I can see the progress in what Pol and I are working on — continuing to get the handle left through impact and get my arms lower at the top of my swing to help with getting the handle more left. I know it’s getting better because I am hitting more solid irons and driving it straighter. I have also been able to develop a “go to” low-cut shot again, something I feel is essential to playing good golf, especially under the gun. I was even fortunate enough to achieve my first competitive hole-in-one as a professional on the fourth hole at Thornblade during the second round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am. PW from 130….swish!

While on the course I have not had a great year thus far, off the course I have had a lot of cool experiences. Being the big St. Louis Cardinals fan that I am, it was really nice to be able to go watch my Redbirds play their rival Cincinnati Reds while we were at the Chiquita Classic. And yes, I was that guy who wore a Cardinals jersey to a Reds home game. And yes, the Cardinals won the night I went! I also was able to go catch an Orioles game while we were in DC for the Melwood Prince George’s County Open. Both the stadiums in Baltimore and Cinci were great places to watch a baseball game.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Shawn Jasper:

Shawn is in his rookie season on PGA Nationwide Tour after picking up his card at Qualifying School. He’s a 2007 graduate of the University of Missouri and previously played on the Canadian Tour.

Life in the fast lane as an LPGA Tour Rookie

Make no mistake about it – it is hard work being part of the LPGA. There are a lot of endless days of practice, weeks of travel, many new rules to learn, people to meet, etc, ect. However, there are also so many great moments that it make it all worth it. One of the most exciting things yet was my first MEDIA DAY! I have always read about them but now I was part of one. The LPGA asked me to fly up to Syracuse, New York for two days to promote the LPGA Futures Tour Alliance Bank Classic Presented by Wegmans – a tournament where I had finished runner-up in 2010. I knew it was going to be an amazing experience for me and I was so excited to get my first Media Day started!

Fresh off a 36-hole qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open the day before, I boarded a 6:30 a.m. flight from Jacksonville, Florida to Syracuse, New York to start my journey. On the plane, I readied for the trip ahead by looking at an outline of the day’s activities. Here is a brief overview of what it looked like: 11:30- arrive in Syracuse, 12:30- interviews and present award at High School Championship, 2:30- radio interview, 3:30- film 11 golf tips, 6:30- meet and greet. And that was only Day One! I knew that I had a long and busy day ahead of me and that Red Bull was going to be a necessity.

Immediately when I landed, I met Rachel Vaughn from the Pinckney Hugo Group (the advertising agency organizing the media day) who organized the day’s events and we were off. We had a long day ahead of us and there was no time to waste. Our first stop was the Section III Women’s High School Golf Championship, where I presented the award to the winner and invited them to play in the Alliance Bank Classic Presented by Wegmans. Next, we rushed over to Drumlins Country Club to prepare for a radio interview and to film golf tips for Time Warner Sports Cable.

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Amelia Lewis:

LPGA Professional Golfer, 2011 LPGA ROOKIE, 107th North & South Women Amateur Champion, AND former ranked #3 Womens Amateur with 52 champion titles.

read more about Amelia Lewis

facebook: http://facebook.com/TheAmeliaLewis                                                                                                                                                                             

website: http://AmeliaLewis.com                                                                                                                                                                                                               

twitter:  www.twitter.com/TheAmeliaLewis

Anytime you can win a professional tournament, whether you’re an amateur or a professional, it’s a great accomplishment. It goes to show — with English’s win, John Peterson finishing second, Russell Henley’s win earlier in the season — that these college guys, the All-Americans, the highest-ranked collegiate players are playing at an extremely high level. Patrick Cantlay has shown that as well. He’s had some great results on the PGA TOUR. It shows that college golfers can handle themselves with people out on the main tours. Regardless of your status, winning out on Tour is not easy because the fields each week are just so deep.

I played college golf for two and a half years at the University of Southern California. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a Trojan, and learned many life lessons that would prepare me for a career in professional golf. One of my roommates was Jamie Lovemark, and I played against guys like Rickie Fowler. It’s really motivating for us, for me — to see guys that you played with, lived with, compete at such a high level.

The competition is tough at the college level and it prepares you well. One of the biggest differences when you come out on Tour is learning to deal with scheduling. On Tour you have tournaments week-in and week-out. In college you’re still referred to as a ‘student athlete,’ with academics coming first. You’ll play one event, and then you may not play for another three weeks. It’s even more prominent in the fall when you may only play three events the whole semester.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Matthew Giles:

Matthew is a rookie on the PGA Nationwide Tour. He is from Sydney, Australia and graduated the University of Southern California in 2009.

This is my rookie season and I have conditional status on the Nationwide Tour (Conditional Q Tournament/61-100 Prior Year Money List). It’s been really close each week. I don’t think there’s been one tournament where I’ve officially been in the field the week before. I enter each week as an alternate, waiting around for the number to move.

The Monday before the tournament is usually when the field numbers change a lot as people withdraw. Sunday I may be eighth alternate, but by Monday I could be three or four. I tend to arrive at tournaments early Monday or Sunday. If I make it to about third alternate, there’s a good chance I’m going to play, but it’s not always a sure thing — as I learned earlier this season at the BMW Charity Pro-Am.

I was third alternate on Monday in South Carolina. I thought I was definitely going to get in. We practiced the different courses Sunday and Monday. If you are 10th alternate or less, you get to play practice rounds before the tournament starts. By the end of Monday I had moved to second and by Tuesday I was the first alternate.

Then the number didn’t move.

As an alternate, you wait around until everyone is off on Thursday. But no one dropped out. That was the only week that happened. Usually, I’ve gotten in. I’ve just been cutting it close. It wasn’t that great of a feeling. But it’s my fault. If I played better, I wouldn’t have to worry about this.

The next week I played early in the Monday qualifier at the Melwood Prince George’s County Open. Whether or not I play in the qualifiers really depends on my number. If I’m not in the field, even if it’s close, I’ll usually play just to give myself an extra chance. One time I was warming up for a qualifier and got pulled off the course because I got in as an alternate — which is a good feeling. Another time I had finished and missed it by a few strokes, but got a call 20 minutes later that I had made it in the field — an even better feeling.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Jimmy Brandt:

Jimmy is in his rookie season on PGA Nationwide Tour after picking up his card at Qualifying School.  He’s a graduate of the University of Auburn.

twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/brandjm

Living My Dream On The LPGA!

It is so amazing to watch my dreams start to take shape and to be competing at the highest level of women’s golf. Two months ago I played in my first LPGA tournament, the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup. This charity tournament was formed by Commissioner Mike Whan and Mr. Tom Quinlan, with the purse not going to the pros, but instead to the charity of their choice.

However, unlike everyone in the field except one other player, I had to prove myself and sink pressure putts before the tournament even started. You see, I had to Monday qualify.

My family and I knew the risk; if I didn’t qualify, the cost would be out of our pocket and we would have to fly home and wait for another opportunity. With my mom on the bag, Oakleys on my cap and Titleist Pro V1 in hand, and playing with the typical nerves a Monday qualifier brings, I tied for the second spot.

There were only two qualifying spots available, so I had to go into a sudden-death playoff.  We ended up having to play four holes to determine a winner – as if I hadn’t already had enough knee-knocker putts for the day!  I went on to win the playoff and qualify for my first LPGA event! 

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Amelia Lewis:

LPGA Professional Golfer, 2011 LPGA ROOKIE, 107th North & South Women Amateur Champion, AND former ranked #3 Womens Amateur with 52 champion titles.

read more about Amelia Lewis

My name is Kimberly Kim. I know, I have a lot of nicknames. Kim-2, K-2, Kim Kim, etc. It’s always difficult booking things over the phone, I confuse people. I have a lot of conversations that go, “what’s your first name?” Kimberly. “What’s your last name?” Kim. “No I’m asking for your last name…” That is my last name. My name is Kimberly Kim. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” No, don’t worry about it.

I like my name though – it’s funny to me.

