Bill MacDonald, Men's Golf Coach, University of South Carolina

1.   Short game, strength and power, overall mechanics, ability to handle adversity, low end scores vs. high end, academics, better scores and finishes from one year to the next.

2.   Very important.  SAT minimum of 1000, GPA over 3.0, unless a player is very highly ranked, and even then the prospect has to be close to our minimum standard for us to consider them.

3.   We look for dominant play at the local and state level first, then regional tournaments and national events after that.  A player does not have to be on the AJGA tour for us to be interested, but it helps.

4.   Finishes.  Weather conditions and the toughness of a golf course can influence play.  However, really low scores, even they are not followed up by a great score, can get our attention.

5.   Scoring clubs:  8 iron to putter.  Handling adversity and showing an ability to learn from mistakes. 

Kevin Williams, Women's Golf Coach, East Carolinas University

1.   Length off the tee is one of the first things I look for but not the determining factor.  Athleticism plays a huge role in potential upside and one of the first things I look for in a player.  Composure is the third thing I am looking for in a player.

2.   Important in the sense of determining how a prospect handles time management.  College golf is so much about managing time and good grades normally equals a good time manager.

3.   State events like NC Junior, Twin States, Vicki DiSantis and NC Big I are several of the events I always mark on my calendar to make sure I am there to recruit because the best girls in NC play in those events.

4.   Finish normally since scores are relative to other factors such as weather, course, etc.  Always like to see someone win.  Nothing replaces that ability to win!

5.   For all juniors but especially junior girls, short game is the most important aspect of the game to work on.

Jerry Haas, Men's Golf Coach, Wake Forest University

1.  Scores and attitude.

2.  The most important and a tough academic school the better the grades simply put the more opportunities.

3.  Does not matter as long as they play well...some have money and some don't...play well when you play .

4.  Scores are most important , how low can you shoot.

5.  Short game and putting....you can play if you can putt.

Beans Kelly, Women's Golf Coach, Coastal Carolina University

1.   I look for good swing and good attitude and how they handle the adversity.

2.   High School grades are very important as well as good SAT or ACT scores.

3.   The competition should be varied state, regional and national depending on the financial resources the individual has available.

4.   Scores are more important than finishes.

5.   For girls its distance and short game.
 

John Inman, Men's Golf Coach, UNC-Chapel Hill

1. I look for their overall golf ability.  Not just what they have accomplished but what I think they have the ability to accomplish.  Character is another very important factor that we judge while we have them on campus and when watching them at tournaments.

2. Very important.  If we are between 2 players who are similar on paper and one is a much better student, we know that they have good time management skills and will have more time to work on their game!

3. We look at everything from High School golf to AJGA tournaments.... and everything in between.  We always want them to play against the best competition and any time that they have a chance to step up to Amateur events we welcome that.

4. Each has merit.  Sometimes there are certain weather events which dictate score but don't get me wrong, we love to see LOW scores.....60's preferably.

5. Short game and putting.  I stress that daily to my players!

Diane Dailey, Women's Golf Coach, Wake Forest University

1. Attitude - how competitive is the player?  Are they willing to be coached?  Do they have a good work ethic?  Are they willing to learn new ideas about the game?  Are they a team player?

2. Grades are extremely important!   Wake Forest has a demanding curriculum and the students must have a solid high school record to be successful.  If a student doesn't have at least a 3.0 GPA, I don't look at them.  The better a student does in high school, the easier it will be for them in college.  They'll do better with their college classes and won't be stressed out when playing golf.

3. The USGA Juniors is the most important tournament because the field is varied and we get to see players whom we haven't seen before. A lot of times prospects play only in their region until they get to the USGA Jrs.  Also, many juniors may not be able to get into AJGA events.  The USGA Jrs. is the best field of the year. After that, AJGA events are good because the fields are strong and we see how many of the students compete against each other.   The AJGA has high standards for its tournaments and we see some of the best juniors on a regular basis.   Other events such as the the Verizon Junior Heritage, PGA Westfield, North-South Junior, Kathy Whitworth, Thunderbird, Silver Belle and Western Junior are all important events outside the AJGA and may be easier for juniors to get in.During the junior and especially the senior year in high school, it is good for students to play in a few amateur events vs junior events. The USGA Amateur and USGA Open are two of the most important ones to qualify for.  Others would be the Women's Western, the North-South, Trans National, Eastern and January Florida touraments.

4. Both are important.  Scores are dependent on course and weather conditions and can vary.     However, the tournament finish is important because we can see how many ranked players the prospect may have beaten.  A high tournament finish with a weak field doesn't mean as much.  In that case, we look at the scores more.  Ideally, a prospect wants to play in as strong a national field as possibile.

5. Short game, short game, short game and did I mention short game!!!   Students have to have a strong short game in order to be successful--period!  They are not going to hit every green and they need to be able to get up and down to score.  They also need to make birdie putts when they have the opportunity.  We spend most of our practice time on short game--particularly wedges.  We do chip shots around the green but also we work on pitches and distance control from 100 yards in.  Most students we see have good swings and can hit the ball pretty well.  They are lacking in solid short game mechanics.  We have regular putting  and chipping drills incorporated in our practices and the students have to complete them before they finish practice.   The drills simulate competition and will enable the students to withstand the pressure of making a shot during a tournament.  Students cannot work on their chipping and putting enough.   A great short game separates the pros from the amateurs and the best college players from the rest.

