Miles Bennett
Golf scholarships are a great way to fund your education and develop your skills in the sport. With over 2,500 universities with sports teams in the US alone, there are many schools that offer golf scholarships. These include NCAA Division I and II universities, as well as NAIA and NJCAA colleges. Golf scholarships are typically offered as partial scholarships, with coaches distributing funds across multiple athletes. However, there are also full-ride scholarships available, although these are rarer. In addition to scholarships offered by universities, there are also golf scholarships provided by outside organizations, such as the LPGA Foundation and the Foot Locker Foundation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of schools with golf teams in Pennsylvania | 104 |
| Number of schools with golf teams in California | 101 |
| Number of schools with golf teams in New York | 82 |
| Number of schools with golf teams in Texas | 63 |
| Number of schools with golf teams in Illinois | 63 |
| Scholarship limit for an NCAA Division I women’s golf team | 6 |
| Average scholarship amount per player per year for NCAA Division I women’s golf team | $18,827 |
| Scholarship limit for an NCAA Division II women’s golf team | 5.4 |
| Average scholarship amount per player per year for NCAA Division II women’s golf team | $7,896 |
| Number of Division 2 golf programs | 210 |
| Number of scholarships that can be distributed by each Division 2 golf program | 3.6 |
| Number of Division 1 golf programs for women | 249 |
| Number of scholarships that can be distributed by each Division 1 golf program for women | 6 |
| Number of schools that offer men's golf | 1,318 |
| Number of schools that offer golf scholarships out of the above | 972 |
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What You'll Learn
Golf scholarship providers
Some NCAA Division I schools that offer golf scholarships include UCLA, Stanford University, Georgia Tech, Duke University, and Rollins College. Florida Southern College and Oklahoma City University are examples of NCAA Division II schools that offer golf scholarships.
Outside organizations also offer golf scholarships, such as the Foot Locker Foundation, which provides support to students attending UNCF member colleges and universities. The Druid Hills Golf Club Foundation awards the Wayne Reynolds Scholarship Grant, a four-year $3,000 annual scholarship for qualified junior golfers. The LPGA Foundation and Chevron have partnered to offer five scholarships of $2,500 each, renewable for four years, to female high school seniors from minority backgrounds.
Additionally, there are specialized scholarships such as the Walter J. Travis Society Scholarship, which is awarded to students pursuing careers in landscape design, golf course architecture, or golf course management. The Sara Scholarship provides financial assistance to female high school seniors who demonstrate academic excellence and involvement in golf.
It is important to note that golf scholarships are typically partial scholarships, and full-ride scholarships are relatively rare. Student-athletes should consider combining athletic scholarships with academic scholarships or other forms of financial aid to cover their college costs.
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NCAA golf scholarships
Golf is an equivalency sport for NCAA scholarship purposes, meaning that partial scholarships can be awarded. NCAA Division I and II universities offer athletic scholarships, whereas Division III universities do not. However, Division III coaches can help students find other sources of funding.
To qualify for an NCAA Division I golf scholarship, men should be averaging under par to low 70s, and women should be averaging under par to mid-70s. For NCAA Division II, men should be averaging par to high 70s, and women should be averaging mid-70s to low 80s. To qualify for NCAA Division III, men must be able to shoot in the low 80s, and women must be able to shoot in the 90s.
Some examples of NCAA Division I colleges that offer golf scholarships include UCLA, Stanford University, Georgia Tech, Duke University, Auburn University, and the University of Georgia. Some examples of NCAA Division II colleges that offer golf scholarships include Florida Southern College and Rollins College.
It is important to note that golf scholarships are often highly competitive, and full scholarships are rare. College coaches value tournament experience and national rankings over high school achievements. Additionally, good grades can increase the chances of obtaining a scholarship, as golf is a non-revenue sport.
There are also golf scholarships offered by outside organizations, such as the Evans Scholarship, which provides full tuition and housing for high-achieving caddies with financial needs. Female golfers may also consider scholarships offered by the LPGA Foundation, such as the Marilynn Smith Scholarship and the Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship.
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NAIA golf scholarships
Golf scholarships are usually offered as full or partial scholarships. It is relatively uncommon for equivalency sports to offer full-ride scholarships. Golf scholarships, in particular, are distributed among players at the discretion of college coaches, who may award partial scholarships. Depending on a student athlete's performance, some players on the roster may receive larger awards than others, while others may not receive a scholarship at all. As a result, relying solely on athletic scholarships from your school is not a good idea.
The National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is the oldest college athletics governing body, having been founded in 1937. NAIA schools give athletic scholarships, and while full-ride scholarships are available, many NAIA athletic scholarships are only partial awards, leaving leftover financial needs in many cases. NAIA coaches have five golf scholarships per team and mostly offer partial scholarships to recruits and current roster players. Top performers could receive a scholarship that covers 75% or more of their tuition.
