LAS VEGAS — College golf coaches from across the country were in Las Vegas this week for the Golf Coaches Association of America and Women’s Golf Coaches Association annual convention at Planet Hollywood.
And there was no shortage of discussion points. The main topic? The new ranking system in college golf, which has caused drama, chaos and discombobulation throughout the fall.
Mark Broadie, who is in charge of the rankings, was in attendance and held two sessions to discuss the new rankings and take questions from coaches to clarify how they work. In addition, there were other breakout sessions and news announced.
Here are the big takeaways from the 2023 college golf coaches convention in Las Vegas.
Rankings update
The new ranking is a weighted average points system based on head-to-head stroke differentials. Points are a means to the end. Head-to-head stroke differential determines points, and the ranking impact of points is what matters, Broadie said during his presentation.
However, it is not a total points based system. Additional events can help or hurt, with above average performances helping. Also, shorter events count less than longer events in weighted average.
There’s not a fixed pod of points players or teams get for finishing first, second, third or fourth. It’s all based on the events and the teams and participating.
For example, the Official World Golf Ranking has fixed points for certain finishing positions, while that is not the case with the Broadie rankings. Stroke differential matters in college golf. College golfers also don’t split points if tied, and total event points aren’t fixed.
In college golf, the fall and spring seasons are weighted equally. Additionally, in stronger or weaker fields, there will be equal average points.
Lastly, stroke differential does not matter in match play, but the total event points are fixed.
Golfweek also spoke with Broadie following one of his breakout sessions, and he made it clear he was willing to adjust his points system based on what coaches wanted and feedback as the season continues.
Coach reactions to rankings
Coaches are confused.
Previously, Golfstat had been in charge of rankings for more than three decades. The switch to the now-defunct Spikemark and now Clippd for scoring, with Broadie in charge of the rankings, has been a big change for those used to the old system.
However, there seems to be more a confusion of how the points-based system works. When it comes to how teams are ranked, hardly any coaches are upset with where their teams are in the rankings.
But, not understanding how they got there is frustrating.
“There’s going to have to be things that are worked out,” said Methodist men’s golf coach Steve Conley. “There’s a lot of kinks to work out. It’s hard to wrap yourself around this and say it’s awesome with how many problems there are up front.”
Bumps were expected with a new system, but the formulas have been the biggest frustration point for coaches.
One of the biggest changes this year is match play is included in the rankings for both individuals and teams, something that hasn’t been done in the past.
During a couple breakout sessions, there were straw polls taken among coaches, with a majority saying they would be fine not including match play in the rankings.
“We went through this very same thing with (Golfstat founder) Mark Laesch back in the day,” Texas men’s coach John Fields said of the general discourse. “It doesn’t bother me. I know they’ll get it right.”
Some coaches are more frustrated with how the situation even started, going back to Spikemark being chosen to be the new scoring and ranking provider for the NCAA.
“I don’t really have a problem with the new ranking. I actually think it’s pretty accurate,” Denver women’s coach Martha Richards said. “A majority of the coaches are struggling more with how did we get to this process of deciding we need a new ranking, and what goes into the ranking? I think that’s where people feel a little bit left out of the process of what’s going to go into this formula of our new rankings. Because honestly, the only thing the NCAA has to remember is people’s livelihoods depend upon this, right?
“I have to know, I have to understand it enough to figure out how to set our schedule in a way that we not only have a .500 record, but I’m also putting my players in a position to be successful in the program, too. And so that’s the tricky part when you put in new rankings and a .500 rule.”
Updates on Clippd
As far as the Clippd front, the company which essentially saved the day for having a website to house scores, stats and the rankings, has delivered on its promise.
From a data perspective, Clippd has constantly been collecting data from the fall and adding it to the website before the Nov. 15 rankings drop. It also hired Marcus El to handle its live scoring software. El was previously with Golfstat and consulted with Spikemark before Clippd took over.
Perhaps the biggest Clippd news was the new name for the site that will host all of the information for college golf. Scoreboard powered by Clippd is coming soon, and it will house all of the scores, stats, rankings and more for all levels of college golf.
Scoreboard will take over the former Spikemark website, which will soon be defunct. Scoreboard will have a modern look and continue to be updated to meet the needs of coaches, players and fans.
A reminder: Clippd is not in charge of the rankings, only posting them on its website. Broadie is the lone person, whom the NCAA tasked, to be in charge of rankings for all levels of college golf.
Omni La Costa coming along
The NCAA Championships are right around the corner. And they’ll be heading even farther west than Scottsdale, Arizona.
Omni La Costa is set to host the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Division I NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California. With the Texas Longhorns serving at the host program, Fields provided updates to both men’s and women’s coaches this week on the course, which outside of the driving range is playable.
In fact, La Costa’s driving range is about the only golf-course centric project remaining to be completed. Otherwise, the renovation of the property is ahead of schedule and prepping to host the best college golf teams and players in late May.
Arnold Palmer Cup coaches announced
The head and assistant coaches for the American and International squads at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup were announced.
LSU’s Garrett Runion and Arizona State’s Matt Thurmond will be Team USA co-head coaches, and Minnesota’s Rhyll Brinsmead and Ireland’s Barry Fennelly will guide the International team. Florida’s Dudley Hart and LSU’s Alexis Rather are the Team USA co-assistant coaches while Scotland’s Stew Burke and Ireland’s Aaron O’Callaghan will assist Team International.
The Ryder Cup-style competition, which features men’s and women’s collegiate golfers from the United States against their International counterparts, will be played July 5-7 at Lahinch in Ireland.
Golf ball rollback
The golf ball rollback is going to affect everyone, including the top college golfers.
Here’s how it’s going to affect amateur golf, and here’s what coaches had to say about the coming changes to the golf ball.
