Golf at College
Playing Golf at College in the USA is an incredible experience! The courses, climates and facilities available are second to none if you want to develop your golf game and earn a degree at the same time.
Golf at College is an incredible experience for any player! So, we will try and break down exactly what is involved and how you could become an athlete in the USA. Additionally, check out our Podcast Episode below which explains the College Golf system!
Numerous world class players on the PGA and European Tour elite are former college golfers. Big names such as Rickie Fowler, Leona Maguire, Ludvig Åberg and even Tiger Woods played College golf before turning professional. But it’s also a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete in the sport you love and experience playing on some elite courses, even if professional golf is not your primary aim.
HOW MUCH SCHOLARSHIP IS AVAILABLE AND HOW MANY SCHOOLS HAVE GOLF PROGRAMS?
Depending on the division your school competes in, there are different rules regarding scholarship:
- 299 schools in NCAA D1 offer golf. They can all award a maximum of 6.0 scholarships to the women’s program and 4.5 scholarships to the men’s program.
- 227 schools in NCAA D2 offer golf. They can all award a maximum of 5.4 scholarships to women’s programs and 3.6 scholarships to men’s.
- 178 schools in NAIA offer golf. They can all award a maximum of 5.0 scholarships to both women’s and men’s programs.
- 287 schools in NCAA D3 offer golf. Sports scholarships are not offered, only academic scholarship funding is available.
To clarify, you will be playing golf at College with approximately 9 other players on your team.
So, if you are curious to see how the scholarships can differ between sports, or how a scholarship actually works, then read more on our blog about Scholarships at College.
Women’s golfer at the University of Oklahoma
HOW CAN I MAXIMISE MY SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE?
When playing golf at College, it is very important to balance your playing form and your grades. In other words, if you have strong grades and SAT/ACT scores, you can earn more academic scholarship funding. Therefore you won’t need to rely quite as heavily on athletic scholarship funding to afford your education and living costs. Read our blog – 5 Tips on How to Maximise Your Scholarship Offers.
HOW DO COLLEGE GOLF COACHES ASSESS PLAYERS?
Golf coaches assess potential players based on a player’s handicap and their average tournament scores over the past couple of seasons. In addition, your level of competition and consistency is also assessed. The average score requirements differ in each division/organization. Register your interest by filling out a Free Assessment and we will provide you with our expert opinion and feedback on what you can expect.
University of Illinois’ Golf Training Facility
WHEN DOES THE COLLEGE GOLF SEASON TAKE PLACE?
Golf is a sport that you compete in all year round at college, but the official NCAA/NAIA season is in the Spring. The National Tournament takes place in late May or early June, often meaning that this extends past the end of your academic school year. But if you’re fighting for a national title, we are sure you won’t mind!
To see what your academic calendar year looks like, you can read more in our article about the Academic System.
Women’s golfer at the University of Texas