SCGA Youth on Course held their first College Golf Summit of 2013 on Tuesday, as more than 160 junior golfers and parents met at the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim to learn more about the college golf process and what it really takes to play collegiate golf. This was the 11th year that the SCGA has hosted summits.

On the speakers’ panel was former USC golf coach and Road to College Golf founder Ted Gleason, former Long Beach State golfer Monica Villarreal and “Golf’s Mental Coach” Rick Sessinghaus, who gave the junior golfers in attendance their insights and perspectives on the world of college golf.

Ted Gleason stated that “if you want to play college golf, there is a place for you. You just need to find the right fit in terms of academics, golf team and location. There are so many options with more than 900 girls’ teams and 1,200 boys’ teams from Division I to NAIA.”

All the speakers emphasized that there is more to recruiting than finding talent. Coaches are interested in student athletes, those who are able to juggle their time between being a student and athlete, but still manage to have a social life. “It’s a lot of work, but if you love golf it’s worth it,” said Villarreal. “The girls on my team welcomed me with open arms; I inherited seven sisters by playing college golf.

The next College Golf Summit will be held at the University of San Diego on Feb. 13. Interested in learning more about college golf? Click here to register! College Golf Summits are only one of many programs the SCGA Youth on Course provides junior golfers. Click here for more information.