Where college students go for golf

When thinking of Washington D.C., golf is certainly not the first thing that comes to mind. And it certainly was not a reason factoring into my decision to attend The George Washington University, a school located just three blocks from the White House. City life has its perks: great food, nightlife, and job opportunities just to name a few. But, for an avid golfer, it also poses many challenges.

When asked why he decided to cut down and re-grip 2 full sets of irons, 10 woods, and 6 wedges in volunteering for the local Pittsburgh First Tee, Joe Colaizzo of Duquesne Club Golf replied "It felt good to help out some really nice kids, so we're coming back every Monday!"

The Texas Region of the NCCGA is quickly becoming one of the best in the nation. We recently celebrated our first birthday. After a year of growth and improvement, 8 teams will tee it up this in Houston to kick of a new season of Texas Club Golf. Eagle Pointe Golf Club, a par-71, 6900 yard challenge lined with trees from tee to green, will be a true measure of the best club teams in the region.

We can hit every shot perfect on the range before a round, and still go out on the course and play the worst round of our life. Golf is funny like that. As golfers, most of us on any given day would take playing a round over spending hours on the practice tee, but in the right circumstances the course can become your practice field, providing you with experience you can use at your next college golf tournament.

As a Club President (CP), you recently received an email invitation to register your team for the Nextgengolf portal, a new tool we have launched that will allow you to register your team, upload your roster, pay team & tournament dues and more. In preparation for our NCCGA State of the Union call (Sunday at 8pm ET or Tuesday at 9pm ET) which will include a webinar tour of the portal, below is an overview of the portal's key functionality.

Did you know that there are more students playing club golf than NCAA varsity golf right now? Whether you are interested in playing in weekend stroke play tournaments in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association or just saving $20 a round through a Nextgen Collegiate Membership, teeing it up with your friends this spring has never been easier.

In an effort to help students start their own golf tournaments, our good friends at SquadUP have launched an online ticketing platform that makes it extremely easy to successfully manage, fund, and promote a variety of college events.

Are you one of the several-hundred thousand college students that have a passion for golf and do not play on your schools varsity team? Do you envy the men and women that compete on the 1,781 varsity teams (per Junior Golf Scorecard) across the country?

Be it the National Partnership with Cleveland / Srixon Golf, our incredible growth to have 200+ teams competing this spring, and alignment within Nextgengolf NCCGA is on the rise. Our media partner, Golfweek, has caught wind of the plethora of talented players we have, and has graciously gotten an exemption for our #RoadtoJersey National Champion Medalist to compete in the Southeastern Amateur, one of the premier Amateur events worldwide.

Let's face it, the golf industry is not growing and everybody knows it. What's most scary about this not-so-new-news, however, is that some of the biggest declines are occurring in junior and young adult golf that comprise the future players of the game. This issue isn't getting better in varsity golf as Title IX and budget cuts are slashing away NCAA varsity golf teams left and right. There happens to be one small segment--NCCGA--that is growing like wildfire despite feet of snow on the ground where many of our new teams are being started.

As golf entrepreneur making my first voyage to the PGA show, I was expecting the show to mirror other technology conventions I used to attend in lacking passion and personality. Part of that reason may have stemmed the intrusive nature of my former line of work in which I would schedule meetings with CEOs of tech companies and try to determine their EBITDA and evaluate their company as an investment in 30-minute meetings. Fortunately the vibe both on the show floor and in Lobby Bar at the Peabody--now Hyatt--hotel throughout the week oozed of innovation, technology, and cautious optimism with a new-found focus on Millennial golfers.

1. “Taking it too seriously when I make mistakes”
2. “Acceptance from older patrons”
3. “I can’t keep up with the bid dawgs but I’m not a beginner” 
4. “Golf lessons are so expensive!”
5. “Female players are not respected like male players”
6. “I’m not very patient”
7. “20 yard+ green-side bunker shots”
8. “Everyone plays too slow”
9. “Often times the staff does not give me friendly looks”
10. “I am paying for my college, and money is a big issue”
11. “Not many people play that are my age!”
12. “Laying up”
13. “Being taken seriously as I’m genuinely interested”
14. “I live in a city and courses are too expensive”
15. “Staying consistent and managing my emotions”
16. “Finding a course that serves an affordable beverage!”
17. “Finding other young adults to tee it up with”
18. “I am a broke college student”
19. “Staying sharp during the winter”
20. “Having adults take you seriously”
21. “Breaking 80″
22. “Finding time to play during my busiest semester”
23. “Cost is by far the biggest burden”
24. “Getting angry after bad shots”
25. “It’s expensive and takes forever to play in LA”
26. “I can’t afford to work with a pro”
27. “My girl friend!”
28. “Being rushed and not taken seriously”
29. “LOVING the game but not able to afford it”

We were fascinated by the 300+ responses we had (and a big thanks to all who filled out our survey). At Nextgengolf, our members are defining the millennial golf game. Whether it’s an affordable college golf membership, an NCCGA regional tournament, or a Nextgengolf City Tour event, we are excited to help you get in the game!

NCCGA is one of the fastest growing organizations in all of golf, and who would have thought that a free tool--twitter--would play such a larger part in fueling it?

The golf industry as a whole is very short sighted. The typical owner, manufacturer, and PGA professional are focused on the 50 year old male golfer who is going to buy clubs, balls, take a lesson, and play on weekend mornings. Naturally these are the players who keep the lights on, but what if you could increase revenue with other age cohorts who want to spend and are your best advocates?

We all dream about it, that shot which can come in a plethora of ways. The shot--an Ace or a Hole in One--is a crowning achievement for any golfer, and something I had wondered if I would ever achieve. My special moment occurred on the 13^th hole of the Legacy Golf Club by Arthur Hills during the first Midwest Regional.

The NCCGA is a member's first organization, and one issue teams constantly run into is raising funds to compete. To mitigate such challenges, we've created a fun way for your team to raise money, advertise, and find new golfers.