Are you interested in putting your child on path to play golf at the next level? If this is the case Swing Solutions may be able to help. As mentors for young children, Steve and I have enjoyed watching them mature both as individuals and golfers.  Typically, when we work with junior golfers, we have a fairly good opportunity to listen to their hopes, fears and goals.  Sometimes they are very expressive about their goals, other times we have to help them "frame" them.  It is not uncommon for players to reserve comment for fear of being ridiculed for their dreams.  While Steve and I have “been there, done that,” this is all new territory for your children.  New is often scary and unpredictable – which can both overwhelming and exciting.

College golf is a wonderful experience.  The process of finding a school that is a good fit for your child is a family project (it is too overwhelming for the child to embark upon alone). 

Steve and I both played DI College golf (me at the University of New Mexico, Steve at the University of Minnesota).  We have helped  30 players find places on college teams.  There is a definite protocol to follow for finding the best fit for your son or daughter. 

As we help your child through the process, there are facts that are pertinent to the search:

• There are three classes of schools: DI, DII and DIII.  DI and DII colleges can offer athletic aid and financial aid, DIII can offer financial and academic aid.  It is fairly standard for the maximum DI scholarship to be only a 50% of the total cost of school. 
• College coaches cannot travel to view players and make offers very often.  As such, they respond to resumes and materials they receive from the players, as well as watching major tournament results.  They rely most heavily on referrals and word of mouth.  Character is a huge component as well as academic proficiency.
• The job of finding a fit for your child includes balancing academics and athletics, as well as geography.  THE SCHOOL/COACH WILL NOT FIND YOU; YOU MUST FIND THE SCHOOL! In the end, that may be a blessing.
• The college search has to be about more than money:  many DIII schools offer a better competitive/academic balance than a DI opportunity.  As well, academic aid can equal or surpass athletic aid.  Money is money, no matter which department in the school makes the award.
• Getting your heart set on one or two facilities will set a child up for disappointment.  We ask parents and players to be open minded during this process:  we will send a tape/resume out to as many as 80 schools and hope for a 5 to 10 percent interest. 
• The process of sending tapes to coaches and sifting through the feedback is a 6 to 12 month process.
• You do not send applications to 80 schools; you send applications to 3 schools that your child would pick if they were never able to play golf.  The coach will help the player through the admissions process once they decide which school they like.
• Coaches may not consider your child for reasons that have nothing to do with them as individuals or players: the coach may be experiencing budget cuts, he already has too many incoming freshman, he recruits only Europeans, he takes off of the AJGA rankings exclusively or he only takes local kids.  The reasons are many and varied.  This is why the search must be broad.

The Process

Steve and I make an honest film of your child’s swing, complete with an analysis and a voice overlay about your child’s strengths and weaknesses.  We have had great feedback from coaches about the tapes we have sent out thus far.  We are trying to portray your child as fairly and as accurately as possible because this is about their future.  We want the coach to be very excited about having your child attend their school.    We charge $350 at the front end and $350 at the back end of the process.

We take that film analysis to a gentleman that does professional video.  He does an interview with the kids and puts the entire analysis on a CD that is nicely done.  His fee is $150. 

We then have to make copies of the CD.  The cost of CD’s and reproduction and mailing is the player’s.

Steve and I will ask you to recreate a resume of the player’s accomplishments; we will edit it.  We will make recommendations on schools (the list of 80 that you create).  You may purchase a guide of college golf schools.  Google: Ping College golf guide. 

Your child must register with the NCAA clearing house.  We will help you through this process.

Steve and I stay with you through this entire process.  We return and make calls to coaches.  Ultimately, we do not promise a scholarship.  Your child’s talent and resume/academics and the schools they are open to attending will determine the outcome.  We will work hard to help you explore every opportunity.

In closing, Steve and I will both tell you that playing college golf was both exciting and rewarding.  It was the experience of a lifetime.  It helped us learn to balance busy schedules.  It took us to places that we could never have dreamed of going on our own.    For every child who wishes a career in golf, we believe that college golf is an opportunity to gain invaluable experience.  For those pursuing majors in other fields, college golf just makes the whole college experience more unique and full.    We also believe that there are DIII experiences that are as or more rewarding than a DI program.  In the end, this is a discussion for you to have with your child.  Steve and I are here as a resource.