In case you missed this past week's webinar and you are a current 2027 getting ready to start the college recruiting process, you are going to want to watch this episode: Watch Here For more questions, please send them to bjackson@pkbgt.org
I wanted to do a comparison of the difference between a verbal commitment and when you sign a scholarship agreement. A verbal commitment is simply a verbal agreement between the recruit and the current coach. The verbal commitment is not legally binding, however, the scholarship agreement is a legally binding, signed contract between the recruit and that institution for at least one academic year in exchange for receiving athletic aid. The newly implemented scholarship agreement, as opposed to previously used NLIs, does offer more flexibility and freedom to the recruit if needed. A verbal commitment can be made once communication begins on June 15th before junior year, however, a scholarship agreement can not be signed until the signing period begins in November of their senior year. Once the scholarship agreement is signed, all recruiting discussions with other coaches must end. If a recruit has made a verbal [...]
Listen up 2026 recruits... First, let me start by saying that it is very competitive and there are a lot of really good players. Plus there are a lot of really good academic girls. That's a great thing! Really good academic female golfers are not the exception, they are typically the rule. Again, that's a great thing! I know that may not ease the stress you’re feeling but it is just to state some truths which is what you have to at least accept first. Then you can face things head on knowing what you are up against and where you fit with the timing for the process. There are currently approximately 264 girls in the 2026 recruiting class with a scoring differential below 2 on JGS. This group of players (plus some international recruits) has been the majority of the focus for coaches as they try to [...]
Parents have been told over and over that they should allow their children to take the initiative with the recruiting process and do all of the communication. While this is true, it has caused many parents to believe that they should never interact with the coaches during the process. However, there comes a time during the process when the parents should feel comfortable asking the coaches some questions. Parents certainly need to be involved as the offers are given and it's closer to decision-making time, especially when the topic of money is discussed. Parents may have to be honest with their child and coach about the amount of scholarship they will need to get their child to that school. This is certainly an acceptable conversation for the parent and coach to have before any decision is made. Also, a parent may want to discuss the housing situation [...]
I wanted to take this week's article to share with you about the free 30-minute RecruitPKB Intro to the College Recruiting Process Initial Consultation for National PKB members and how it can help you. If you are planning to start the recruiting process but don't know exactly what to do or how to begin then this will give you that insight and those steps. This is the outline that we will discuss. General overview of tournament experience, scoring average, and academics Your goals and expectations and how they align with standards for college golf General overview of recruiting dates and timelines for your grad year. Basic outline for creating a golf resume, video, and intro email I would be more than happy to get your free consultation set up, please reach out to me at bjackson@pkbgt.org. If you are further along in the process, please reach out [...]
As an uncommitted 2025 recruit more than likely you have played tournaments all summer, kept coaches up to date, maybe had some phone calls with them, maybe even been given some offers, taken some visits and now you are wondering what to do next. This is a part of the process that does get very specific to each individual recruit and their situation but I want to share a few thoughts to guide you. As you head into the start of senior year I'm sure some anxiety has set in as you near the end of the process and hopefully make your decision soon. If you are receiving offers make sure you don't rush your decision. Consider all of your options, ask plenty of questions, and draw up a comparison list. Keep in mind, rarely does a recruit get all of their wants and compromises typically have [...]
As a 2026 recruit, the next few months do get very specific to each individual recruit and their situation but I want to share a few thoughts to guide you. As you head into the start of junior year I'm sure you have some excitement as you wrap up the first summer of the recruiting process being active. For some of you, if you played really well this summer (as a general rule of thumb, you averaged under 75 in state and national tournaments), then you have potentially generated interest from the coaches who are actively recruiting 2026 recruits. If so you may be asked on some visits this fall and could even make your decision. Keep in mind, that it is a small percentage of all 2026 recruits who will make their decision this fall, so don't stress if you aren't in that phase of the [...]
A few weeks ago I shared an article about verbal commitments vs signing the NLI. In case you missed that or you prefer to watch videos instead of read articles I posted a short video that goes into some detail about these two topics. WATCH HERE If you need any assistance please contact Recruit PKB College Recruiting Consultant Brandi Jackson at bjackson@pkbgt.org.
Over the next few weeks, I am going to share some coach responses from a recent survey I did to ask coaches their opinions. Please remember that coaches look for different things and have varying opinions, but I tried to compile some of the most common and relevant responses. Question: What are the best ways for the girls to use social media during the process? What are ways that turn coaches off? Turn off- no golf at all on their socials Updates on schedules and finishes. Use it to show your personality off and show what makes you tick. When it feels like you are following a script or posting because you "have to", that's not ideal. Quick access to swing videos. Glimpse of who you are as a person and what your interests are. Just be yourself. We love learning about you as a great junior [...]
Over the next few weeks, I am going to share some coach responses from a recent survey I did to ask coaches their opinions. Please remember that coaches look for different things and have varying opinions, but I tried to compile some of the most common and relevant responses. Question: What are some examples that you look for to help identify good golf IQ and players who can compete and get better at the next level? I love to watch players during their rough rounds. College golf will likely be more challenging than their prior experiences, so if they cannot handle failure before college..... Attitude on the course. Bouncebacks. Proper club choices. Sending it. When we receive a round/event recap that feels like it's from the recruit, vs a parent/coach. Being able to talk about golf in general and various aspects of shots/rounds/prep. Being able to talk [...]
