Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36C ollege golf is not professional golf. Coaches, parents and many times players treat college golf like it is the professional Tour. You are told you must practice, you must get good grades and there just won’t be much time for anything else. But what is college about then, if not to ex- pand your interests? There should be time for you to make friends, enjoy the city and the activities associated with your school. You should major in what you intend to use later and you should find other things that interest you. The college years are, more than anything, about you finding yourself. There was a time when I didn’t realize that. From 1996 to 2005, I played successfully on the LPGA Tour. My rookie year, I found myself in awe that I was on the same greens as my idols and mentors. I was so excited to play every event and had so much passion and joy in just teeing it up on the greatest tour in the world. Traveling around, meeting so many great people while playing my own game, was a dream. Through 2003, I had seven top 10 finishes and had found my groove as a reg- ular LPGA Tour player. I loved competing and was confident in my ability. But it came at a cost; at some point, golf for me was no longer the play-like fun that used to bring me suc- cess and satisfaction in college. The more I pushed myself, the more discon- nected I became from the game I loved. Soon my desire grew to live a normal life and finally remain in one place. I was officially burned out, but played two more years because giv- ing up was just not who I was or am. Finally, at the end of 2005, my Tour career came to a close, but I couldn’t wait for my next chapter in life to start. Looking back, I realize that when I was happy and grateful for the opportunity, success was natural. But when I started looking at my job as work, I began playing poorly and it was no longer fun. If your goal is to play collegiate golf, you should look for a coaching philosophy that fits you and dedicate yourself to learning everything you can. Appreciate those around you, including teammates and coaches. Work hard. Study hard. But enjoy those four years of your life. Make a point to smile and thank those around you. Make college memorable. Leslie Spalding is the women’s head golf coach at San Diego State University. She played collegiately at the University of Alabama and competed for 10 years on the LPGA Tour. Frequent Play Pays Off for Recruiting and Qualifying BY NICKCLINARD I t’s a fun time of the year as the college golf season is in full swing. After a busy summer of recruiting, coaches are now enjoying time spent with their teams. Summer recruiting can be tiring for coaches who travel lo- cally, regionally and nationally search- ing for the best “fits” for their program. They are looking for prospects who value education and have high charac- ter, passion for the game and an out- standing work ethic. In addition to traveling to junior tour- naments, coaches browse results from every junior event throughout the na- tion. So the key is to get out and com- pete on a routine basis, regardless of the name of the event. Frequent com- petition helps players evaluate their game and learn how to score. It’s im- portant to balance practice time, les- sons and competing, but tournament play is what makes one better in the big picture. If you play well and love the game, coaches will definitely take note and develop a sincere interest in you attending their university. Once you’ve been recruited, what’s the next big challenge? Well, during the fall season, college golf coaches across the country are busy coaching, prepar- ing and developing their teams both mentally and physically for the year ahead. One of the things that is often asked by prospects and frequently discussed among the team is compe- tition during tournament qualifying. There are many different approaches among coaches for how they structure qualifying. I believe in playing for the lineup and placing my players in un- comfortable pressure situations. These conditions can help turn good players into great players as they learn how to manage their emotions, control their thoughts and their swings. Golfers are generally fantastic com- petitors and qualifying can be advan- tageous to player development, as the players continue to push each other and chase excellence. Being in a col- legiate program that pushes you to play at the highest level during qual- ifying will better help you reach your goals and dreams. In golf, qualifying is a part of life, whether it’s for the high school team, college squad or the pro- fessional Tour. Just remember to enjoy the journey and to be competitive in your prac- tice and play. Get out and compete frequently as this will help you learn about your game and improve faster and more efficiently. Keep it fun and make the most of this wonderful sport! Your Experience Is Your EducationBYLESLIESPALDING COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER Nick Clinard is in his eighth year as the head men’s golf coach at Auburn University. Under his leadership, the Tigers have reached five straight NCAA Championships. 8 | December 2016 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net You should major in what you intend to use later and you should find other things that interest you. The college years are, more than anything, about you finding yourself.