Anonymous wrote:For the most part high school golf is just for fun. People who are serious care about the junior and amateur circuits. High school golf is just for fun and to get out of school early. No one cares too much about the results.

So what kind of training/playing background did your kid have before making the team?

It is no cut at our school, thankfully.

For the most part high school golf is just for fun. People who are serious care about the junior and amateur circuits. High school golf is just for fun and to get out of school early. No one cares too much about the results.

I think the 11:01 PP's idea of checking out the yearbooks and online information is very good actually. OP can track down the local public high school coach and ask him some direct questions. It is much better than getting the scattershot response OP is receiving here! And OP can try to make contact with any of the kids on the team who might be in the neighborhood. Those kids might be willing to mentor OP's kid or at least give the kid some ideas about where to play. If I were OP, I would post on Next Door to see if any local kids are golfers, too.

The key for OP's kid will be playing time and also practice via tournament play. The kids going to the state championships from local high school teams have played in local club tournaments but they also did the Jr. PGA, IJGA and AJGA tournaments.

Anonymous wrote:As with most of these types of questions -- there are some pretty easy/simple resources to check out. Start with whatever is on-line for the school team. You can also check with any friend with an older sibling who got a yearbook -- they will have a golf team, crew, water polo, etc. page that will tell records and often who made the state team. They will also show what teams exists, and how many kids are on them.

Golf, as an example, may not even be a cut sport at some schools, while others may have 40 kids trying out for 15 spots. It is a high school sport. They are paying a coach or coaches so they do need numbers.

PP asked what kind of playing background local kids had before they played HS. Your answer doesn’t make a lot of sense. And there’s really no need to be rude.

As with most of these types of questions -- there are some pretty easy/simple resources to check out. Start with whatever is on-line for the school team. You can also check with any friend with an older sibling who got a yearbook -- they will have a golf team, crew, water polo, etc. page that will tell records and often who made the state team. They will also show what teams exists, and how many kids are on them.

Golf, as an example, may not even be a cut sport at some schools, while others may have 40 kids trying out for 15 spots. It is a high school sport. They are paying a coach or coaches so they do need numbers.

Anonymous wrote:My DS has a friend at Whitman that didn't make the golf team - not sure his scores but I am under the impression they take only a few kids a year so it's pretty competitive. Not sure about other schools.

This is “par for the course” with so many things at Whitman. We live in the school district so I know. If your DS is also here, yes there are any number of kids who grow up with private clubs. But there are many who don’t. Don’t let the “you must be the next Rory to make the team because we must win at all cost” attitude here dissuade your son from playing if he ultimately doesn’t make the team. There are many opportunities to play outside of school, including local public course leagues and Junior PGA tournaments.

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t belong to a club and live in or close to Maryland, check out youth on course. https://youthoncourse.org/ It allows kids to play 9 holes for $5 (at specified times) at some great courses all over Maryland. Virginia doesn’t appear to have this yet but I would encourage you to get your DC out there as much as possible if they want to play in hs.

OP here, thanks so much for this info.

If you don’t belong to a club and live in or close to Maryland, check out youth on course. https://youthoncourse.org/ It allows kids to play 9 holes for $5 (at specified times) at some great courses all over Maryland. Virginia doesn’t appear to have this yet but I would encourage you to get your DC out there as much as possible if they want to play in hs.

My DS has a friend at Whitman that didn't make the golf team - not sure his scores but I am under the impression they take only a few kids a year so it's pretty competitive. Not sure about other schools.

Our kid’s hs coach said that they generally take kids with good attitudes who can score around 50 or better on 9 holes, but level of play is generally improving and there are more kids trying out each year, so they may lower that score threshold in the future.

Wondering what kind of training/playing background your Kid had if they made their HS team. DS is in middle school now. He has taken lessons and played only at the local public courses. We definitely can’t afford a private club but I’m hoping this doesn’t put him at too much of a disadvantage. Any advice/thoughts appreciated.