NAIA scholarship opportunities allow athletes to receive full or partial scholarships, rather than only full scholarships as many NCAA division schools do, allowing coaches to divide their scholarship budget among multiple athletes. While the NAIA has these benefits, it's important to keep your ultimate athletic goals in mind when choosing a school and programme. If you are competitive at the NCAA Division I level, you will likely get more recognition and opportunities for future professional work on a D1 team than on an NAIA team. However, if you are at the D1 skill level but do not want to go pro and would prefer to have more free time and a more typical college experience, an NAIA programme may be right for you. Division II athletes can be at a similar level as NAIA student-athletes.
NAIA schools typically offer more playing time for athletes, as well as more free time and less travel time, as they have fewer practices and competitions. Some NAIA schools that offer golf scholarships include:
- Oklahoma City University
- Dordt University
- Indiana Wesleyan University
- Soka University
- University of Michigan – Dearborn
- Marian University – Indiana
- Southeastern University
- Madonna University
- Northwestern College – Iowa
- Taylor University
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NJCAA golf scholarships
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) governs athletic programs at junior colleges across the United States. There are three divisions in the NJCAA: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Division I and Division II schools can offer athletic scholarships, while Division III schools cannot provide athletically related financial aid. However, Division III institutions may choose to participate at the Division I or II level and offer scholarships.
The NJCAA is a good route for players looking for higher scholarship amounts but who may need to enhance their academic standing. Coaches from NCAA Division I and Division II levels, as well as NAIA levels, often prefer to recruit athletes from NJCAA schools rather than from outside the US. This is because they can evaluate both athletic performance and academic progress within the US system.
It is important to note that not all golf programs are fully funded, so establishing a relationship with college coaches early on is crucial to understanding the available athletic aid. Golf is considered a non-revenue sport, so good grades will also increase your chances of earning a scholarship. The more schools you can qualify for academically, the higher your chances of receiving a scholarship will be.
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Golf scholarship application tips
Golf scholarships are usually offered as full or partial scholarships. Partial scholarships are delegated among players at the coach's discretion. It is relatively rare to get a full-ride scholarship, so it is not wise to rely entirely on athletic scholarships from your school. It is possible to combine funds from athletic scholarships and privately funded financial aid. Students can also apply for academic scholarships to cover costs.
To be considered for a golf scholarship, you must be playing at a competitive level. To increase your chances of being awarded a scholarship, you should focus on three key areas:
- Academics: Maintain a strong GPA, as this is crucial to schools and coaches making decisions on who to offer scholarships to.
- Athletics: Compete in quality summer events, such as USGA, State Association, and AJGA tournaments. Tournament experience is crucial, and tournament scoring average is the most important statistic.
- Character: Some coaches are willing to take a chance on a player with a great golf swing, a positive attitude, and a strong work ethic.
Additionally, it is important to be proactive and make connections with schools. Do not wait for them to call you. Reach out to coaches and show them who you are.
- The Evans Scholarship: A full tuition and housing scholarship for high-achieving caddies with limited financial means.
- The Athletics Scholarship: Available to student-athletes in CCU's College of Undergraduate Studies who are recommended for scholarship consideration by the CCU Athletics Department.
- The Marilynn Smith Scholarship: Administered through The LPGA Foundation, this scholarship supports female high school seniors who have demonstrated excellence in golf and aspire to continue playing at the collegiate level.
- The Samuel D. Hartley Memorial Scholarship: Provides financial assistance to students passionate about golf and striving to achieve their dreams in their chosen field.
- The Druid Hills Golf Club Foundation Scholarship: A four-year $3,000 annual scholarship to help qualified junior golfers with their college tuition.
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Frequently asked questions
There are over 2,500 universities with sports teams in the US, and 1,318 schools offer men's golf, with 972 of them offering golf scholarships. Some schools that offer golf scholarships include UCLA, Stanford University, Georgia Tech, Duke University, Florida Southern College, Rollins College, and Oklahoma City University.
Division 1 golf is the most elite level of college sports. Coaches tend to only recruit a few athletes each year, and the competition is very high. Division 2 schools have less funding available for scholarships, and coaches will often distribute funds evenly across their athletes. While Division 3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they are able to offer other forms of financial aid, including academic scholarships, merit-based scholarships, and grants.
Some organizations that offer golf scholarships include the Foot Locker Foundation, Druid Hills Golf Club Foundation, and the LPGA Foundation.
College coaches highly value tournament experience and national rankings. It is important to play in as many tournaments as possible and gain as much tournament experience as you can. It is also recommended to research the Division 1 programs to make sure they are a good fit academically and athletically.