John Crooks, Men's and Women's Golf Coach, Campbell University

1.  What have they won.

2.  Important that they are 3.0 or higher. 

3.  USGA Jr., World Junior, CGA Championships, and occasionally an AJGA event.

4.  Finish in an event.

5.  Inside 100 yards.

Kelly Hester, Women's Golf Coach, University of Georgia

    1.  I like kids who are good athletes. Girls who are good at other sports can usually pick up golf fairly quickly and are typically easily coached as well.

    2.  High school grades are crucial. I won’t consider a player unless they have above a 3.0 in high school. We miss too much class for girls who are poor students to keep up.

         Doesn’t matter how good you are, if you are academically ineligible, you are no good to the team.

    3.  I like to say that any events are good events. As players get closer and closer to college, they need to be playing yardages that are similar to college yardages: around

        6000 yards. I encourage girls to try to qualify for the US Junior Girls, the PGA Junior Championship, the Optimist Junior (any of the big national events that take you through

        a local or state qualifing) as national exposure is key for coaches to get to watch you play.

    4.  I consider score far more important that tourney finish. You have no control over what other folks shoot (how you finish) but if you are consistently posting good scores, you

        know you are where you should be.

    5.  We encourage all of our girls to work on 100 yards and in. This is where you score. However, strong fundamentals are also important and can not be overlooked.

Angie Ridgeway, Women's Golf Coach, Wofford University

    1.  Solid swing and ball striking ability.

    2.  Grades are very important.

    3.  Twin States, WSCGA Jr. Girls, Carolinas Girls, Vicki DiSantis, any AJGA in NC/SC, North and South Jr.

    4.  Scores.

    5.  Everything inside 100 yards.

OD Vincent, Men's Golf Coach, Duke University

1. It is important that a players displays maturity and patience.  We also look for players that have a tremendous desire to score and have the short game skills to get that done on a consistent basis.

2. Extremely important for us.  We are looking for players who want the best of both the educational and athletic experience.

3. We like to see prospects play in a variety of events including amateur events.  We love players who play often and will play against anyone, anywhere, anytime.

4. Between those two I would say it is the finish.  Conditions change and scores vary depending on the course.

5. All of the scoring elements. 

Todd Satterfield, Men's Golf Coach, Furman University

1. I look for good competitive scores first.  Academics are second, however, great scores can't overcome poor academics.

2. Academics are very important.  First for admissions, and second, typically good grades signifiy good organization and time management.

3. Youwant to play in the best events you can play in.  First on that list is the State Junior, second is State Am, and then all of the other junior events.  Parents beware that spending a lot of money traveling to national junior events does not necessarily translate into full scholarships.  The largest majority of male golfers are on a partial scholarship.  Lastly, it's more important how you play rather than where.

4. Scores by far.

5. Concentrate on the short game and the mental aspects.  Those are the two components that separate good players and great players.

Emily Lynn Marron, Women's Golf Coach, UNC-Greensboro

    1.  Good fundamentals, grip , posture, aligment.  Athleticisim, attitude, distance/power.

    2.  Very important.  You have to be extremely organized and focused on your school work to be a successful college player.  Getting good grades takes time, effort,  

         discipline...all the same things that it takes to be a good golfer.

    3.  USGA qualifiers...State/National events, AJGA, North/South Jr, PGA Westfield, State Amateurs, Scott Robertson

    4.  Depends on the quality of the tournament field...and difficulty of the golf course/weather, etc.

    5.  Work on the fundamentals.  Be good at the "little things" , chipping, pitching, bunker, putting.  I can't stress enough how important the wedge game is.  If a college coach

        sees a good wedge player, they will continue to watch them.  Power for girls, work on hitting the ball farther.  Get a good fitness instructor or golf instructor to work on

        your speed more so than your strength.  You don't have to be strong to hit the ball far, but you must have speed!  Make sure to learn all kinds of shots, become

        creative...low, high, fades, draws.  Experiment in practice, make it fun!!

Kim Lewellen, Women's Golf Coach, University of Virginia

    1.  First thing I look at is their academic and athletic record. Then I go watch them play to asses talent, demeanor, and work ethic.

    2.  Coaching at a highly academic school, grades are what I look like first.

    3.  Any events, but I usually go watch state, national, and ajga tournaments because there a lot of girls in each field.

    4.  I look at scores and field.

    5.  100 yards and in.

Vic Lipscomb, Men's Golf Coach, Wofford University

    1.  Must be a great player or I don’t go any further.

    2.  Wofford requires at least a “B” average.

    3.  Any events that are multi-day events with at least 10 or more very good players in it. I am not interested in high school matches or club championships. High school

         tournaments are great.

    4.  Finish in tournaments.

    5.  Short game.