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Through this series, I have encouraged and educated you on how to use social media as a valuable tool in the recruiting process but I wouldn't feel like I am doing my job if I don't touch on the bigger picture aspect of social media and it's influence on young girls. Stop for a minute and think about the types of accounts you follow. Do they inspire you? Do they provide valuable insight into areas that are connected to your goals? Do they make you happy? Are they motivational in a positive way? Are they a true reflection of your values? Or do they make you feel not good enough? Do they make you feel envious or jealous? Do they motivate you in a negative way? Do they encourage you to devalue your beliefs about yourself? Do they include inappropriate language and images? Social media can be an extremely powerful tool to influence the decisions we make, the things we buy, how we [...]

So far we have talked about whether social media is necessary, privacy settings, golf-specific accounts, and what to post and not to post in regards to using social media as a recruiting tool. This week we are going to discuss how to best interact and engage with the college golf program accounts. While there is a double edge sword to not wanting to encourage a young athlete to spend more time on their phone or be caught up in the social media world, there is no doubt that social media is more and more becoming a vital part of the college recruiting process. If you aren't comfortable using it as a recruiting tool for yourself, then I do at least recommend trying to keep up with the college golf program's accounts. This is a great way to keep up with what they are doing and learn more about the program. You can comment and like the posts on their accounts. You can occasionally [...]

We are going to dive in a little deeper with social media and it's purpose in the recruiting process. This week we tackle "What should I post and what should I not post on social media?". Clearly there are some obvious answers to this question, but it still seems that many young athletes don't always think before posting. Now as with many parts of this process I don't recommend you pretend to be someone you aren't on social media or when talking to coaches. They need to see the real you, because if not, within a few weeks of being on campus they are going to get the real you. But when it comes to social media always remember that what you put out there will always be out there, no matter if it gets deleted or it's on someone else's feed or account. So any bad language or behavior, drug or underage alcohol use, or inappropriate attire can be grounds not only [...]

This week we are tackling privacy settings and having multiple social media accounts to use for recruiting purposes. For security reasons, it is perfectly ok to have your social media accounts set to private, just make sure you accept any follow requests from college coaches. If you choose to have a golf specific account that is totally fine and can be a great addition to your recruiting profile. It can be a great way to keep coaches up to date on your progress, just be sure you keep the amount of times you share and post to an acceptable amount. You can share your tournament results and thoughts, some insights on your practice time, drills, lessons, workouts, travel, etc. Keep it humble but this is also a way to show your love and commitment to playing golf and competing. If you don't feel comfortable sharing this on your regular account then create one just for golf and share all the golf stuff you [...]

For most people, social media has become a way of life. It's how we get our news, stay in touch with friends and family, shop, build a business, and much more. And in the recruiting process, it's a way to help maximize your efforts for finding a college golf home. In the next few articles we will cover the ways to use social media and the ways not to use social media as a prospective student athlete. But first, I want to address the question, is it necessary? No, it's not necessary, because in this world of too much screentime, oversharing, and inappropriate content I want to make sure no one feels like they have to use social media. If you aren't comfortable as a kid or young adult (or as the parent of a kid or young adult) using social media, then do not feel obligated to use it. While social media can be a positive and educational resource, it can also [...]