Let’s see…my first blogging experience. Well, first I still can’t believe I’m an LPGA Tour Rookie!! I started playing golf with my older sister when I was eight years old. We actually played almost every sport. She was way better than me, so of course I took no interest in something she could beat me at, which is why soccer became my favorite sport when I was younger. I wanted to be Mia Hamm, but after my sister broke her back and I broke my wrist for the 5th time, my mom put her foot down and I am thankful for that! If she didn’t do that, I wouldn’t be living a dream and playing golf as a career. So… when I was 13, golf got serious for me and I would’ve never thought by age 19 I’d be out on tour! I’m so lucky and blessed that I have such an awesome family, friends, and supporters, otherwise there is no chance I’d be where I am now.

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Kimberly Kim:

Kim is a rookie on the LPGA Tour. She attended the University of Denver in 2009-2010. Became the youngest person to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2006 at age 14.

twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/K2LPGA

In case those of you who didn’t know, my season had a very significant turning point after summer. The beginning of my season was full of struggles. My game was ok, but I had a hard time managing my tournament preparation. One of the main things was the traveling. I have been playing both tours – LPGA and Ladies European Tour – and with all that traveling, I never allowed my body and mind to rest. The weeks off I had to crash at a friends house or at a hotel by myself. It has been hard to get used to having no home base, and a place to practice consistently.

After the U.S. Women’s Open I spoke with my agents and family and decided to make a big change in my life. I needed to commit to the LPGA tour, find a home base in the States and find a coach based in my same state, preferably same city.

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Belen Mozo:

In 2010 turned pro, tied for 8th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, where she earned Priotiy List Category 11 for the 2011 LPGA season. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Belen-Mozo/592430584#!/BelenMozo

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/belenmozo

The volunteers, security, grandstands and ropes are all things you don’t get on the mini-tours. Not to mention there are spectators other than friends and family out watching us play. And club trailers? I’m like a kid in a candy store every time I go to the course. And I haven’t even reached the PGA TOUR yet.

In just a few months I have been able to go to countries I had never visited. Panama and Bogota were both great golf courses and I was able to meet some cool people in the pro-ams. I just wish the weather in Bogota would have cooperated. You could feel the amount of time and energy sponsors had put in to make us feel welcome. It was fantastic.

Because of the two-week breaks early in the season I have been able to go home to St. Louis and sneak in some time working with my coach, Pol Montano. Through the first four events I have really been struggling with getting the club stuck inside and underneath the swing plane on the downswing. A lot of my shots go left and it’s hard to control. To solve this, Pol and I have really been working on swinging the grip left faster, allowing the club head to get back in front of me and more on-plane. I can feel it getting better everyday.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Shawn Jasper:

Shawn is in his rookie season on PGA Nationwide Tour after picking up his card at Qualifying School. He’s a 2007 graduate of the University of Missouri and previously played on the Canadian Tour.

TPC Stonebrae wasn’t like the other courses we’ve played so far on the Nationwide Tour. It had very slopping fairways and extreme undulations on the greens. It wasn’t easy, but it’s always enjoyable to get away from my comfort zone and hit different types of shots. It really allows me to learn something new about my game.

I didn’t know what to expect as a rookie on the Nationwide Tour this year. After the final stage of q-school, I really devoted myself to my game and preparing for the upcoming season, which to be honest is the opposite of my normal, more relaxed approach. So now, concluding the fourth event, to have only made one cut is extremely disappointing.

My game is very, very close. I’m just not getting anything out of the rounds. I’m not taking advantage of some birdie opportunities and I’m making careless mental errors. At least from here, there is no where to go but up!

I know this may sound crazy, but it’s almost like I care too much about the game of golf and succeeding. Golf is supposed to be enjoyed and shouldn’t take over your whole life. With that being said, I am getting on a plane Monday headed to Mexico with my girlfriend and two of my best friends for the week — without my golf clubs. I’m taking a break to recharge the batteries, have a few cold ones and ease the mind.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Danny Wax:

Danny is in his rookie season on PGA Nationwide Tour after picking up his card at Qualifying School.  He’s a  graduate of the University of Denver.

My first season on the Nationwide Tour is going pretty well so far. Two top-20 finishes in three starts. I’m sitting at 30th on the money list and getting close to my goal of moving into the 25 so I can get my PGA TOUR card next year.

Back in March I was able to Monday qualify into the Transitions Championship on the PGA TOUR — right in my hometown of Tampa. I had a good friend on the bag and shot 66 to take the top spot. I’ve asked for sponsor exemptions here before, but just haven’t been able to receive them, so I was thrilled to get in. Transitions does a great job marketing this event and getting people involved in the tournament.

I was blown away at how fantastic the Copperhead course at Innisbrook was. I’d never played the course before. There was definitely a lot more rough than I’ve seen so far this season on the Nationwide Tour. It reminded me of the rough I experienced when I played the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2010. I never really get to practice out of rough like that because we don’t typically see thick grass like that in Florida.

Click here to read more on PGA Nationwide Tour website…

About Travis Hampshire:

Shawn is a rookie on the PGA Nationwide Tour, after earning his tour card through qualifying school.  He is a graduate of Purdue University and turned pro in 2004.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TravisHampshire

I’ve only played in three official LPGA events so far, but I feel I have already learned a great deal from other veteran players and have met with so many delightful people out on the field. I know I have so much more to learn, but as of now, I am just overly grateful for being able to take part in this LPGA stage!

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Jennifer Song:

Jennifer is a rookie on the LPGA Tour.  In 2009 she won both the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. She was only the fourth player in history to win both championships and the second player to win both in the same year.

website: http://www.jennifersonggolf.com/                                                                                                                                                                                            facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Song                                                                                                                                                            twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TheJenniferSong

Time at home has never felt better than it does right now! I just got back to the States after a five week stretch of tournament play in Australia and New Zealand and I can honestly say there is no place like home

Don’t get me wrong, Australia and New Zealand were both incredibly gorgeous countries filled with the most hospitable people I have ever met. The first couple weeks were a blast traveling with my mom (& caddie), touring places that I had heard about but never actually thought I would visit. I was able to see the Sydney Opera House, the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes in Melbourne, and some kangaroos on the golf course in Canberra! I even tried the well know Australian food ‘vegemite’ at the urging of one of my Australian host families……let us just say one bite was enough for me. I had a great time and it was definitely a trip I will remember all my life. I cannot wait to go back next year.

Click here to read more on the LPGA website…

About Amelia Lewis:

LPGA Professional Golfer, 2011 LPGA ROOKIE, 107th North & South Women Amateur Champion, AND former ranked #3 Womens Amateur with 52 champion titles.

read more about Amelia Lewis

facebook: http://facebook.com/TheAmeliaLewis 

website: http://AmeliaLewis.com     

twitter: www.twitter.com/TheAmeliaLewis

Do you have aspirations of playing collegiate golf?  Did you know you don’t have to be a star athlete to play sports in college?

The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf.   The TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series will guide you through the process.

Do not wait for a college coach to contact you.

Read the on-going college golf basics tutorial series and go out and get a college golf scholarship, understand the recruiting process, interview college coaches and find the right college golf team.

College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

• 1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
• 2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
• 3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid - Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
• 4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
• 5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach - Written by Dianne Dailey.
• 6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College and/or University campus Written by Sally Austin.
• 7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
• 8. Careers in Golf

Introduction College Golf Basics Tutorial Series

Attending college and playing collegiate team golf can be an unforgettable experience.  Aside from the obvious benefit of getting a college degree, collegiate golfers gain life skills such as teamwork, communication, and time management.  College golf can be a great opportunity to compete at a high level and hone your skills to prepare for the professional level.  In any profession!

If you are familiar with collegiate athletics at all, you probably know that most inter-collegiate athletic programs belong to a voluntary association such as the NCAA, NAIA and the NCJAA.  These associations govern the competition and set the standards and guidelines for which the athletic programs must adhere.

The NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, is probably the most widely recognized association, but not the only one. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a similar association of smaller colleges and universities. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NCJAA) is an association of community and junior college athletic departments. NCAA and NCJAA are limited to institutions in the U.S., whereas the NAIA permits membership to colleges and universities outside the U.S.

Whether you are an aspiring professional golfer or simply want to play college golf, it is important to be well informed.

