MYTH # 1: If my child is good enough, the college coaches will find him or her.

Truth: A very small percentage of high school student-athletes receive scholarships because the coach “happened to find him or her”. Only the top-line elite athlete golfers – the top 1 - 2% or so nationally – receive enough national media recognition that they are automatically recruited without having to make an effort.

The other 98 – 99% + have to take the initiative to contact the schools where they have and interest. Most schools’ recruiting budgets are small, and coaches rely on you to contact them first. They don’t have the time or budget to travel around the country to see your child compete. Videos, stats, references and the like become key tools for the coach in the recruiting and evaluating process. CollegeBoundGolfers.com makes it all available in our “one stop shop” approach. In addition the CBG data base has over 950 men’s and women’s college golf coaches contact information available to you so you can make your current profile available to the college coach looking to fill a specific spot within their program.

You might think that it’s too self-promoting to make the initial contact with a coach and to “market” your child. However, this is the norm. If you don’t do it, other student-athletes will get the scholarship because they and their parents will have made the effort and received the attention. College golf coaches these days expect you to do this. It is an accepted practice.

MYTH # 2: If my child is talented, the coach can get him or her into the school despite poor grades.

Truth: Poor grades shut off a coach’s interest more quickly than anything else. Schools have minimum academic requirements and coaches usually cannot get around those minimums. They would rather pursue the student-athlete with comparable abilities but higher grades and SAT’s. It’s a better investment of their time. So, be sure to emphasize to your child that poor grades can wipe out their ability to get an athletic scholarship. If they can’t get into the school, they can’t play on the team.

MYTH # 3: I can trust everything the coaches say and promse during the recruiting process.

Truth: Coaches realize that not all recruits will choose that college. Therefore, the coaches must over-recruit. They have a tendency to over-promise and overstate, too, and the reality once you enroll is not always what was presented. Be careful. Ask questionc. Try to get to know the coach’s character. Check into the coach by talking with friends who may know him or her. Find out about his or her reputation. If you can, talk with current athletes on the team to get their take. Learn as much about a prospective coach as possible.

MYTH # 4: We can wait until my child’s senior year to look for athletic scholarships.

Truth: The school selection process can take a year or more, so start early. Begin when your son or daughter is in his or her freshman/sophomore year. Begin gathering information about schools and programs. Make initial contact, and begin sending stats after competing at the Varsity and junior golf tournament level. You should definitely start this process no later than the summer before their junior year. College coaches are under certain restrictions on when he can contact your son or daughter and how he does the recruiting. By becoming a CBG student-athlete member early in your high school career you can build a history of your progress and achievements, resume, and all of the tools you will need to get your athletic scholarship will be available to you, and more importantly to any of the 950 + college golf coaches who have registered to use our site as a source for locating and review prospective collegiate players.