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4. Emailing & Messaging Coaches
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When choosing when and what to message coaches, we like to keep things short and crisp. No need to have endless paragraphs or stories (save those for the phone calls!). Your first email should be presenting yourself to the coach.
Below, we included an example you can customize to start. Your first message should be kept straight to the point. Too many storylines at this stage will only confuse coaches and keep them uninterested.
If you have many questions for the coach, perhaps suggest a phone call or FaceTime after they reply. Coaches are usually quick to offer this to recruits, especially those they are interested in.
Many athletes think that if they score well in tournaments and have good grades, then coaches will be filling their inbox with scholarship offers. While that might be for a very, very small few in select sports, it’s not common in collegiate golf.
Instead of waiting, reach out yourself with your intro email and athlete profile. Sometimes parents and guardians are really helpful here, but be sure to use your own words. Coaches prefer to hear directly from the student-athlete, as that’s who they will be coaching.
There are some things coaches will need to know, and you can make their job easier by providing them (again making their lives easier). Here is what you should include in your initial message:
For text, Instagram, and WhatsApp messages, many coaches prefer to use these AFTER the initial email to keep things easy. Again, things can go from slow to fast, really fast, and text is faster than email for them. If you’re unsure, you can always ask a coach what form of communication they prefer.
It’s helpful to note that everything included above is needed, but there are still some questions that coaches will have, which you can help address. “Will you be a good addition to our team? How will the other players interact with you? Are you someone they can share many dinners and days with?”
Over our years in recruiting college players, this comes up in conversations with coaches a lot. After all of the scores and academics, coaches want to know if you’ll be a good member of the team, if you’re coachable, and how you handle pressure.
Because most tournaments require teams to be on the road, teams eat a lot of meals together. No matter how one scores, being able to share a meal and connect with your teammates and coaches is as important to them as it is to you. This is why asking about the team culture and using your own voice when writing is important to all parties involved.
Subject: Prospective student-golfer interested in [School]
Hi Coach [Last Name],
I hope you’re doing well. My name is [Your Name], and I’m a [graduation year] golfer from [School/Club] in [Location]. I’m reaching out because I’m very interested in learning more about [College/University Name] and your golf program.
This season I’ve been scoring around [average], with recent results including [event/result]. I compete in [tournaments/leagues] and am continuing to work on [one or two key improvements]. I believe my game is trending in the right direction, and I’d love the opportunity to be considered for your program.
Academically, I currently have a [GPA] and plan to study [major]. I’ve attached my player profile and would be happy to send any additional information, including tournament schedules or video.
Thank you for your time, and I appreciate any feedback you may have.
Best,
[Your Name]
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