The TRC College Golf Tutorial Series is meant to provide junior golfers with a road map to a successful career in collegiate golf.

Related Articles:
NCAA golf accessories
The College of Golf | Golf School & Academy | Keiser University
Golfweek’s coverage of men’s college golf and women’s college golf
Ping American College Golf Guide
Advice for Junior Golfers Who Want to Play College Golf
Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf
Golf School | Golf College | Golf Academy of America
How can I get a golf scholarship at a good school?
What Makes a Great Golf College
NCAA Scholarships: The Breakdown
NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

This is the third part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series. In this article we focus on how to find College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships and the types of Financial Aid, both free and loans.

Have you noticed that there is a lot of information out there on the World Wide Web about Scholarships & Financial Aid?  Many Articles talk about scholarships in general but don’t layout specifics. This article is going to be better than anything you have ever read.  I am going to explain the different options that are available to you.

Yes, we are talking about DI and DII College Golf Scholarships in the first section of this article but YES, you can apply the same principals to any other sport out there.  All you will need to do is go to the source of the data that we talk about and replace it with your sports specifics.  I will explain more below.

So get your Grande Starbucks, sit in your comfy chair and let’s go.

First let’s talk about Scholarships. There are basically 2 types: one from the university/college and the ones you have to go find on your own.

1) College Golf Scholarships. The athletic scholarships given by the college.  KNOW THIS, Golf is an equivalency sport.  What the heck does that mean?   It means that a College Golf Coach has X number (X dollars) golf scholarships to give to the golf team. However that total amount/dollars can be distributed any way he/she wants.  Most schools (Division I and Division II) provide partial golf scholarships so they can carry more team members.  It’s true!  Check it out; they split the money so they can carry more team members.

The NCAA only allows the DI men’s golf teams 4.5 golf scholarships and the DII 3.5 golf scholarships. They allow the DI women’s golf teams 6 golf scholarships and the DII 5.4 golf scholarships. ASK your potential College Coach how he/she divides their scholarship dollars and how large of a team they plan to carry. Division III schools don’t give athletic scholarships only academic. Visit the NCAA eligibility center for other sports scholarship limits.

If they offer you a partial scholarship, remember that is the norm. If they offer you a full scholarship, even better! Unless you are ranked in the top 50 don’t expect to get a full scholarship from a DI school, and even then it depends on the school and how big their team is and the coaches program. Don’t worry you can make up the $ difference in the options below.

2) Other Golf Scholarships. Finding Golf Scholarships are only half the battle, filling out all of the paperwork and making sure you meet all the individual criteria and timelines, is the other half.  The TRC spent the good part of a year researching all the state organizations, golf foundations, and state and local government agencies.  Each site has the specific details that you will need to fill out the applications or the contact information.  In total we have found 83 golf scholarships and over $175,000 dollars to eligible candidates.  To see the complete list go to the TRC Golf Scholarship list.

3) College Savings Plan (pre-paid tuition)

A) UPromise. A simple and much overlooked way to make money for your education is the U-promise program. Get everyone you know to scan your registered merchant card at their store or buy on-line. I would ask grandparents, aunt, uncles. It is an organization that pays you a fraction of what you spend via a 529 plan.  It harnesses the purchasing power of all your family.  You make purchases of certain items at your grocery store, on-line, or specific partners and they put money in your account for you.

B) 529 Plans. Another great way to plan ahead for college is to invest. You can put money into a plan at today’s tuition prices for your future college tuition. Money can be put into these savings plans even if you are too young to hold a golf club. You can find your particular states 529 plan and also compare plans at http://www.collegesavings.org/index.aspx the pros & cons of 529 plans can be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/8851.html

4) Financial Aid. There are 2 types of Financial Aid:
A) Academic Aid which is FREE money you do NOT have to pay back
B) A Loan from the Department of Education which you DO have to pay back later.
There is Financial Aid out there to help you, however both options (academic or loans) requires you have to fill out a Financial Aid application.

You can find a FREE Application for Federal Student Aid at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/   NOTE: This is a great site to help you get organized with everything you need to fill out the Financial Aid Application, and keep up with the status.  DO NOT MISS THE DEADLINE FOR FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION.  If you do miss the deadline then everything discussed below will not matter.

A) Academic Aid Programs.  Now that you know about the required application let’s first talk about the Free Money type of Financial Aid, because who doesn’t love Free stuff!

Of course there is a catch; it is based on your good grades. TIP: It is critical in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades to get your GPA up in order to establish a solid GPA and stay focused to the required core curriculum. Each state has a State Academic Program offering Academic Aid. To find a list of each state and a link to their education programs, financial aid & scholarships go to http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_ID=SHE . You can find more information on the required core curriculum at collegeboard.com, NCAA.com and also each states program site, above. This is the best free money you will ever get and it doesn’t take a lot of extra work to get it. You can usually get 70% – 100% of your college tuition classes paid through these Academic Aid programs.

Example: in the state of Florida an Academic Program called the Bright Futures Scholarship Program is a lottery-funded scholarship program that rewards high school graduates for their high academic achievements. There are 3 different types of Awards that provide tuition awards only (remember no room and board).  More detailed information can be found at the Bright Futures website at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/factsheets/BF.htm

Schools use your EFC to put together a financial aid package (grants, loans, and/or work-study) to help you meet your financial need. Your financial aid will be paid to you through your school. Typically, your school will first use the aid to pay tuition, fees, and room and board (if provided by the school). Any remaining aid is given to you for your other expenses.

The financial aid office at the school you plan to attend is also a good place to get information about federal, state, school and other sources of student financial aid. You can also check out these resources:

• www.studentaid.ed.gov
• www.students.gov
• Your high school counselor´s office
• Your local library

In conclusion:
There are many ways to get your college funded. It will take some time however there are so many great resources on the web to find information on financial help for college. One particular site http://www.college.gov/wps/portal has information in an easy to read format. The “how to pay” tab offers the basics on Financial Aid as far as cost, applications, what you qualify for and what it covers, as well as tips to find and save money for college.  Don’t forget to take the time to fill out every golf scholarship application as it is FREE  and we have found 83 golf scholarships and over $175,000 dollars.  To see the complete list to go to the TRC Golf Scholarship list.

The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf. The TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series will guide you through the process. This was the third part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, to follow more of the series click on the link below for the College Golf Series – Introduction and Playing College Golf.   Don’t forget to follow us at twitter.com/golfTRC.

College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid – Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach – Written by Dianne Dailey.
6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College-Written By Sally Austin.
7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
8. Careers in Golf

Related Articles:
COLLEGE GOLF SERIES – Introduction to the College Golf Basics for College Scholarships, College Recruiting and Playing College Golf; by Georgina Lewis at the Tour Resource Center
NCAA Scholarships:  The Breakdown
College Golf Scholarships?  Maybe / Maybe Not?
Golf Scholarships – Facts for Success
Florida college students pay price for changes to Bright Futures scholarships
About Golf Scholarships
Golf Scholarships
College Golf Scholarships. NCAA and NAIA Golf Recruiting
GOLF SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE USA
NAIA NCAA ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
College Scholarships.org – Helping Students Pay for College
Scholarship Search
College Scholarships
Scholarships.com: Free College Scholarship Search
College Scholarships – Online Degree Programs – Colleges
FastWeb : Scholarships, Financial Aid, Student Loans and Colleges
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Scholarships – Student Scholarship Search
Golf Scholarship USA
Winning Golf Scholarships for your education
About Junior Golf: News Magazine “Your Fairway to College Golf”

Scholarships for Skilled Golfers

Golf Scholarships 1

High School Golf Recruiting

NAIA and NCAA College Golf Scholarships: What you Need to Know About College Golf Recruiting

Golf Scholarships 2

The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid

Financial Aid Book Review

This webinar shows you the basics to writting a blog with key elements to getting your blog ranked.  Choose the keywords and keyword phrases you want your blog to rank high for on Google. Once Google understands what your blog is about, it will try to make it accessible on it’s search results page for the appropriate keyword phrase. Google pays attention to the words and phrases you use in your titles.

