National rankings is one of the many tools college coaches use when searching for skilled junior golfers to recruit. Many players pay close attention to their rankings and try to play ranked events. The two largest ranking systems are Junior Golf Scoreboard and GolfWeek.
Junior Golf Scoreboard, www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com, ranks every FJT tournament where at least 36 holes are completed (rain shortened events less than 36 holes are not ranked). Out of all the ranking systems, Junior Golf Scoreboard ranks the most tournaments and has the most players in their database. The Boys Junior Championship and Junior Team Championship is also ranked, but the Junior Match Play Championship is not.
GolfWeek, www.golfweekrankings.com, ranks ten 16-18 age division events each year. GolfWeek focuses on ranking the elite tournaments, and elite players. They rank fewer tournaments and have fewer players in their database because they only rank the top tournaments. GolfWeek ranks on a head-to-head competition basis (won/loss record vs other players in the rankings).
Each system is used by college coaches, but it is not main tool they use. Players should not focus on their ranking too much; good golf is they key! It should be noted that at the elite levels of play, the two systems have virtually the same players as the best players in their system. As is always true, practicing, playing, getting better, and shooting lower scores is the real goal. The rest will take care of itself.
For more on these two ranking systems click here.
