KEITH KNOWLES highlights why he thinks some players improve so much in States

BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOLF AT USA COLLEGES AND BRITISH UNIVERSITIES

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

It is not unusual for a player to come home from their years playing on the United States college golf circuit better players than they were when they left the United Kingdom.

In some cases, MUCH better players.

On the men's side, Graeme McDowell and Russell Knox (who never back to Scotland!) spring to mind as young men who were good prospects when they left this country but improved a ton with access to US college golf facilities and  regular high-level competition. 

Alison Knowles from Mexborough, South Yorkshire, a second-year student at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, is taking the same route.

 A good prospect in this country, she has flourished in America, having just won her fourth tournament.

I asked her father Keith for his opinion - and it is his opinion only - on why his daughter is already a better player after only one and a half college years in the States.

This is his very interesting answer in which he compares what is on offer to the student golfer in this country and one in America:

"I think Alison's game has improved due to the practice facilities and their availability for more of the year and the fact that the tournaments are played on courses specifically set up like major competitions, unlike the BUCS which is like an inter-club match with tees of the day where Alison sometimes was the only female playing and only the individual competition has a championship format. 

"Also the attitude in American universities is that sport is important and not the extra curricular activity that seems to be common in British universities.

"At American colleges, they provide the fitness coaching, yoga exercises and physio back-up specific to individual sports. 

"This is probably best seen in that the American university system requires that a student maintains a minimum grade

to be allowed to participate in competition.
"This mind set doesn't occur in English universities."
Keith Knowles