Key topics covered in this video include:

Informative Information
Research and use Keywords throughout your Blog
Use Your Keywords in Your Blog Title and Subtitles
Insert a Picture with an Alt Tag
List Related Articles in the bottom of your Blog

Twitter Basics:

Understand Twitter & How to use Twitter to your advantage

This is the fifth part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series. In this article we focus on Finding the Right School.
Written by Sally Austin, Former Women’s Golf Coach at The University of North Carolina.

1. Decide What You are Looking For in a School-
Make a list of the things you want in a school and rank them. These might include things such as location, size, academics, majors and extracurricular activities to include social life, the arts, community service, etc.

Find the schools that match this list. Include in this list what you want in a golf facility and golf course. Consider proximity to campus and accessibility to the course or courses just to name a couple.

Visit those schools that meet your criteria. Remember that your Letter of Intent is a contract with the school. You need to feel comfortable with the school and know that the school offers those things you want in a school.

2. Find a Coach That is a Good Fit-
Ask questions to determine the coach’s philosophy and expectations as Coach Dailey mentioned in her article. Be sure the coach knows your expectations and goals for golf, academics and outside interests. The coach needs to know up front how important each of these is to you. It is good if this comes directly from the recruit. Most of the communication should come directly form the recruit so that the coach gets to know the recruit better.

Parents communicate your expectations to the coach. Let the coach know how you see your role and involvement with the coach, player and team. Different coaches have different philosophies as to parental involvement. Parents should be clear on this up front so that both the coach and parents understand the expectations of the other and accept the philosophies of each.

Find out how involved the coach expects to be in teaching the recruit swing mechanics. Many recruits have their own swing instructor and do not want to change that relationship. Find out if this is okay with the coach. It is good if the coach and teaching pro communicate and develop a good relationship so they can work together to help the player.

As mentioned by Coach Dailey, write and call the coach. This communication will help you make an informed decision and get to know the coach better.

3. Get to Know The Team-
Spend as much time with the team on visits as you can. Ask questions that will help reveal more about the players, their individual goals and team goals. It is also helpful to know about the academic goals of the players and teams. Find out what is important to them. Call them. Email them. Get to know them in summer tournaments. This will help you get to know them and they get to know you.

The obvious objective of all parties concerned is for the college player to improve his/her game and to have an incredible college experience. Thorough research of the schools and honest, open communication with the coaches and team during the recruiting process will make it more likely for the player to select the right school and coach and experience the best 4 years of your life.

About Sally Austin:

Sally Austin coached the University of North Carolina women’s golf team for 16 years. Austin was selected the LPGA Coach of the Year in 2004. In 1999, she was named the LPGA SE Section Coach of the Year. In Austin’s 16 seasons as head coach, Carolina finished in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships six times. The winner of the 1979 North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship, Austin won events on the Women’s Professional Golf Tour and the Futures Tour. She received her LPGA Tour card in 1987.

ABOUT TOUR RESOURCE CENTER

The Tour Resource Center is one of the most valuable tools available to golfers who are serious about their game. The TRC is THE universal on-line resource for golfers. A plethora of golf information, a ‘one-stop shop’ for golfers looking for golf tournaments (currently over 3,000+), mental game coaches, nutritional tips, and in-depth information on Junior golf, Collegiate golf, Amateurs of all ages, Professionals, and Caddies. The tournaments are in an easy to understand format for Juniors and Amateurs including Ranked Events, Celebrity Events, Competitive Events recognized locally and around the world.

Don’t forget to follow us at www.twitter.com/golfTRC

College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

• • 1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
  • 2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
  • 3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid - Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
  • 4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
  • 5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach -Written by Dianne Dailey.
  • 6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College-Written by Sally Austin.
  • 7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
  • 8. Careers in Golf


Related Articles:
Best college golf programs over the last 20 years
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLLEGE GOLF RECRUITING
Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf
Golf Digest Ranks America’s Golf Colleges
College Golf Recruiting
Best route to the tour? It’s not college
Winning a College Golf Scholarship
Scholarships for Skilled Golfers
Junior Golf Tournaments
College Golf is a Marketing Game for Junior Golfers
Where Should I Attend College to Study and Play Golf?
Wanna play in college?

How to Find a Golf Camp That’s Right for Your Child


How to get a Golf Scholarship and Play in College: Part 1

Play Collegiate Golf

Putting
– Distance Control

This session is presented to us by Joey Hidock compliments of ModelGolf LLC, one of the World’s leading golf education companies.

ModelGolf, is pleased to share this valuable putting drill with you.  In this drill, you will learn the benefits of using a metronome to practice.

Based on more than 27 years of research studying professionals from all major Tours both male and female, ModelGolf learned why the best putters in the game are consistently good. It is more than just feel, science plays a major role.

Visit ModelGolf.com to learn more about full swing technology and research and their exciting Webinar Series open to the public beginning December 16, 2009.

The Steps to playing college golf are outlined in this article including: academics,  how to get noticed,  the college golf recruiting process, finding college scholarships and the NCAA, finding a college golf program to meet your individual golf needs, and ultimately signing a National Letter of Intent.

This is the second part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series.  In this article we will discuss the process of how to get to play college golf.  You will be able to negotiate with a college coach, select a college golf team that is right for you and earn a college scholarship.

You do NOT need to pay a College Golf Adviser or College Consultant thousands of dollars to get recruited by a college or play on a college golf team.  NO ONE can guarantee you a college spot on a golf team or scholarship.  Familiarize yourself with the steps and process and you can achieve the same results, plus earn a solid relationship with your new college coach.

The following are the steps to playing college golf:

1) Play Junior Golf successfully at a competitive level. At the TourResourceCenter.com we will teach you about the most watched junior golf tournaments by college coaches.  Levels 1, 2 & 3 are all ranked by the junior rankings systems: Golfweek, NJGS and the AJGA.  These junior ranking systems all have significant differences between them and you will need to understand those differences to best improve your ranking.  Also playing High School Golf is important to show a college coach that you can function as part of a team however it is not the typical source for college coaches to find competitive junior golfers.  The best competition is in a Level 1, 2 or 3 ranked event listed here at the TourResourceCenter.com

2)  Academics. A strong GPA and SAT/ACT test scores are very important to the recruiting process.  Most Division I schools require a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and a 1200 SAT. The NCAA, NAIA, and NCJAA set the minimum standards, in terms of entrance exam scores and GPA, for the student athlete awarded the scholarships.  The CollegeBoard has an on-line tool called the ”Academic Tracker” that can be found under ’my college list’ and then ‘Am I on track?’.  This very cool tool allows you to enter your GPA and University / College of choice, paired with your SAT’s and estimate your eligibility.

3)  Understand the Timeline for making contact with the College Coaches and verbal commitments.  The junior golf world has changed so much in the past couple of years.  Many college coaches start following a junior golfer in top level tournaments around the 8th or 9th grade.  After several tournaments it is obvious that a college coach is interested and, if you are too, you should make contact with that college coach.  They are not allowed to contact you until your junior year and there are strict rules on how and when they can contact you.  This is for your protection.  Most College Coaches will ask for a verbal commitment during your Junior year and maybe as early as your sophomore year.

4) Understand the Rules of Recruiting, Evaluations and Official visits.  Once you start high school, in ninth grade, you become a ‘prospective student athlete’.  In our College Golf Tutorial series we will be discussing the specifics of all these do’s and don’t's.  For more information you can read more at the NCAA.

5) NCAA Eligibility Center.  The NCAA Eligibility Center has a process called the Prospective Student Athlete that an athlete wanting to play Division I or II needs to complete. This includes completing specific ‘core classes’ before their graduation within a required GPA and SAT scores. Every student athlete should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center starting their junior year in high school.  Other requirements will need to be met like sending a transcript directly from the high school. Money $$ Savings Advantage: If you have your SAT or ACT scores forwarded directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center (college code “9999″) whenever you take an exam then you will not have to pay extra to have them sent to colleges because all colleges have access to the NCAA

The NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, is probably the most widely recognized association, but not the only one. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a similar association of smaller colleges and universities. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NCJAA) is an association of community and junior college athletic departments. NCAA and NCJAA are limited to institutions in the U.S., whereas the NAIA permits membership to colleges and universities outside the U.S.

