High School Golf

High school golf is one of the most enjoyable parts of competitive junior golf — a real team experience in an otherwise individual sport. But it's also less centralized and less consistent than national junior tours, so the rules vary widely by state, district, and even by coach. Here's how it generally works. Season timing High school golf season runs in different windows depending on your state: - Fall season — most of the South, Midwest, and East. Tryouts in late August, season runs through October or early November, state championship in late October or November. - Spring season — Northeast, parts of the West and Mountain West. Tryouts in February or March, season runs through May, state championship in late May or June. - Year-round or split season — California, Florida, and some other warm-weather states have variations. Check your state's high school athletic association (UIL in Texas, CIF in California, FHSAA in Florida, etc.) for exact dates. Tryouts and team selection Most programs run multi-day tryouts at a designated home course. Format varies but commonly includes: - 2–3 rounds of 9 or 18 holes for score - Sometimes a written rules quiz - Coach evaluation of attitude, etiquette, and coachability Coaches generally pick the team based on the stroke total across all tryout rounds, with returning starters often given partial protection. Roster sizes vary — small programs may have 6–8 total players (varsity + JV), while large schools might have 20+. Scoring averages by team level Roughly speaking, here's what scores tend to make different teams (boys, 18 holes from typical 6,400–6,800 yard high school setups): - Top D1-feeder programs — varsity scoring averages in the low 70s, often a starter shooting under par - Strong public school varsity — varsity averages 75–80 - Average suburban high school varsity — 80–88 - Small or rural high school varsity — anywhere from 85 to 100+ depending on local talent - JV — typically 85–100+ Girls' programs are similar with slightly higher averages on average, though top programs are highly competitive. JV vs varsity Most schools field a varsity team that competes in district matches and a JV team for less experienced players. Varsity rosters typically carry 6 players who count, with 4 or 5 scores counting per match. Making varsity as a freshman is realistic for committed juniors who already shoot in the 70s; most golfers earn varsity time as sophomores or juniors. How high school golf fits with junior tour play Honest answer: for college recruiting, junior tour results matter more than high school results. College coaches use Junior Golf Scoreboard, AJGA, and ranked junior events for evaluation. High school matches are typically not ranked or rated. That said, high school golf is valuable for: - Playing under team pressure (your score affects four other people) - A built-in social and competitive group during the school year - Match play experience (most regular-season high school events are head-to-head) - A meaningful team experience that complements an otherwise individual junior career Many top junior golfers play high school golf in addition to their primary junior tour schedule. A few skip high school golf entirely to focus on AJGA and national events. There's no single right answer — it depends on the school program, the player's goals, and the family's logistics.