Wanting to coach high school golf

[ElWagonne]

I honestly think this is something I could really do in order to help youngsters out...even use some of the connections I gained from playing golf in college to help kids get scholarships. My question is, how can one get their foot in the door, even on a volunteer basis? Do you need any special certifications outside of the normal certifications to teach? If anyone has any advice, please pass it on. Thx.

[DaSportsGuy]

My neighboor is my high school's head golf coach. He's also a gym teacher at my school. He got into it through connections with a local golf course who reccommended him when we were hiring a new coach. Being a gym teacher at the school definitely helped because he was already there all day long.

Almost all of the main sports coaches are teachers at the school so that is probably the best path to go down if teaching is something you might be looking into to.

[James_Black]

Don't think you need any other certs.
Well as long as your doing it as a volunteer not sure about if your doing it as a job.

[iPutt]

I'm 95% sure that you need at least a teaching degree in some subject for school, even if it's only for physical education. In all my years of playing sports I've never seen a coach that doesn't have a regular teaching job somewhere. Then again I could still be wrong so look around.

[Doctorfro]

I used to coach on the private school level. The requirements are up to each individual school, which in most cases doesn't require much other than a desire to get the job done. But keep in mind that coaching golf is different than coaching other sports. I used to also coach basketball and where I did a lot of teaching in basketball, the same cannot be said for golf. Most of the better players in high school golf today already have a swing coach or regular instructor. Parents don't want high school coaches impeding on whatever philosophies their current coaches ascribe to. The high school golf coach is generally more of an administrator, bus driver, cheerleader, etc. It can still be quite fulfilling but as far as helping them get to the next level, the typical high school golfer gets to the collegiate level via their participation on the junior tour level and their own self promotion. The high school coach doesn't necessarily play a major role in getting these kids to college golf. Not that he can't, I just don't see it in this sport like you might in football, etc.

[clubchamp]

I agree I helped out with a high school golf team for 2 years basically as a JV coach. The coach was a member at my club and his asst coach left to be a head coach. The top kids on the team generally don't want or require much instruction. In terms of helping them getting to the college level not a whole lot there other than giving them some direction in terms of junior tourneys. Its not like other major sports where you would talk to college coaches and all that fun stuff. Basically they just have to showcase themselves at major junior tourneys to get noticed. The only other thing is you need to have a job that allows you to have the time to do it. It's pretty fun but not really a lot of lesson giving or real coaching going on.

[RC]

This is a little off topic, but I have a beef with HS golf coaches around Texas -- or a few of them anyway. I don't think all are to be painted by my criticism, but some of them are.

I play at a course that has many college, junior golfers, and HS tournaments -- great bent grass greens. After the high school rounds, the greens are typically in the worst condition of any time. Ball mark repair is apparently not something some HS golfers think is important. Yesterday, another guy and I were the first ones off after a girls' HS round. We were amazed. We estimated after finishing that we had repaired somewhere between 200 and 250 ball marks. My playing partner was certain it was at least 250. He said it was embrassing how badly the respect for the game had declined.

I did not really count them all, but it felt like I fixed 8 to 10 on most greens at at least 5 or so on a few greens. Don't get me started on foot prints and not raking bunkers when the rake is right there. I blame the coaches. Three greens had gouges where my guess is a missed putt resulted in a swipe of the green with the putter, either that or a strong kick.

After the round, my playing partner mentioned this to the pro and the greenskeeper. They laughed and admitted it was always that way for that group of schools. I can only conclude that many or at least some HS golf coaches don't require or explain the need for their team members to respect the conditions of the course.

I can understand not fixing divots because the kids don't carry sand and seed bags or bottles, but I just don't understand the disregard for the common equitte of fixing ball marks.

I hope this was just a one of a kind thing... but unfortunately, it is not the first time we have noticed this problem with some HS golfers. I don't like being an old grouch, but anyone who becomes a coach -- you can do a lot by including the traditions of the game.

[Parker0065]

Most of the better players in high school golf today already have a swing coach or regular instructor. Parents don't want high school coaches impeding on whatever philosophies their current coaches ascribe to. The high school golf coach is generally more of an administrator, bus driver, cheerleader, etc. It can still be quite fulfilling but as far as helping them get to the next level, the typical high school golfer gets to the collegiate level via their participation on the junior tour level and their own self promotion. The high school coach doesn't necessarily play a major role in getting these kids to college golf. Not that he can't, I just don't see it in this sport like you might in football, etc.