6) Discuss finances with your parents and college golf scholarship offers.  Collegiate golf scholarships are available for men and women at schools in all three of the major athletic associations. They also implement standards for the institutions for recruiting and in the form and value of the scholarships and the proportion of recipients who must ultimately earn degrees. If you are seeking a collegiate athletic scholarship, you should be familiar with these guidelines. Later in our College Golf Series here at the TourResourceCenter.com we will tell you more about college golf scholarships and as a member you will have access to a complete list of golf scholarships as they become available.

7) National Letter of Intent

The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf. The TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series will guide you through the process.  This was the second part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, to follow more of the series click on the link below for the College Golf Series – Introduction..

College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid – Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach – Written by Dianne Dailey.
6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College-Written by Sally Austin.
7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
8. Careers in Golf

Related Articles:
COLLEGE GOLF SERIES – Introduction to the College Golf Basics for College Scholarships, College Recruiting and Playing College Golf; by Georgina Lewis at the Tour Resource Center

Advice for Junior Golfers Who Want to Play College Golf

Ping American College Golf Guide

College Golf Recruiting and Scouting

College Golf Recruiting

Sports Scholarships, Athletic Scholarships, and Financial Aid for Student Athletes

Sports Scholarships, Financial Aid, and College Search Resources

NCAA Eligibility Center

College Athletic Scholarships

You are embarking on one of the most exciting times in your life and playing college golf only enhances that experience.

You will have a chance to play competitive golf at the highest level, play on courses all over the country, make new friends, test yourself, and get an education at the same time!! It is critical that you choose the right match for you and your abilities.

1. Research the School/Golf Program (No later than Sophomore year) – Check the school’s academic and athletic website to learn about the School/golf program. Learn about academic life and requirements. Check the team results, schedules, rosters,and stats. Learn about the program from videos, press releases, and online media guides. See how many spots are available for each class.   TIP: Make sure your academic and athletic abilities match the program.

2. Contact the Coach – Call and/or write the coach. Be sure to include introductory letter explaining interest in program, resume with golf and academic information, copy of transcript with SAT/ACT scores, tournament results and tournament schedule. If the coach writes you and you have no interest, let them know.   TIP: Become knowledgeable about NCAA Recruiting Rules.

3. Set up an Unofficial Visit – You can take as may unofficial visits as you’d like because you are paying for your expenses. On the visit, talk with the coach, team members, and academic counselors. Attend a class if possible, tour campus, facilities, and a football or basketball game. Observe the school spirit and interaction of coaches and team. Assess how you would fit into the school and team.   TIP: What are the Team Dynamics?

4. Questions to ask a Coach on an Unofficial Visit -

1. What is the coach’s philosophy of coaching?
2. How many spots are available for your year?
3. What does the coach look for in a recruit? Criteria for being offered a scholarship.
4. How much playing time can you expect?
5. What are the qualifying rules for playing on the travel squad?
6. Describe a typical practice day/week.
7. How are workouts handled? How often?
8. Are there walk on spots? Can walk ons earn a scholarship later?
9. How does the coach see you contributing to the team?
0. What academic resources are available to the student?
11. What are the requirements for Admissions?
12. Is summer school offered to athletes?
13. Can scholarship amounts be increased over the 4 years if given a partial scholarship initially.

5. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse – Should be done beginning of your junior year.   TIP: Meet with high school counselor to be sure you are taking the proper courses and have the required GPA/test scores for certification. See TRC Playing College Golf blog for more information about the NCAA Eligibility Center and on-evaluation tools.

6. Official Visit – Take this during the fall of your senior year in high school. You are allowed to take 5 official visits and the school pays for the visit. Most students have made their decision prior to the start of their senior year and many opt not to take the visit or they come to spend time with the team.  TIP: Develop a good relationship with the coach before you get to college. (Watch for the upcoming blog on Selecting the Right Coach, Team and University.

7. Verbal Commitment – After the coach has offered you a scholarship and you want to attend that school, you can make a verbal commitment. Once that happens, other coaches stop recruiting you.   TIP: Be sure and notify all the coaches recruiting you of your decision.  They need to be free to seek other prospects.

8. National Letter of Intent (NLI) – There are 2 signing dates for the NLI. An early date in November and a spring date in April. Once you sign an NLI, you are bound to attend that school for one year or you will have to sit out a year at another school and lose a year of eligibility. The NLI binds you to the school, not the coach. If a coach leaves the school, you are still obliged to attend the school for one year.   TIP: Be sure you will be accepted at the school and you will be certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse before you sign the NLI.  You should coordinate your senior year classes with the coach. Another  TIP: Take the most challenging schedule you can your junior and senior years (AP, Honor Classes) in order to have a solid base for college work.

 9. Develop a relationship with the coach before you get to college – After signing the NLI, be sure to continue writing/calling the coach so you both can get to know each other better. Send your tournament schedule to the coach, so the coach can watch you play prior to enrolling.

In conclusion:
Your college coach will be the most significant adult in your college golf career.  It is essential that you make the effort to get to know the coach and to communicate often with him/her.  Send the coach emails and call the coach about your thoughts, concerns and activities.   Also, send the coach your tournament schedule so he/she can come watch you play.

The next blog will go into more detail about selecting the right school, coach and team and how to build a solid relationship with the coach.  The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf. The TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series will guide you through the process. This was the third part of the TRC’s College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, to follow more of the series click on the link below for the College Golf Series – Introduction and Playing College Golf.

About Dianne Dailey

Dianne Dailey is beginning her 22nd season as Wake Forest’s head women’s golf coach in the fall of 2009.  Under Dailey, the teams have notched 25 team victories, including 3 ACC Championships and 2 NCAA East Regional Championships.  The Deacons have finished in the top 20 of the final national rankings in each of the last 17 years.  Dailey,  former LPGA Tour player and President of LPGA Tour, she has been recognized by her peers as one of the nation’s best coaches.   In 2001, the National Golf Coaches Association inducted Dailey into the NGCA Hall of Fame.   She is just one of four ACC coaches in the prestigious hall.  Also in 2001, the LPGA named Dailey their Coach of the Year.

Don’t forget to follow us at www.twitter.com/golfTRC

College Golf Basics Tutorial Series Listing:

1. Intro/The College Golf Basics – Released Monday, September 28, 2009
2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know – Released Monday October 4, 2009
3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid – Released on Saturday October 17, 2009
4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships – Released on Wednesday October 28th, 2009
5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women’s Golf Coach – Written by Dianne Dailey.
6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College -Written by Sally Austin.
7. Is College Golf For Everyone? / What is it like playing on a college golf team?
8. Careers in Golf

Related Articles:
Tips For Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf
Let the Game Begin: College Athletic Recruitment
Golf Recruiting 101
Playing College Golf
How to Get Recruited for NCAA Men’s College Golf
Women’s Golf Scholarships- Stats for Success
Golf Scholarships- Facts for Success
Seven Important Aspects to Researching and Selecting Potential Colleges
Myths and Realities of the College Golf Recruiting Process
NCAA Division I and II Recruiting Timelines for Junior Golfers
The Recruiting Process: Getting Noticed by College Golf Coaches

Get Noticed by College Coaches

6 Keys to Choosing the Right Golf College

Road to College Golf

A Life Coach Along With a Golf Coach

Inside the ropes!

Walking down a plush green fairway, beautifully manicured, the same fairway the likes of Tiger, Phil, Sergio, and Jack have walked.

And it gets even better!

Welcome to the world of competitive golf. Every year, the PGA of America stages some of the game’s greatest championships, and in 2010 the 35th edition of the Junior PGA Championship will be contested August 2-5 at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana. “The Jack Nicklaus Signature design will present the nation’s top-ranked juniors a great challenge on which to display their talents,” said PGA President Jim Remy.

It’s An Experience Unlike Any Other.

And if the 2010 Junior PGA Championship is anything like past versions of the Junior PGA Championship, fans, golfers, and officials are in store for a week of thrilling golf. In fact, you don’t have to go too far back to find a final round that kept golf fans on the edge of their seats. In the final round of the 2008 boys’ championship, Anthony Paolucci needed to get up and down on the 72nd hole to force extra holes, and he did so. And the wedge shot he hit to force a playoff with Jordan Spieth ultimately catapulted Paolucci to the victory.

