The NCAA is known for its many rules and regulations, especially where they apply to junior golfers and college coaches. It may be a challenge to fully understand these rules, so we’ve highlighted key information to help cover everything you need to know.
Note: The NCAA Recruiting Calendar, and any NCAA rules listed, are for Division I Men’s Golf ONLY.
The NCAA Recruiting Calendars outline when, and how, NCAA DI and DII college coaches can proactively start recruiting athletes. It seeks to protect elite athletes from receiving overwhelming amounts of communication from college coaches by designating certain time periods when coaches cannot contact athletes. These restrictions currently only take place during the months of November and December each year. Specifically, the restrictions apply to coaches being able to evaluate prospects in competitions, as well as inviting prospects to campus for both official or unofficial visits. No matter the time or date, you as a student-athlete can always initiate contact with a coach. The rules only enforce when coaches can initiate contact with you.
Note: Phone calls, emails, and direct messaging is allowed at anytime.
Women’s Golf does not have a recruiting dead period*. Many Women’s Coaches will continue to recruit at major tournaments or events throughout this time. The only dead period in Women’s golf is during National Signing Week, which typically takes place the beginning of November for initial signing.
2023-2024 Men’s Division I Golf Calendar
Fall Semester Schedule
- End of August: Classes Begin, Meetings with Team, Practice, and Qualifying
- September through October: “In-Season” for the NCAA, College Golf Teams play around 4-5 events, plus practice and qualifying
- November: Most programs are in their off-season once they finish the final event of the Fall. During this time, teams are allowed 8 hours of regulated practice, meetings, and workouts. (Regular season has 20+ hours)
- December: College Exams, Coaches Convention, AJGA Senior Showcase, and Holiday Break
Calendar Key Dates
- August 1 – November 23, 2023: Contact period*
- Except: Nov 7–10 – Dead Period for NLI Signing Week
- November 23–27, 2023: Dead period for Thanksgiving
- November 28 – December 22, 2023: Quiet period*
- During this time, a coach can evaluate a recruit at two events—a showcase and a combine—that are traditionally held in conjunction with the Golf Coaches Association of America National Convention.
- Except: December 5-7, 2023 (12:01 am): Dead period; the NCAA explains that a dead period is in effect from the first official day of the Golf Coaches Association of America Convention until 12:01 am on the day after the convention ends.
- December 23, 2023 – January 1, 2024: Dead period for Holiday Break
Spring Semester Schedule
- January: Classes begin, “Off-Season” Practice
- February to March: “In-Season” for College teams (depending on first event date and location of school). Northern schools typically start later due to weather limitations, but many travel South during this time to practice and compete in warmer states.
- March to April: Teams compete during Spring Break and play 4-5 regular season events (this does not include their conference tournament, usually held end of April)
- May: College Exams, NCAA Regionals, and Summer Break
- June: NCAA Nationals, Summer recruiting begins
Calendar Key Dates
- January 2 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
Key Terms
- Dead Period – The most restrictive of all the recruiting periods is the NCAA Dead Period. During the dead period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits and/or their parents. In other words, coaches are not allowed to talk to recruits at their college campus, the athlete’s school, an athletic camp, or even the grocery store. Campus visits of any kind and tournament evaluations are not allowed during this time.
- Contact Period – All communication between athletes and coaches is fair game. Coaches can email, text, call, direct message and generally contact athletes and their parents through any NCAA-approved method.
- Quiet Period – The NCAA defines the quiet period as a time when “a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college campus and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high school.” The NCAA Quiet Period is a time you can talk to college coaches in-person on their college campus. However, the coach is not allowed to watch athletes compete in-person, visit their school, talk to them at their home, or talk to them anywhere outside of the college campus.
- Evaluation Period – The NCAA Evaluation Period is a specific time of year when college coaches are allowed to watch an athlete compete in person or visit their school. However, coaches are not allowed to communicate with that athlete (or parents) off the college campus. Coaches can sit in the stands during a recruit’s practice or game, as well as visit the recruit’s school.
Source: NCSA College Recruiting and NCAA
Get Started with JGH
Create an account to gain access to our Tournament Finder! A helpful resource for our Junior golfers to find local qualifiers and tournaments to boost their rankings.