Key Terminology to Know
|
Term |
Definition |
|
Contact |
This happens anytime a college coach says more than "hello" during a face-to-face meeting off the college campus. |
|
Dead Period |
The time when a college coach is prohibited from having any face-to-face contact with you or your parents. Phone calls and letters are permitted during this time. Dead period times differ depending on what division a school is. |
|
Evaluation |
When a college coach watches you practice or compete. |
|
Official Visit |
This is when the college pays for you to go to their campus and visit all the facilities. The college is responsible for paying for lodging, travel expenses, and meals during the duration of the visit. Some schools may also give you and your parents tickets to home athletic contests. There are different limitations on the amount of meals and tickets allowed to be given based on the division of the school. You must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center before a college invites you on an official visit. |
|
Recruited |
You are recruited after a college coach calls you more than once, pays for an official visit, contacts you off campus, or issues you a National Letter of Intent or written financial aid offer. |
|
Unofficial Visit |
Any visit to the college campus where the student-athlete pays for all of their expenses. Tickets to home athletics contest may still be given by the school. |
|
Verbal Commitment |
Verbal agreement between the student athlete and a coach to play sports for a college prior to the signing period. |
|
Walk-on |
An athlete who was not recruited by the school and is not on scholarship but is still part of the team. |
Recruiting Timeline
Freshmen & Sophomore Year
-
May receive brochures for camps, questionnaires, NCAA materials, or non-athletic related material.
-
Texts and phone calls: Coaches cannot accept or make any calls/send texts or reply before June 15th after your sophomore year of high school.
-
Off-Campus Contact: Not allowed
-
Official Visit: not allowed
-
Unofficial Visit: May take as many as you want, but may not speak with a coach, athletics department staff member, or receive tickets to a home athletic contest until August 1st following your sophomore year.
Junior Year
-
Electronic Correspondence: Allowed beginning June 15th following your sophomore year, but must be kept private until you submit a written commitment to the NCAA school.
-
Recruiting Materials: May receive materials starting June 15th following your sophomore year.
-
Telephone Calls: You may call a coach at your own expense and the coach may return any calls or voicemails beginning June 15th following your sophomore year. Coaches may also call you first after this date.
-
Off-Campus Contact: Allowed beginning August 1st before your junior year.
-
Official Visit: Allowed beginning August 1st before your junior year. You are allowed one official visit per school and a maximum of 5 official visits.
-
Unofficial Visit: Beginning August 1st prior to you junior year, you may take an unlimited amount of unofficial visits, except during dead periods. You are allowed to speak with a coach or athletics department staff member during these visits. Complimentary tickets to home athletic contests are also permitted.
Senior Year
-
Electronic Correspondence: Allowed, but must be kept private until you submit a written commitment to the NCAA school.
-
Recruiting Materials: Allowed
-
Telephone Calls: Allowed by both the coach and student-athlete.
-
Off-Campus Contact: Allowed
-
Official Visit: Allowed, except during dead periods. Only one official visit per school and a maximum of 5 official visits.
-
Unofficial Visit: May take an unlimited amount of unofficial visits, except during dead periods. You are allowed to speak with a coach or an athletics department staff member, as well as receive complimentary tickets to a home athletics contest.
-
Off-Campus Contacts/Evaluations: Coaches may have face-to-face off-campus contact with you or your parents no more than three times. Once you sign your Nation Letter of Intent, you may have an unlimited amount of face-to-face contacts.
Must-Do's for Students Interested in Being Recruited
-
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
-
Take the SAT or ACT
-
Create a golf resume with your junior career accomplishments
-
Schedule and plan your tournament schedule to send to coaches
Scholarship Numbers
The NCAA limits the number of athletic scholarships each school can give to it's players. Golf scholarships may be divided among team members, so a player may receive a fraction of a full scholarship.
| Men |
Women | |
| NCAA Division I |
4.5 | 6.0 |
| NCAA Division II |
3.6 | 5.4 |
| NCAA Division III |
None | None |
| NAIA | 5.0 | 5.0 |