And it’s creating opportunities like that, in a championship run by one of golf’s oldest governing bodies that offers junior golfers experiences they just can’t get in other golf events.

You are playing in a tournament run by the same Association that runs the PGA Championship, The Senior PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup – The PGA of America.

The 2009 Junior PGA Championship, played at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio was won by T.J. Vogel (boys’ division) and Alexis Thompson (girls’ division). In fact, for Thompson, who made a lot of noise on the LPGA Tour this summer, it was the second time she captured the Patty Berg Trophy (awarded to the winner of the girls’ division of the Junior PGA Championship). Just 14-years-old, Thompson won her first Junior PGA Championship in 2007 at the age of 12.

Meanwhile, in the boy’s championship, Vogel, from Cooper City, Florida shot a 68-66-72-66 to earn the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, and for Vogel, the win was “extra” special as it was his final tournament as a junior golfer.

“I wanted to win my last tournament before going to college, and I accomplished that goal,” Vogel told the Associated Press. “I could not picture this any other way, leaving junior golf.”

Finishing two shots off the pace was Spieth, who had to settle for a second-place finish for a second-straight year. Jordan Spieth won the U.S. Junior Amateur leading into the Junior PGA Championship as well.

The Junior PGA Championship – A Week That Includes More Than Golf

What makes the Junior PGA Championship particularly standout compared to other junior golf tournaments is the fact that it is run by the PGA of America. There are no entry fees, nor is there a membership fee required to play for the national championship. And, the PGA of America offers a career awareness seminar for all participants. The seminar focuses on the many career choices available to juniors seeking to make a living in the world of golf.

Past Champions

The Junior PGA Championship is also recognized as a major stepping stone for some of the world’s best golfers. Trevor Immelman, winner of the 2008 Masters, won the Junior PGA Championship in 1996. David Toms, who won the PGA Championship in 2001, captured the Junior PGA Championship in 1984; while Cristie Kerr, who won the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, hoisted the Patty Berg Trophy in victory in 1995.

Others who have won the Junior PGA Championship include: Billy Andrade (1981), Billy Mayfair (1982), and Sean O’Hair (1998); while golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink have also played in the Junior PGA Championship.

For more information on the Junior PGA Championship and other Junior events run by the PGA of America, please visit: http://www.pga.com/pgaofamerica/juniors/

New Book by Top-100 Teacher Now Available on Tour Resource Center

JACKSONVILLE, Fl (February 8, 2010) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE– “Journey to Excellence: The Young Golfer’s Complete Guide to Achievement and Personal Growth,”  by Henry Brunton, the first Canadian-bred golf instructor to be named to GOLF Magazine’s list of Top-100 Teachers in the world, and Canada’s National Golf Coach is now available on http://golftrc.com

Designed to help young golfers reach their potential on and off the course, “Journey to Excellence” provides a step-by-step path to help young golfers reach their goals. Brunton, who has spent the last 20-years working with the game’s top educators, golfers, and coaches, uses the lessons he has learned from each to offer insight on what it takes to reach individual goals in all aspects of life.

Tour Resource Center, which has successfully grown into one of the hottest golf sites on the web, largely through an aggressive social networking plan that has included the use of such tools as Stumbleupon, Digg, Twitter in English, Korean and Spanish, Blogs to google standards, massive internet Press Releases, and other viral campaigns, will play a large role in marketing “Journey to Excellence”.

“We are honored to be able to provide Henry Brunton with social media marketing for his new book, it is truly a must read for all golfers, athletes, parents and coaches.  It provides a realist view of the journey to achieving your golf goals,” said Tour Resource Center, CEO and Founder Georgina Lewis. The Journey to Excellence was one of the original books listed on the Suggested readings TRC website since its inception.

Henry Brunton will be hosting webinars on the Tour Resource Center for junior and their parents to discuss his experiences; and tips for golfers.   For more information on “Journey to Excellence” please visit: www.tourresourcecenter.com/suggested-readings , where you will also be provided a very UNIQUE opportunity to read the first chapter of the book.

For more information on The Tour Resource Center and how it can help grow your business through its unique marketing capabilities, attend a social media marketing webinar at http://golftrc.com/webinars , or email georgina@tourresourcecenter.com

ABOUT TOUR RESOURCE CENTER

The Tour Resource Center is one of the most valuable tools available to golfers who are serious about their game. The TRC is THE universal on-line resource for golfers.  A plethora of golf information, a ‘one-stop shop’ for golfers looking for golf tournaments (currently over 3,000+), mental game coaches, nutritional tips, and in-depth information on Junior golf, Collegiate golf, Amateurs of all ages, Professionals, and Caddies.  The tournaments are in an easy to understand format for Juniors and Amateurs including Ranked Events, Celebrity Events, Competitive Events recognized locally and around the world.   For more information on The Tour Resource Center visit http://golftrc.com.

Pitch Shot, Understanding The Bounce

Hitting a pitch shot, even from a tight lie, is not hard when you learn to let the bounce slide along the turf.

This session is presented to us by Josh Zander compliments of www.MySmartGolf.com

Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, co-founders of VISION54, talk about two main concepts of quality practice in golf.

Hit more greens! All you have to do is remember two simple words……clubhead……target, as shown to us in the video by Lynn Stellman.

Lynn Stellman is a 31 year veteran of women’s professional golf and one of the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s foremost professionals. She is currently Director of Golf at Martin County Golf and Country Club in Stuart, Florida.

Ladies Links Fore Golf’s mission is to provide a supportive and instructive environment that empowers women golfers to reach their maximum potential. Through its comprehensive, online golf community, www.LL4G.com, Ladies Links Fore Golf offers learning and playing opportunities that enable amateur women golfers to take their golf to new levels, meet new golfers, and compete and play at some of the nation’s leading golf courses. For more information visit www.LL4G.com.

Lower your score! Learn the proper technique and club selection for the chip and run shot, as demonstrated by Debbie O’Connell.

Debbie O’Connell is a 19 year veteran of women’s professional golf and a Class A rated member of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Membership.  In 2006, Debbie co-founded Ladies Links Fore Golf, LLC.

Ladies Links Fore Golf’s mission is to provide a supportive and instructive environment that empowers women golfers to reach their maximum potential. Through its comprehensive, online golf community, www.LL4G.com, Ladies Links Fore Golf offers learning and playing opportunities that enable amateur women golfers to take their golf to new levels, meet new golfers, and compete and play at some of the nation’s leading golf courses. For more information visit www.LL4G.com.

I work with talented amateur and professional golfers on a daily basis, helping each to think and play more effectively.  They come to me for a variety of reasons: to improve their confidence, to better their tournament mindset, to learn to “get in the present”, to move from a great practice player to a skilled competitor, or to learn to recover and stay mentally focused after a poor hole.

But, there is one theme that comes my way on a very regular basis

– how to overcome the first tee jitters.

You may find my solution quite surprising.

The cause of the first tee jitters is quite simple – the player is excited to play.  Playing the game of golf means that mistakes will be made.  More than that, the player may believe that a poor first tee shot will result in a landslide of terrible events.  Often, the player’s mind game sounds a lot like this BEFORE he actually steps onto the first tee box:

If I hit a poor first tee shot it will cause such severe embarrassment I will feel like crawling in the nearest rabbit hole.  The spectators will wonder why a hack of my caliber is actually trying to play a round of competitive golf.  Plus, my competitors will be certain to laugh at me while they figure that I won’t be much competition today.  If that isn’t bad enough, my poor tee shot will most certainly lead to a high golf score on the first hole, which will lead to a terrible front nine and a definite high golf score for the round.  This impending poor first tee shot is just a glimpse into a sure-fire series of lousy shots and a crummy round.  I am in big trouble!

