Where college students go for golf

When I was informed that the NCCGA was creating a new position within its Student Leader hierarchy, Director of Women’s Golf, I was excited about the opening of a new professional opportunity. Most of all, I was thankful that female golfers would have an opportunity to be recognized and heard within a wonderful organization.

Not only is the PGA of America the world’s largest sports organization, but it is also committed to teaching and growing the game of golf. One of the cornerstones of their organization is the collegiate Professional Golf Management (PGM) program, which is administered by 19 different colleges across the U.S. According to the PGA, the PGM program provides college students the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become a successful member of the golf industry.

The college golf season has officially come to a close. Congratulations to Stanford (Women) and LSU (Men) on taking home the NCAA Division 1 National Championships!

Here is your visitor's guide to Greensboro, North Carolina, the host city for Spring 2015 NCCGA National Championship. These are a few recommendations on where to go and how to spend your free time while in the city for the tournament. For more in-depth information about the city and things to do, visit the Greensboro Tourism Website. The concierge at the Clarion Inn will have more information as well.

304 players, 37 teams, 21 individuals, 1 Bryan Park. The NCCGA’s unprecedented growth has once again encouraged us to increase the field size. Adding 64 players to the field compared to the Fall National at Dancing Rabbit, April’s club golf spotlight will shine on Bryan Park Golf Center for the 2015 Spring National Championship in Greensboro, NC.

The #ClubGolf campaign got kicked off the first weekend in March. One team has been dominating the competition since the start. Congratulations to Towson University Club Golf Team for taking home this season's first win! #Clubgolf was started last year by the NCCGA to promote the club golf at the college level for players who want to play competitive golf, but don't have the time or skill for varsity. The campaign itself uses all social media mediums such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for all entries. Teams receive points based on how many posts they make and the creativity of those posts.

This week, Club Golf Academy will address what happens when your ball moves, either by accident, the fault of your playing partner, or Mother nature. For example, what would happen if a fox ran onto the green, scooped up your ball off of the green, and ran away with it, sort of like this:

We've all been there before where we aren't quite sure whether we can remove an object on or around our ball.  There's always that one guy in your group who shouts, "hey you can't touch that!"  Let's make sure you know the actual rules so you can properly use relief from loose impediments to your advantage.  Please keep in mind the new 2019 Rules of Golf gives additional relief in more ares of the course so be sure to check that out below.

This article will take a closer look at Rule 15 concerning relief from loose impediments.  Loose impediments are objects that have become detached from their original position and are thus out of play.

Club Golf Academy is here to help yet again! The little 4.5 x 12 inch piece of paper that you pick up in the clubhouse before each round may be more important than every club in your bag combined. Without a proper scorecard, none of your shots during the round can be accurately recorded.

All you workout enthusiasts will love this week's rule Club Golf Academy article, as I cover when you can and cannot “Lift” on the course. This week’s USGA Rules of the Week will help with identifying your golf ball: Rule 12-1 and 12-2. First and foremost, you must know that the responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with each competitor. Players should put an identification mark on his/her ball that is easily recognizable. Properly marking your ball with a unique identification mark before the round takes seconds but saves time and strokes. Creating a custom ball mark can be fun, too.

NCCGA tips are meant to help club golf teams organize and run more efficiently. I know that a club president's job can be very time demanding and difficult at times. Through my tenure as president of the University of Florida Club Golf Team, I have constantly attempted to find more effective ways to get the job done. I believe that managing a club golf team in a simple and efficient manner allows for a more enjoyable atmosphere for everyone within the club. These NCCGA Tips are based my own experiences as club president as well as a few other club presidents I've spoken with.

Here are 8 ways you can improve your club golf team:

While we are excited to be able to offer amazing tournaments and other golf opportunities for our college golfers, the NCCGA understands that college golf is about more than just golf. It is the lifelong friendships, volunteering in the community, and team traditions that players will remember. It is for these reasons that the NCCGA will be repeating the #ClubGolf campaign this spring.

Club Golf Academy takes a deeper look into two more important aspects of the the rule book. The USGA Rules of the Week are Rule 17 and Rule 18, concerning relief from penalty areas and how to proceed when you hit your ball out of bounds or lose your ball.

Each week, I will cover a rule that frequently comes into question during amateur golf tournaments. This weekly Club Golf Academy segment will be covering rules that I believe all NCCGA players should know and understand.

Over the years, high schools and middle schools have adopted a two-tier system with junior-varsity and varsity teams to help build their programs. By following this system, junior varsity player get ample practice time while still being able to develop in a competitive setting. This allows golfers to build up their confidence and skill in preparation for the varsity team.