Successful collegiate golfers are extremely effective time managers.  There is no choice in the matter.  When you consider the amount of time in a day that must be allocated to sleep, cooking and eating, attending classes, studying, doing laundry, running any necessary errands, and hopefully having some free time for a social life, you will quickly realize that a college student-athlete has very little time (no more than 3 to 4 hours daily) to invest in the training and development of his golf game.  And that is assuming he does not have multiple exams and/or projects on the horizon, he is not traveling to or from a competition, and he is not facing any real surprises, such as getting sick or having his car break down.

Once you matriculate in college, it is critical to learn how to get more results out of less time.  Rarely will you have the opportunity to stand on the range, beat golf balls for hours, and chip and putt until you get tired or hungry.  More likely is the scenario that you will have to get your short game practice in for 45 minutes between your two morning classes and hit golf balls just before dark following your qualifying round and immediately before dinner and study hall.  You will be on the go constantly, always trying to stay caught up in school while also finding a way to improve as a player.  This is challenging for those who enter college as poor time managers.

Now is the time to improve your organizational skills so you can become a more effective time manager.  These skills will benefit you tremendously as a college student-athlete.

Key Suggestions:

• Always keep an academic and golf calendar with key dates and deadlines
• Make a daily “To Do” list and constantly refer to it to make sure you are on task
• Minimize your social time until you are caught up in school and with golf practice
• Plan ahead at least two weeks in advance, anticipating key academic deadlines before they arrive and keeping in mind that you may be traveling
• Know what you want to accomplish in practice before you arrive at the course
• Set one day per week aside to take care of your time-consuming errands and chores
• Learn to prepare some of your own meals, do your own laundry, and set your own schedule while in high school—this will prepare you for the next level
• Eat healthy foods and make sure you get enough sleep so you can focus the next day
• Listen to your parents and coaches when they are trying to help you—this will save you time in the long run
• Finish your tasks and handle your responsibilities today—do not procrastinate

I worked very hard to assist my golf team with these and other organizational and time management skills because I knew they were vitally important and would have a significant impact on their success both in the classroom and on the golf course.  The sooner you learn these skills, the better prepared you will be to make a smooth and successful transition into college.

Good luck!

Coach Brooks