If you want the first tee jitters to go away, you are wasting your time.  And, you are probably not ready for competitive golf.  Jitters are the mind’s way of telling the body that the next shot is significant.  That’s a good thing.  That’s a necessary thing.  Let’s face it, the first tee shot is of great importance and it needs to be taken seriously.  No more seriously, though, than the fourteenth, twenty-third, or fifty-seventh shot.  Jitters need to be seen as a form of readiness.  First tee jitters are a sign that you are ready to hit a great shot and play well.  With this in mind, why would you want these signs to go away?

Instead, I recommend you embrace the first tee jitters and interpret them as a positive sign that you are excited to play and are ready to have a great round.  Realize that you may not hit your first tee shot perfectly.  No one does.  Plus, it’s only one shot – not a sign off doom, cause to crawl into a hole, or be embarrassed.  It’s just one shot of many that you’ll take that day.

Join our webinar…. Playing Between the Ears,  A mental skills webinar for competitive golfers hosted by Michael Riggs, M.Ed. is the president of Performance Consulting, Ltd., and the creator of the highly acclaimed mental skills program, ONE Way Golf  click here for more information / registration

About Michael Riggs, M.Ed.

Michael Riggs holds a masters degree in sport and performance psychology from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville.  Over the past 17 years he has been enrolled by literally thousands of junior golfers to assist in achieving their true playing potential. Michael is the architect of ONE Way Golf, a one-on-one mental skills development program designed for young golfers who are seeking to reach extraordinary levels of success and satisfaction within their games. Michael and his team have proven that great golf performance is the product of intelligent and intentional effort housed within an extraordinary attitude allowing confidence, concentration, and composure to rule.  Michael’s creativity, passion, and knowledge of the golf performance theatre make him one of America’s most talented and flourishing mental skills coaches for Jr. players.  website: www.performanceconsultingltd.com

About The Tour Resource Center

The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on Top Sports Psychologists & Mental Game Coaches for your golf game. The TRC’s best resources will help you to balance your game and post scores in the red.   Don’t forget to follow us attwitter.com/golfTRC.

Related Articles:

Coping With 1st Tee Nerves

How to Overcome First Tee Nerves!

Tips To Banish First Tee Nerves

First Tee Nerves

Sixteen Top Tips to help get over those first tee nerves.

Dealing with the First Tee Jitters

First Tee Jitters

Hitting Your First Tee Shot

Jitter bug: Overcoming the first tee

Learn how to increase your club head speed to hit all your clubs longer distances, as shown by Teresa Zamboni.

Teresa Zamboni was named the 2007 recipient of the LPGA’s elite National Teacher of the Year Award. She currently  teaches golf at Indigo Lakes Golf Club in Daytona Beach, Florida, and previously was the Golf Academy Director for LPGA International Golf Course.

Ladies Links Fore Golf’s mission is to provide a supportive and instructive environment that empowers women golfers to reach their maximum potential. Through its comprehensive, online golf community, www.LL4G.com, Ladies Links Fore Golf offers learning and playing opportunities that enable amateur women golfers to take their golf to new levels, meet new golfers, and compete and play at some of the nation’s leading golf courses. For more information visit www.LL4G.com.

Journey to Excellence: The Young Golfer’s Complete Guide to Achievement and Personal Growth by Henry Brunton with Michael Grange (July, 2009) Sea Script Company, Seattle, WA.

Journey to Excellence:  The Young Golfer’s Complete Guide to Achievement and Personal Growth is designed to help aspiring young golfers maximize their potential, on and off the course.

Based on the insights of one of the world’s hottest up-and-coming golf instructors Henry Brunton–Canada’s National Men’s Team coach, the first Canadian recognized by GOLF Magazine as one of the game’s Top 100 Teachers and a widely-acknowledged expert in developing elite players–Journey to Excellence provides a detailed, step-by-step path by which those who have the will can find the way to reach their goals.

Click here for the link to the sample chapter from Henry’s book.

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose (Nilsson and Marriott 2005)

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose offers cutting-edge techniques for integrating the physical, technical, mental, emotional, and social parts of a player’s game.

The book’s revolutionary preshot routine improves a player’s focus, leading to a golf swing that is not only successful but can be repeated under extreme pressure. Emphasizing the individual golfer rather than a right set of mechanics, the authors’ VISION54 method takes the frustration out of the game.

Sport Parent for the Future (Marriott and Nilsson 2005)

The importance of the parent’s role in the healthy development of today’s young athlete, both as an athlete and as a young person, is the focus of Sport Parent for the Future. Co-authored by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, this groundbreaking publication is a must-read for anyone whose child is either beginning sports, or who already plays sports and perhaps aspires to progress into new competitive arenas.

Co-authors Marriott and Nilsson communicate how the parent role will have a great impact on the young athlete’s future, even though each child might have other teachers and coaches. Ultimately, it is the parents who the child looks to for unconditional support and guidance. Parents are their closest role model. Parents of young athletes are given excellent advice such that: “You can create an environment where they will learn how to win and keep their motivation high. They’ll learn life skills that can contribute more than you’ll ever know to their physical and emotional well being.”

The Game Before the Game (Marriott and Nilsson 2007)

As complete game coaches, Marriott and Nilsson showcase their proven integrated coaching principles by outlining how practice should be productive, fulfilling and fun. This revolutionary approach of how to take the range to the first tee is shared through three essential areas of practice:

- Warm-up: ensuring that beyond the physical and technical, the mental and emotional elements also are warmed up and ready to go;
- Maintenance: intended to prevent your swing and playing from drifting between rounds;
- Preparation: getting ready for the “real” experience of playing golf. What is it that you want to get better at for the future?

Golf Parent for the Future by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson

This booklet provides important insights and invaluable guidance for parents of junior golfers. The importance of the parent’s role in the healthy development of today’s junior golfer, both as a player and as a young person, is the focus of the booklet.  This groundbreaking publication is a must-read for anyone whose child is either beginning golf, or who already plays the game and perhaps aspires to progress into new competitive arenas.

Marriott and Nilsson offer their readers clarity and focus by highlighting four areas that enhance the relationship and communication between the junior golfer and their parents. These four “insights”, the authors believe, are among the most important for being a great golf parent for the future.

  The four areas: being clear about the boundary between you and your child; recognizing who they are versus what they do; the state you are in as a spectating or coaching parent; and how to give feedback in the best way possible.

The Authors inspiration for the booklet came from: “Our belief that the parent role will have a great impact on the junior golfer’s future, even though your child might have other golf teachers or coaches. Ultimately, it is the parents who the child looks to for unconditional support and guidance. You are their closest role model.”

Parents of young golfers are given excellent advice such as: “You can create an environment where they will learn how to win and keep their motivation high.  They’ll learn life skills that can contribute more than you’ll ever know to their physical and emotional well being.”

It’s All About Impact – The 84° Secret by Andrew Rice
This amazing book separates modern day style from some all-important substance in the golf swing. Why not get back to enjoying the game? Why not start today?
“It’s All About Impact – The Winners of Over 100 Majors Prove It!” In this book Andrew Rice studies the swings of the top 25 golfers of the steel shaft era (The LIST), separating modern day swing style from some all important substance.

“I have known Andrew Rice since he was a young man growing up in Southern Africa. I have always been thoroughly impressed with Andrew’s dedication and passion to play, teach, and constantly discover the intricacies of our great game. I know you will benefit from his diligent pursuit of finding the most efficient manner in which to play the game and produce results. The quest for improvement at every level of golf is never ending, but I am sure you will find Andrew’s thoughts to be an efficient way for you to achieve your potential.” Nick Price – Three-Time Major Winner and Hall of Fame Member

Managing Emotions – Golf’s Next Frontier Based on research by Doc Childre and the Institute of HeartMath®. (Institute of HeartMath) HeartMath’s Quick Coherence™ technique for emotional balance and high performance in golf. Coaching with Quick Coherence and the Freeze-Framer* by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, co-founders of VISION54

If you are a passionate golfer, you can appreciate the pleasurable emotional state associated with playing at the peak of your game. You also understand how emotional blowups or meltdowns can quickly override and undo the results of countless hours of practice. This illustrated, 60-page book explains how you can achieve and maintain optimal emotional states for extended periods of time – even in the heat of intense competition.

