1) Stop Coaching the Swing — Start Coaching the Athlete

Most high school golfers already have access to swing tips — coaches, YouTube, friends, and (often) a private instructor. Where programs can truly separate is in building athletes who can handle a season and a multi-year development arc. Sherman’s philosophy is simple: if a young player has talent, your job isn’t to overhaul their motion — it’s to keep them durable and progressing.

• Prioritize stability and mobility over “more reps.”
• Encourage smart strength work and basic fitness habits.
• Keep multi-sport athletes engaged — athleticism transfers.

2) The 50–100 Yard Window Decides Seasons

Ask a roster what they need to improve and you’ll hear “driver consistency.” But if you want a faster path to lower team scoring, look inside 100 yards. Sherman emphasized that high school rounds are packed with partial wedges: layups on par fives, punch-outs from trouble, short-sided misses, and awkward distances after conservative strategy. If those shots are “uncomfortable,” the scorecard gets loud.

Make this zone a weekly priority — and your lineup stabilizes.

• 25–50 yard ladder drills (10/20/30/40/50) for touch and trajectory.
• 50–75 yard distance control reps with specific landing zones.
• Pressure wedges: “must hit the green” competitions to simulate match nerves.

3) Your “Bubble” Players Need the Most Coaching

Every program has them: the 7–10 players who are close enough to taste varsity but not secure enough to relax. Sherman calls them the “bubble boys” — golfers who feel like one bad nine holes means they’ve fallen off a cliff. They’re good enough to contribute, but often volatile under pressure because their identity gets tied to lineup position.

The fix starts with culture. Keep lineup spots fluid, emphasize readiness, and avoid turning “JV vs varsity” into an identity label. Many roster jumps aren’t about talent — they’re about emotional stability.

• Avoid locking identity to “JV” vs “Varsity.”
• Reward process and composure, not just one hot score.
• Create opportunities for 7–10 to be match-ready at any time.

4) Teach “No Mental Doubles”

A physical double bogey happens. A mental double is when one mistake turns into three. Sherman stressed that high school golf is often decided by response, not execution: the player who steadies after a bad shot beats the player who chases a hero recovery and compounds the damage.

Coaches can train this. Build routines for the moment after the mistake:

• Reset breath and tempo.
• Pick a conservative recovery target (fairway first).
• Commit to one shot — don’t negotiate with doubt.
• Limit big numbers by avoiding the second bad decision.

5) High School Golf Is a Unique Development Stage — Coach Accordingly

High school golf isn’t junior golf. It’s nine-hole pressure, school until mid-afternoon, limited daylight, and a team dynamic layered on top of an individual sport. Many athletes juggle other sports. Practice time is tight. The environment is emotional. Sherman’s approach is to prioritize efficiency and scoring skills — not volume.

• Run practices with targets, scoring games, and consequences.
• Practice “nine-hole mindset” — fast resets, no spirals.
• Build a culture where team energy supports individual performance.

6) Help Parents Understand What Actually Matters

Sherman believes scores matter for lineups — but they don’t tell the whole story. The best parent support doesn’t add pressure; it reinforces growth. A useful message for families: players can fully control two things — attitude and effort.

Encourage parents to ask better questions than “What did you shoot?”:

• “What was your favorite shot today?”
• “What did you learn?”
• “What’s one thing you want to work on tomorrow?”

7) Build the Whole Support System

The strongest developmental environments don’t rely on one person. Sherman’s view is that players benefit most when they have a support team: a swing coach, a simple strength plan, mental skills habits, nutrition awareness, and positive family backing. The high school coach’s role becomes a stabilizer — keeping players grounded, competitive, and moving forward.

The Big Takeaway

High school golf development isn’t about producing phenoms. It’s about creating durable athletes, stabilizing emotions, sharpening wedge control, and teaching players how to respond when the round turns. For many teams, the simplest formula holds up: stable beats spectacular, and process beats panic.