This was true in my experience even in the late 1970's. Probably the most important thing you will have to do is assess your players and line them up accordingly. One thing our coach was good at was placing us in the right starting slot for each match and pumping us up when he thought we needed it. I've actually seen teams have starting lineups based on how well a coach knows the kids father over the actual ability of the player. Those teams were usually bad and easy to beat.

[NormH3]

I'm 95% sure that you need at least a teaching degree in some subject for school, even if it's only for physical education. In all my years of playing sports I've never seen a coach that doesn't have a regular teaching job somewhere. Then again I could still be wrong so look around.

This is changing bigtime. I thought the same, but some of our local districts and going to the outside for their coaches. They don't want to be limited by their current staff.

I would start by contacting the school athletic association in your area. Check the employment section of the districts web site. Coaches are always looking for help.

[goblue107501]

Just my $.02. For most public schools they want you to be associated with the school in some way. Teacher, administrator, etc. There are probably some big time programs that have outside coaches, but for the most part HS coaches get jobs teaching, then become coaches (football and basketball can be a little different). The pay for golf just isn't there to have someone spend the time to do it and not work for the school. The coaching pay is just sort of a little bonus on top of the teaching pay.

A friend is a golf coach and he gets a bonus check when the season starts. He has bounced around and the pay varies depending on the size of the district. He has no other qualifications other than he is a good golfer, knows how to help those who need it, and most importantly, he knows how the matches and the system works. A couple of the jobs he has had were just because he was hired as a basketball coach and teacher and since he knew the golf, he was golf coach too, since no one else wanted to do it.

Private schools, I have no idea how they work.

If you want to volunteer, just ask a local coach if he/she wants an assistant and if you can help out. It would be more up to them than the school since there would be no pay involved.

[Golfing Dad]

You just need to go to the district office and let them know you would like to volunteer to be a coach. If you want to start a team at a school then you should talk to the principal first. You will have to go through a background check, however you don't need a teaching credential. The school I work has an outside basketball and baseball coach.

[buckeyeguy1]

actually you do not need to have a teaching degree to be a high school sports coach. you do however need to take your states high school athletic associations coaching course and you will need CPR certification.. i am 19 years old, just graduated 2 high school 2 years ago and i am coaching my high school golf team.

[SCfanatic35]

If you want to move to the Central Valley of California you can be the golf coach at the school I teach at.  We have had a walk-on golf coach for the last 9 years.  Probably been like 4-5 different coaches in that span.  Most schools, including mine, prefer on campus coaches which would require a teaching credential.  But for some of the smaller sports, sometimes schools are forced to look outside.  You still need to pass some background check because you are around kids, etc.

[awmgolfer]

I coach our high school golf team and I am going into my 6th year coaching them this fall. It really depends on the school in how to get the position. Some schools do require you to be an employee of the school but that is not too common. The biggest thing you will need is fingerprint clearance and first aid/cpr certification. Our school pays for the coaches to get those certifications but some districts do not. Having a connection at the school will definitely give you a leg up. Some schools even have a long list of people interested in the position, some areas it can be very difficult to get hired. For me it was just a lot of luck..lol. I hadn't played for a long time but always loved golf, I teach full-time in our district and was friends with our Athletic Director and mentioned at some point that I enjoyed golf and was getting back into it. Our current golf coach over the summer took a position coaching the local college team and he recalled my interest and offered it to me, been a die hard golfer ever since..lol. You definitely don't need a teaching degree, I haven't worked in a district in the Northeast where that has been the case yet. My advice is talk to the Athletic Director and let them know you are interested when the position becomes available.

In a lot of schools the positions are open to applications each year. I have to apply each year for all of my coaching positions, usually the current coach gets priority but I've seen if someone applies that has much more experience and knowledge they will be hired over the person that has been coaching. I love coaching the team, just wish our season wasn't so short..lol.

[onephenom]

There are no qualifications to be a golf coach. You just have to be alive... the hard part is getting your foot in the door... my coach got the job by knowing someone at my school. He was a part owner of a golf course nearby, offered the facilities free to the players, and they hired him. Find someone at the school you want to coach at, or at any school, and see if they can help you. It's hard to be helpful without knowing a little bit more.

[SCfanatic35]

If you want to move to the Central Valley of California you can be the golf coach at the school I teach at.  We have had a walk-on golf coach for the last 9 years.  Probably been like 4-5 different coaches in that span.  Most schools, including mine, prefer on campus coaches which would require a teaching credential.  But for some of the smaller sports, sometimes schools are forced to look outside.  You still need to pass some background check because you are around kids, etc.

My principal asked me this morning if I would be the head golf coach next year. I wasn't even wanting to do it. It works for me. Gonna pay me a couple thousand dollars to go do what I was gonna do anyways, play golf.