You’ll learn HeartMath’s Quick Coherence® technique for emotional balance and high performance in golf. It’s easily integrated into practice routines, just like chipping, putting, ball striking, etc., and will help you maintain your energy, avoid errors due to emotional judgments and inner turbulence, shoot lower scores, and stay at peak longer.

LADIES, GET A GRIP by Mary Galvano

Ladies Get A Grip is a light hearted, non-intimidating self help book to speed up the process of getting women out onto the golf course.

Whether for business or pleasure, you will never have to miss an opportunity again. A very simple, down to earth learning process. Learn business etiquette, golf rules, basic golf swing and putting, booking tee times, how to use your femininity to get ahead in business or social situations and more.

Swing Like a Pro by Dr. Ralph Mann and Fred Griffin

With scientific accuracy, biomechanics expert Dr. Ralph Mann and top PGA instructor Fred Griffin present a groundbreaking guide to a perfect golf swing.

Based on empirical evidence rather than one professional golfer’s opinion, these two experts combine science, teaching experience, and the best swings in the game to provide you a consistent approach to getting the most out of your golf swing. Forward by Brad Faxon. 243 pages with illustrated drills and instruction.

The Ten Commandments of Mindpower Golf: No-Nonsense Strategies for Mastering Your Mental Game by Dr. Robert K. Winters

This unique guide will help players at every level develop the emotional toughness necessary to win the mental game of golf.

Dr. Robert K. Winters carefully guides you through his time-tested action plan for success, providing personal work-book assignments and key-point summaries to heighten the learning experience. With ten easy-to-follow principles for improving the mental aspect of every golfer’s game, this book will be a great addition to your collection.

Enrich your golf game by learning: thou shalt have a great attitude; thou shalt always believe in thyself; thou shalt play one shot at a time; and much more!

Putting Genius

This is the ultimate golfing technology for the player who wants to take his/her game to the highest possible level!

The Putting Genius Software is a completely unique training tool for the mental aspects of sinking putts.

Build your confidence, concentrate better, and take your putting to the highest level with the same methods used by the best athletes in the world.

Dr. Bob’s techniques are explained in Putting Genius right away – there’s no lengthy coaching sessions or advice that’s impossible to follow. Once you apply his system, you will allow your personal putting genius – the genius that’s already inside you – to come forth.

Until it Hurts: America’s Obsession with Youth Sports and How it Harms Ours Kids (Mark Hyman, 2009)

Over the last seventy-five years, adults have staged a hostile takeover of kids’ sports. For generations of children the effects have been devastating. The quest to turn children into tomorrow’s superstars often has led adults to push them beyond physical and emotional limits, sometimes with tragic consequences.

In Until It Hurts, journalist, coach, and parent Mark Hyman explores how youth sports reached this problematic state. He gives heartbreaking examples of children and their families, including his own, pushing beyond healthy limits in headlong pursuit of sports glory, athletic scholarships, or even professional careers. His investigation takes him from the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania to a prestigious Chicago soccer club, from adolescent golf and tennis superstars in Atlanta to California volleyball players. He speaks with dozens of children, parents, coaches, psychologists, surgeons, and former big-leaguers.

Outliers: The Story of Success (Malcolm Gladwell 2008)

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of “outliers”–the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

How I play Golf by Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods has written a book about how he plays golf offering his intimate view of both his game, mental and physical, and his unique personality on and off the course.

In Every Kid There Lurks a Tiger, by Rudy Duran with Rick Lipsey (March, 2002) Hyperion, New York, NY.

In Rudy’s book he shares a 5 step program that helps parents to teach their children the fundamentals of golf.

Readers can learn specific information from junior club-fitting to solving the game’s colorful jargon as well as anecdotes from his experiences working with his most famous pupil, Tiger Woods.

Ever since the TRC site has gone public I’ve been really impressed by the knowledge of our members and friends of the TRC. I like to think that we’re all learning from each other. So in the spirit of continuing our education we’re going to give away some free STUFF for the best PARENT tip you have.

Here’s how our contest will work: Give Us Your Best PARENT Tip the in Comments section at the bottom of this blog.    It can be simple, complicated, before the tournament round, after or during, the College Recruiting process, College Scholarships —whatever you want.

There will be 5 lucky winners. The WINNERS will receive: A SUBSCRIPTION to MySmartGolf.com. Only one Parent Tip per person is allowed.
MySmartGolf.com is a highly sophisticated web-based game tracking and instruction resource designed for serious players, golf coaches, and golf teaching professionals.

The contest will end Saturday, January 16, 2010 at midnight. The entries will be judged by TRC editors, and the winners will be announced on the home page the next Saturday, December 13th, 2009. U.S. Residence Only, No Purchase Necessary, Suggested Tip Required.

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PARENT TO PARENT

 check with the tournament director to see if they are going to provide drinks & snacks for your child
check to see if the range balls are included during the tour

TOUR DIRECTOR TO PARENT

1) Spectating 101

• Be the spectator and follow the rules provided by the tour on the spectator handout.
• Each Level of progression represents stricter rules.
• Talking to your child during a tournament round will not be tolerated, they will get penalties!
• Remember when you try to help your child you are giving them an unfair advantage over the rest of the field, this goes against the basic principals of golf.

2) Rulings:

• Don’t get involved in rulings, call a rules official and wait for them to arrive.  Getting involved could cause your child a penalty.
• Start attending USGA rules classes with your child, check with your local golf pro for free classes.

3) Supporter

• If the tour allows it, stay ahead and watch for balls, everyone’s balls.
• Be a supporter of all the kids, it is a difficult game.

4) Your Value to your child’s game

• Keep your kids score ONLY, it is your child’s job to keep all the competitors score.
• Use your time to keep your child’s stats: # of Fairways, Greens, extra shots and putts.
• You will enjoy the game more if you just focus on your child.

5) Take away advice

• If you have criticism please be constructive and only one criticism per tournament round.  Not to be done in public where their competitors and parents can hear.  Remember you are the only cheerleader they have out there.

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Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts about YOUR competitive tournament adventures.  We hope that these Tips and the ones posted by your fellow Golfers Parents will help you become a better competitor.

Good luck. We are looking forward to your responses!

Really good golf requires the mental abilities of concentration and focus of a chess player and brain surgeon. It is, also, an endurance game. A golfer’s blood sugar can plummet and golfer’s who play in the hot sun or in humid weather are going to lose fluid and minerals through sweat. Our goal is to keep hydration and energy levels up throughout the golf day and beyond.

First, a golfer needs to start the day with enough fuel to last a 4-hour round of golf. The concern is not low fat or low calories, but rather if it is enough to keep you healthy and your brain focused.  For example: a low fat yogurt is a great snack but not a complete breakfast. If you take that same yogurt and add an egg or some whole grains, such as oatmeal, then you have a great breakfast!

As for snacks while playing on the golf course, carry a source of readily available carbohydrates to help stabilize blood sugar levels such as, apples, bananas, and whole-wheat bagels all excellent portable sources of complex carbohydrates.  I personally like peanut butter on apples or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a banana to snack on.

By the way, getting enough B vitamins is a trick golf professionals use to help keep calm and steady nerves during competition, especially on that first tee when your name is called out for all to hear.  The best way to get your B vitamins is through food sources such as; brown rice and whole grains.

Click here for a MARY’S SAMPLE MEAL PLAN.
It is easy to follow and will keep energy levels up throughout your day while insuring proper dietary intake.

Drink plenty of water/fluids before, during and at the end of your game to replenish the body. A great way to replace fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates lost at the end of a golf game or physical activity is by drinking a glass of low-fat chocolate milk. Yum!

About Mary Galvano
Mary Galvano is an LPGA Class A golf professional and a former touring professional.  She has been teaching golf for over 10 years, carrying on the Galvano family tradition begun in 1941.  Mary is an etiquette consultant, Mental Skills Training and Fitness Nutrition Coach. With her years of competition, she has honed her peak performance mindset for both on and off the golf course.

Mary Galvano is the author of the book “Ladies, Get a Grip: Playing Golf for Business and Pleasure The Feminine Way”.  For more information about the book visit the TRC SUGGEST READINGS or to order visit  www.MaryGalvano.com.

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