By Rex Grayner, SVP Business Development, Hurricane Junior Golf Tour
Every junior golfer dreams of playing at the next level, but with thousands of players competing for limited college roster spots, the big question is: How do you stand out to college coaches?
The truth is, talent alone isn’t enough. Coaches look beyond scores to find players who fit their program, both on and off the course. From building a standout recruiting resume to crafting a great first email, here’s what junior golfers can do to get on coaches’ radars and make a lasting impression.
Build a Standout College Golf Recruiting Resume
Your golf recruiting resume is a coach’s first impression of you as a player. If it’s clear, well-organized, and to the point, you’re already ahead of most recruits. Coaches don’t have time to sift through pages of information, so here’s what they need to see at a glance:
- Golf Achievements: Tournament results, scoring average, rankings (Junior Golf Scoreboard, etc.).
- Academic Performance: GPA, SAT/ACT scores (if available), honors/AP courses.
- Athletic & Personal Attributes: Work ethic, leadership roles, extracurricular involvement.
Pro Tip: Keep your resume to one page and format it professionally. You can also create a digital version to link in your email to coaches.
Craft a Strong Introduction Email to College Golf Coaches
Reaching out to a college coach is a crucial step in the recruiting process, but a generic email won’t get you noticed. Coaches receive hundreds of emails from junior golfers, so making yours personal, professional, and concise is key.
Subject Line Matters: Keep it clear and direct. Example: “2026 Junior Golfer Interested in [School Name]”
Your Email Address Matters: Whenever possible, keep your name (your “brand”) in front of college coaches. One simple way to do this is by having an email address with your name spelled out and your grad year, like this: firstnamelastname2026@gmail.com. Stay away from silly email addresses or ones that are difficult to remember.
What to Include in the Email:
- Personal introduction (name, graduation year, hometown).
- Why you’re interested in their program. Make it personal! Mention something specific about the team or coach.
- Quick golf and academic highlights: key accomplishments, rankings, GPA.
- Link to your resume and recruiting video.
- Call-to-action… Example: “I’d love to learn more about your program and see if I’d be a good fit. Let me know if there’s a good time to connect.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Copying and pasting the same email to multiple coaches. Your email can be similar for each coach but keep it personal.
- Making the email too long (keep it to a few paragraphs).
- Forgetting to proofread. Spelling errors or getting the coach’s name wrong is a deal-breaker.
Make a Strong First Impression with Your Online Presence
Coaches research recruits. What they find online should reinforce your strengths, not raise red flags.
Create a Recruiting Video:
- Showcase your full swings, short game, and putting in a 3-hole video. Play three holes at your favorite course while having someone film you. Narrate the video by telling coaches what shot you’re about to hit. This is a fantastic way to showcase your personality and demonstrate that you can execute various shots. Avoid boring swing videos on the range. Coaches want to get to know you!
- Keep your video at 5 minutes or less.
- Upload to YouTube and include the link in your resume and emails.
Social Media:
- Clean up anything inappropriate. Coaches check your content on all platforms.
- Be intentional with your social media. Many coaches use platforms like Instagram and Twitter to track recruits before ever contacting them. Make sure your content reinforces the kind of player and person they want on their team.
- Post golf-related content regularly. Tournament highlights, practice videos, and workout routines show coaches your work ethic and commitment.
- Engage professionally. Follow college golf programs and interact in a way that adds value (i.e. congratulating teams on wins, sharing insights about your own progress).
- Avoid negativity. Coaches are looking for players who represent their team well, so keep posts positive and professional.
Play in the Right Tournaments for Exposure
College coaches recruit based on tournament performance. Where you play, the field size, the competition… it’s all relevant in the evaluation process.
How to Choose Tournaments That Align with Recruiting Goals:
- Build a competitive, well-balanced tournament schedule that includes local, regional, and national events. This allows you to gain experience, improve under different conditions, and develop a winning mindset.
- Play in Hurricane Junior Golf Tour events which are 2-day (36-hole) events and are ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard.
- Sign up for College Prep Series events which are played at college golf courses and provide an opportunity for your family to visit college campuses, meet with coaches and gain valuable perspective.
- Target events in regions where your preferred colleges recruit.
HJGT’s tournament schedule provides over 350 events nationwide, giving players consistent opportunities to improve their rankings and showcase their skills.
Communicate Like the Recruit Coaches Want on Their Team
Follow Up with Coaches:
- If you don’t hear back after your initial email, follow up after two weeks. Keep it short and professional.
Pro Tip: Silence doesn’t mean a coach isn’t interested in recruiting you. It just means they’re busy. In some cases, they receive inquiries from hundreds of prospects each month, so stay positive, patient, and committed to the outreach process. Your persistence will help you stand out from those who give up too quickly!
Be Professional in All Communication:
- Respond quickly and politely to coach inquiries.
- Take charge of your recruiting process. Coaches appreciate proactive players.
Keep Coaches Updated:
- If you improve your scoring average or have a big tournament finish, email them an update. Example: “I just finished in the Top 5 at an HJGT Major Championship. I wanted to share my updated resume and tournament schedule with you.”
- If you’re registered to play in a tournament near their campus, let the coach know ahead of time. S/he might just come out and watch you play!
Conclusion: Take Action Today
Standing out in the college golf recruiting process isn’t about luck. It’s about preparation, communication, and persistence.
Start now by:
- Creating or updating your recruiting resume.
- Make a simple 3-hole video.
- Emailing at least 3-5 college coaches this week.
- Reviewing your social media presence.
- Maintain a solid tournament schedule and compete in the right tournaments to showcase your skills.
HJGT provides the perfect platform to build your tournament resume, improve your ranking, and gain exposure to college recruiters. Check out our full calendar of events at HJGT.org.
