedule shows that you’re active and competing — and it makes it easy for coaches to follow your progress without having to track you down.

Swing videos. Coaches love quick, easy access to your swing. Whether it’s a range session or a shot from a tournament round, video content gives coaches valuable information and shows that you’re putting in the work.

Your personality. This one might surprise some recruits, but coaches genuinely want to know who you are off the course, too. As one coach put it, “Use it to show your personality and show what makes you tick.” Another said simply, “Just be yourself. We love learning about you as a great junior golfer.” A feed that shows only golf — with no glimpse of the person behind the clubs — actually works against you.

What Turns Coaches Off

Just as telling were the red flags coaches flagged. A few themes stood out clearly:

No golf content at all. This was the number one turn-off, mentioned by multiple coaches. If a recruit reaches out and a coach visits her social media only to find zero golf, that can potentially be a problem. As one coach said, “A social media page with no golf pictures is normally the biggest turn-off for me.”

Posting because you feel like you have to. Coaches can tell when content feels scripted or performative. Authenticity matters — and a feed full of posts that feel forced sends the wrong message.

Inappropriate content or complaining online. This one should go without saying, but it bears repeating. One coach’s advice was straightforward: don’t post anything you would regret in 20 years. Coaches are evaluating your character, not just your game.

The Takeaway

Think of your social media as your recruiting profile coming to life. Keep a golf-focused account that’s active, positive, and genuinely you — tournament results, swing videos, and a real look at who you are as a person. Save the purely personal content for a private account.

The coaches are watching, and the good news is they’re rooting for you. Give them something worth seeing.

Stay tuned — more coach survey responses are coming over the next few weeks!

— Brandi Jackson

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