What is the RecruitPKB platform?
The path to collegiate golf can be difficult and intimidating. The first step in the recruiting process is establishing a game plan. That is where we come in. We are here to help you understand the process and help you achieve your dreams of playing college golf.
RecruitPKB offers a way to connect current PKBGT players with opportunities in the collegiate game. This new service offers advice from our college consultant, insight into the recruiting experience and ways to become a more complete golfer. Our network of over 650 PKBGT alumni in the college ranks along with our resource center can help you on your way to playing college golf.
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RecruitPKB: DII College Golf Insight
Do you think it's all about playing DI golf? Well, think again! The level of play at the top DII golf programs just might surprise you, along with the impact of those college coaches. Here are three recent interviews with three of the best! I shared two of these podcast episodes in a previous article but after this most recent coach interview, I wanted to make sure I included all of them. This is an episode I've been hoping to get recorded for a while now. Being from the Anderson, SC area myself it's been so fun to watch the Anderson University women's golf team become one of the top DII women's programs in the country. As of this episode, they are ranked #5 and coming off a great win in KY. Coach Denton Moore joins me to discuss his first year as the women's head coach after serving as the associate coach for men's and women's programs. We dive into the competitiveness at [...]
RecruitPKB: Playing Stressed Golf
"Stop trying to make your tournament rounds feel more like practice. Start making your practice feel more like tournament rounds" Many times I hear girls and parents say “I played great during my practice round” or “I can shoot X score when I play at home”. Bottomline is those are not and never will be the same as tournament golf. The goal is to better prepare for the difference and how you are inherently going to feel and react during tournaments. Use practice rounds to learn the course and better prepare for the tournament, not as a time to keep score. Use it as a time to prepare for worst-case scenarios. Take lots of notes, consider all conditions that may change, specifically identify your targets, know your layup spots, and get a feel for short-game shots. Yes be confident going into the first round, but confidence comes from knowing that when things don’t go “as planned” or “as expected” you are prepared. It does [...]
RecruitPKB: The Full Ride Syndrome
There are many myths and misinformed beliefs that we see affect a player's success as they try to find the right college fit. One is called the "full ride syndrome". Numerous times I've had a young player or their parent make the comment that they were only going where they would get a full ride. They felt they deserved a full ride because of their hard work, dedication, and a good resume. While I completely understand why a player would feel this way, there are many "big picture" factors to consider that could override the "full ride syndrome". One factor is the coach's current scholarship situation. Many times a coach only has so much scholarship money available for the current recruiting class. They may be offering you the best deal they can possibly give you. Don't take this to mean they want you any less than a coach who does have a full ride available. Don't be turned off by a coach trying to [...]
RecruitPKB: Don’t Hide From Bad Rounds
I get asked by my players when they don’t play well if they should still email the coaches. So here are my different answers based on their current status in the process. If you’re in pretty constant communication with coaches then yes, go ahead and just own up to your rounds and make it easy for them to know how you played. Don’t make excuses but provide good insight into what you did well, what you need to work on, and how you plan to work on it. If conditions were tough then it’s ok to address that but don’t make that the primary focus. They know you’re going to have bad rounds and they would rather you be confident enough to own it and know you’re going to get better! If you’re still at a point of just updating coaches to generate interest or maybe it’s before communication is allowed on their end, then it’s not necessary to update them after every single [...]
RecruitPKB: Parent Role in the Process
In case you missed the most recent RecruitPKB webinar you can watch the full version at the link below. But I wanted to share just a few highlights that we discussed: It isn't always easy to help your daughter be realistic about her college golf options, but also continue to support her goals for dream schools. Try to find that balance with doing research on the programs and encourage her to keep her options as that will help her begin to build relationships and communication with coaches as her game continues to develop. Let her create a resume and intro email with only your guidance and review, don't do that for her. These are both skills she is going to need down the road, even in college, so she needs to learn them now. Allow her to conduct the majority of the coach communications (emails, phone calls, and conversations) but it is ok at certain points to ask the coaches some questions and have [...]
RecruitPKB: Being Honest With The College Coaches
As you get into the college recruiting process the hope is that you will have the opportunity to build a relationship with several coaches and eventually receive multiple offers. As this part of the process arises, there will come some concerns about what should you share with each coach and what is not in your best interest to share with them. First let's talk about how much the college coaches, as well as people like myself who are in this same segment of the golf business, know each other and talk amongst themselves. Many of the coaches have known each other for years, whether it be from their time as college coaches or as far back as earlier playing days. I spend a good bit of time staying in touch with and talking to coaches who I played against in college and professional golf. So trust me when I say that we can all talk…a lot! The college golf world can be a very [...]
RecruitPKB: Why You Should Contact 30+ College Coaches:
Let’s dive in and discuss 3 main reasons why you should contact at least 30 or more college coaches. I have this discussion quite often with recruits seeking advice because they don’t see results from their contact efforts. Typically when a recruit shows me a list of schools, the majority, if not all of them are unrealistic for the given recruiting timeline and they haven’t reached out to enough schools yet. While I am an advocate for having big goals to play at your dream school, you have to be cautious about what percentage of dream schools vs realistic schools you have on your list. This not only leads to a lack of coach interest, but it also creates a lot of anxiety and a decrease in confidence as you get mostly negative responses or just no response at all. One of the reasons I suggest contacting a large number of coaches is to give yourself a chance to have interviews and conversations with [...]
RecruitPKB: Bad Breaks and Excuses
If there is one thing inevitable about every golfer, it's that at some point in time they are going to get a bad break on the golf course. It may be a bad kick, a divot in the middle of the fairway, a buried lie in the sand or a putt lipping out. Probably the most fun and exciting part of the game of golf is the amount of good and bad breaks that can happen during a round. There are so many elements on the golf course, that nature is bound to throw you a few "unfair" bounces and lies on occasion. Several years ago Jordan Speith had an incident when a camera or phone went off in his backswing from the greenside bunker during the playoff at the Shell Houston Open. Initially, he got upset but he gathered himself and went on to try and make the putt to stay in the playoff. These were his words afterward, “I am not sure [...]
RecruitPKB: College Average Scores
I wanted to share a recent breakdown of the average scores for the 3rd player on a handful of DI and DII programs (data from www.golfstat.com and www.collegegolf.com). In order for golf programs to get better coaches need to replace no worse than their 3rd player if at all possible. And early into the process, they are going to have high expectations to get that with a recruit, especially their first offer with a large amount of scholarship money. Over time they may not get as strong of a recruit as they initially were hoping so that is where some patience in the process will allow you the opportunity to improve your game and potentially find options later. Also, one of the reasons I am sharing this is to show everyone how competitive programs are at the DI level and top DII level, these girls are good! DI Programs Rank School 3rd Player Average 1 Stanford 73.4 2 Wake Forest 72.1 3 Texas A&M [...]
Recruit PKB: What is a complete golfer?
A complete golfer is a player who maximizes their current skills and fundamentals to their fullest potential. They learn how to practice efficiently, develop short-game creativity, manage their way around the course, minimize their mistakes, and remain mentally tough. Proper technique with a golf swing is only one of the many elements of a successful golfer. If you ask a college coach what most junior golfers lack when they arrive on campus, the response tends to center around short game, work ethic, course management, being coachable and mental toughness. It is rarely skill and technique level. The complete golfer also understands that proper nutrition, exercise, time management, a good attitude, and a balanced life are all a part of being a successful golfer. Becoming a complete golfer takes self-discipline, hard work, and accountability. You must learn how to make each practice session, whether on the practice facility or on the course, have a purpose and a goal. You need to see results and progress, [...]