By Brad Sparling | Founder, Play Golf In College
New Book Release: A Roadmap for Junior Golf Success
Brad Sparling — the founder of Play Golf In College — has officially released his new book, Becoming Elite: A Complete Guide to Junior Golf, College Golf and Life, now available on Amazon.com.
Becoming Elite delivers something the junior golf world has never had before: one comprehensive guide that covers every stage of the journey, from early development to college recruiting — and the life lessons that shape young athletes along the way.
A Lifetime of Experience in One Book
Coach Sparling brings more than 25 years of experience as a player, college coach, mentor, and parent to this new book. During his collegiate coaching career at Duke University and Ohio State University, he helped build NCAA championship teams, coached 14 All-Americans, and mentored two National Players of the Year.
After transitioning from college coaching, he founded Play Golf In College (PGIC), where he has personally guided more than 165 junior golfers into college programs across all divisions with a remarkable 95% success rate.
He continues to impact athletes at the high school level. As head coach, he led the Dublin Jerome High School boys golf team to a record-breaking state championship and a national No. 1 ranking in 2025.
Combined with his experience raising three Division I golfers of his own, Sparling has seen the junior golf pathway from every possible perspective — coach, parent, recruiter, and mentor.
What Makes Becoming Elite Different
Most junior golf books focus on one piece of development — swing mechanics, mental game, or recruiting. Becoming Elite connects all the pieces into one unified blueprint.
Part One: The Foundation of Elite Performance
This section focuses on the traits that truly separate high achievers:
- Character and discipline
- Mindset and confidence
- Habits and accountability
- Communication and leadership
These lessons extend far beyond golf, providing parents with a framework for raising motivated, resilient young people.
Part Two: The Complete Performance System
The second half dives deeply into performance and competitive preparation, including:
- Impact and ball flight principles
- Practice design and skill development
- Putting and short game systems
- Speed training and athletic development
- Course management and shot patterns
- Mental performance and routines
- Tournament preparation and recovery
- Club fitting and equipment strategy
- College recruiting — one of the most detailed guides ever written
- What college golf is really like
Each chapter stands alone and concludes with key takeaways for quick reference.
Practical Tools You Can Use Immediately
The appendix transforms theory into action with:
- Sample training schedules
- Strength and conditioning workouts
- Mental performance routines
- Recruiting email and letter templates
- Development planning tools
This makes the book both a cover-to-cover roadmap and a long-term reference manual families can revisit for years.
More Than Golf
At its core, Becoming Elite is not just about performance or scholarships.
It is about who a young athlete becomes during the journey — the confidence, discipline, and character that last long after competitive golf ends.
Whether your junior golfer is:
- 11 years old and just getting serious
- 14 and preparing for tournament golf
- 17 and navigating recruiting decisions
This book provides clarity, direction, and confidence at every stage.
Available Now
Becoming Elite: A Complete Guide to Junior Golf, College Golf and Life is available now in paperback.
👉 Order your copy of Becoming Elite: A Complete Guide to Junior Golf today.
Also Available from Coach Brad Sparling…
Start Here: The Top 50 Mistakes in Junior Golf is available now in paperback. Start Here is designed to help parents and junior golfers avoid the most common — and costly — mistakes that derail development, confidence, and recruiting opportunities.
👉 Get your copy of Start Here: The Top 50 Mistakes in Junior Golf today.
If you want to learn more about training, coaching, or college placement opportunities, contact Play Golf In College to start your athlete’s journey toward elite performance.