Is Your Child Good Enough To Receive A Golf Scholarship, And When To Start Looking?
Andy Newman is a professional golf consultant for United Sports USA, a UK-based sports scholarship service which helps talented international athletes get scholarships at American universities. Visit their website to find out more information about golf scholarships.
So your child just took home another junior golf tournament? Does this mean that you can start dreaming of a golf scholarship at a posh American university? The truth is that golf scholarships are very competitive and, even if your child is good enough to merit a scholarship, you can’t just sit back and expect top coaches to take notice.
It is up to your child to make the initiate to land a golf scholarship.
How Good Do You Really Need to Be to Get a Golf Scholarship?
Before we get into stats about player and team averages, we need to point out that there are a lot of universities and colleges which offer golf scholarships. They range from elite Division 1 universities with impressive records for taking home championships, and smaller Divison 2 and NAIA colleges and universities. There are also 2-year NJCAA junior colleges which offer golf scholarships.
- NCAA D1 and D2: Larger public universities
- NCAA D3: Smaller private colleges; NO scholarships!
- NAIA: Usually small private scholarships
- NJCAA: Junior colleges
Don’t dismiss Division 2 and NAIA colleges and universities. While they might not have the elitism which comes with Division 1 golf, they also hand out scholarships. But because the athletic (and academic) standards are lower, it could mean more scholarship money for a talented student golfer. Further, there are fewer rules and regulations about handing out scholarships to international students.
You need to be realistic about what level of golf scholarship your child should be aiming for. It is a good idea to set up a golf assessment with a golf scholarship recruiter. The recruiter will tell you whether your child is good enough for a scholarship, and what scholarship level to aim for.
When recruiting new golfers to their teams, college coaches are mostly concerned about averages. They want to know that the player can perform well on the course. To get an idea whether your child is good enough for a golf scholarship, take a look at these university team’s averages.
Current average scores for the Top 20 college golf players and teams.
Men’s College Golf
Division 1:
- Top 20 Players: 68.70 to 70.50
- Top 20 Teams: 71.37 to 72.51
Division 2:
- Top 20 Players: 70.64-72.45
- Top 20 Teams: 72.27-74.71
NAIA:
- Top 20 Players: 70.75-72.58
- Top 20 Teams: 72.40-75.12
Women’s College Golf
Division 1:
- Top 20 Players: 70.68-72.43
- Top 20 Teams: 72.79-74.54
Division 2:
- Top 20 Players: 73.17-75.41
- Top 20 Teams: 76.06-78.53
NAIA:
- Top 20 Players: 72.08-76.89
- Top 20 Teams: 76.27-82
Keep in mind that these averages are from the top 20 players and teams in collegiate golf right now. There are certainly players on golf scholarships who are not as talented. However, if you want your child to get a golf scholarships, they should have averages that are on par with the team averages you are aiming for.
If your child is scoring an average of 82 at junior golf events and has no tournament wins, then be realistic. You probably aren’t even going to hear back from the top Division 1 university coaches. If your child is averaging a 75 in junior events and the university team is ranked 66th, and your child has the grades to get into the school, then send an email to the coach.
What Else Are Coaches Looking for?
During their first golf assessment, many young golfers are surprised to hear the many things that coaches are looking for in potential players. Many of these qualities are things that the player would have never even thought of.
Coaches want to see that a player is disciplined, serious, and focused. Does the golfer use alignment aids when practicing? Does the player pick specific targets? Does the player utilize a pre-shot routine?
Coaches are also interested in seeing how a player is able to handle difficult situations on the course. Is the weather bad? Is the shot particularly tough? Is there a distraction from off the course? Coaches want to know that your child will be up for the challenge of playing in the demanding setting of collegiate golf.
Another important point is to make sure your child is dressed well. Coaches don’t care if your child is wearing the newest brand of shoes, but they do care that your child took the time to clean his/her shoes, groom hair, and look professional. Who wants to invest scholarship money in a player who is sloppy and unprofessional?
Grades Matter for Scholarships
The quickest way for your child to ruin his or her chance of a golf scholarship is to get bad grades. Two players can be equals at golf, but the scholarships is going to go to the player with the better grades. Keep in mind that some elite golf universities have higher academic standards than are set by the NCAA or NAIA. Aside from meeting academic eligibility for the given university, good grades are a sign that your child will be able to handle the rigorous demands of life as a student athlete.
Note that golf scholarships are rarely a “full ride.” If your child gets good grades, he or she may be able to get an academic scholarship on top of the golf scholarship.
When to Start Looking for Golf Scholarships?
There have been some significant changes to the NCAA recruiting process over the past several years, particularly in when students start looking for scholarships and committing to schools. Most of the top golf programs have at least one commitment from a player before that player has even finished their junior year of high school. However, coaches are only allowed to give scholarship promises verbally. Official signings can’t take place until the senior year.
Do not wait until your child’s senior year to start researching schools, eligibility, and making contact with coaches. You will probably soon find that the college golf scholarship process is complex and rather confusing. If you are really serious about helping your child secure a golf scholarship, then it is recommended to get a golf assessment early on from a recruiting specialist. The scholarship recruiter can tell you realistically what to expect and what you need to work on. And, if you are signed up, the recruiting specialist can help you create a golf PR kit, get your CV in order, and reach out to coaches directly for you.