Managing Your Verbal Commitment - College Golf Scholarships
The start of your senior year is a popular time to make a verbal commitment. Coaches have built relationships with you and hosted you on campus visits, and many are ready to offer a spot on their team for next season. So, how do you handle the process of making a verbal commitment?
Determine the details of the offer. Not all offers are created equal. In golf, coaches at the D-I and D-II levels can offer full or partial athletic scholarships. Coaches at the D-I, D-II, and D-III levels can also offer academic scholarships. In many cases, coaches will offer you both as a way to defray the cost of your tuition. However, coaches don’t have to offer you any financial assistance; they can simply offer a spot on the team. It's important to determine what the coach is offering before accepting, so you can weigh that offer against others.
What is the deadline to make your decision? Some coaches want a decision immediately or within 24- 48 hours. Others will let you take your time. As a recruit, it’s important to ask the coach how long you have to decide, and to discuss your options with your family. While we urge you to consider all factors (such as the offer details), don’t stall unnecessarily. Coaches can – and will – offer your spot to someone else. When you’re sure a school is right for you, commit.
Congratulations! Making a verbal commitment is exciting. After all the hard work you’ve put into your golf game and your recruitment, this is the end of a significant chapter. Be proud of yourself.
Understand what a verbal commitment means. At this stage, nothing is binding for you or for the program. This is a handshake agreement that allows you to focus on that school as your future college home, while it enables the coach to solidify their recruiting class for your year.
Get the commitment in writing. While a verbal commitment isn’t binding, getting something in writing makes it more official. Most times, offers are made and accepted on a campus visit, so there’s no evidence of the offer and acceptance. After you are back home, write the coach an email expressing your gratitude at the offer and reiterate your acceptance.
Backing Out. Since a verbal commitment isn’t binding until Signing Day, you or the program can back out of your verbal agreement any time before then. For your part, this should only be done under extraordinary circumstances. If there’s an unexpected coaching change, the details of the offer change, or there is a family emergency, you can consider backing out. Otherwise, you should honor your commitment.
Similarly, a coach can “pull” their offer to you. A good coach will only do this as an absolute last resort, since doing so will have a negative impact on their program’s reputation in the college golf community. So, don’t give them an excuse to do so. Always conduct yourself appropriately, keep practicing and playing tournaments, keep your grades up, and follow regular admissions timelines.
