With the current pandemic, all NCAA-recognized sports have been adversely affected due to the suspension of classes and social distancing measures. Few other sports have been more affected than golf because of its setup at the college level.
Golf is considered as the only college sport with meaningful competition during the entirety of the academic year. While most sports except basketball have competitions during the fall or spring semesters, golf traditionally starts its competition either early or mid-September. College golfers then break between semesters before resuming their conference tournaments in late April, followed by a post-season play in May.
There’s also the fact that each tournament directly impacts the players’ rankings and selections. With other sports, their rankings will hopefully not be as affected when their play season comes around.
The format will also be radically different because of the protective measures recommended by the PGA of America. These measures include no bunker rakes and no flag removal, among other regulations intended to maintain social and physical distancing.
Furthermore, players will play with their teammates in a group of five. This is a departure from the typical grouping where opposing teams play in groups of three or four.
Whether these changes will benefit college golfers remains to be seen. But there’s also good news on the horizon, which amateur golfers will find to their benefit – or at least, it will benefit golfers in California colleges and universities.
California’s new law will allow college athletes to earn income from their names and likenesses, sign endorsement deals, and sign with agents! While it won’t take effect until 2023, it’s still great news for college athletes who may be struggling with their finances. Student-athletes, after all, have to deal with the combined costs of their tuition and golf-related expenses.
While it’s still only in California, there’s always the expectation that it will also spread to the rest of the state. The rationale behind the law is that college athletes should be allowed to earn an income from their name, likenesses, and reputation, too, in the same way, the NCAA is making billions from them.
There’s also the good news that the number of women golfers in the NCAA is rising. From 2009 to 2019, women’s golf has one of the highest growth with a net gain of 157 new teams in all three divisions. There are now 700 women’s golf teams from just 543 in 2009.
The men’s golf programs slightly increased, but it’s significantly less than that of the women’s program. The net gain over the 2009-2019 period was 46 teams across all three divisions. But it’s still a good sign that golf is growing in popularity on the college level.
Like all NCAA-approved sports, the NCAA provides guidance on the administration of golf scholarships for both men’s and women’s programs. The NCAA enforces limits on athletic scholarships designed to regulate access to funding and ensure equity in distribution.
In the case of golf programs, the current NCAA guidelines are the following:
- Division I schools men’s program – 4.5 scholarships
- Division II schools men’s program – 3.6 scholarships
- Division I schools women’s program – 6 scholarships
- Division II schools women’s program – 5.4 scholarships
Scholarships for college golfers are extremely competitive because of these NCAA guidelines, not to mention that they also have stringent scholarship requirements.
Take note that golf is an equivalency sport. This means that the head coaches of golf programs have flexibility in the scholarship distribution. If a head coach sees that it will benefit the team as a whole, he can split the scholarship money among several promising golfers.
We gathered 15 of the best colleges and universities with great golf programs and scholarship opportunities. Check them out with ease using these quick links:
- Oklahoma State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Rollins College
- Arizona State University
- Augusta University
- Stanford University
- University of Nevada – Las Vegas
- University of Redlands
- San Jose State University
- University of California – Los Angeles
- Purdue University
- University of Tulsa
- Duke University
- Florida Southern College
- Daytona State College
Oklahoma State University
The Oklahoma State University (OSU) men’s golf program has won 11 national championships, 55 conference championships, and ten individual national championships. Now, that’s an impressive record indeed! Furthermore, numerous Cowboys became successful professional golfers, such as Bob Tway, Hunter Mahan, and Rickie Fowler.
If you want to be part of OSU history, you can apply for an athletic scholarship as a college golfer. You should also consider applying for many of the university’s competitive scholarship programs at OSU. These scholarships are typically awarded based on academic excellence, talent including athleticism, leadership qualities, financial need, and study field.
OSU also offers tuition waivers, which are reductions of the tuition on credit hours (not on the fees). Tuition waivers, unlike most scholarships, aren’t in the form of cash. All new students are automatically considered for scholarships without the need for an additional application.
Examples of scholarship programs at OSU include:
- Academic Excellence Award – GPA Only (Four-year partial tuition waiver; $750-$1,000 depending on GPA)
- Academic Excellence Award (Four-year partial tuition waiver; $1,000-$3,000/year depending on ACT/SAT scores and GPA)
- Cowboy Covenant – An Oklahoma’s Promise Partnership (Full tuition plus $1,000/year for four years)
- Oklahoma State Regents’ Institutional Nominee (Five years full tuition waiver plus four years cash award up valued up to $39,600)
- National Merit Scholarship (Five years full tuition waiver plus funding from the state, university, and National Merit; value up to $67,800)
Contact the Scholarships and Financial Aid office at 405.744.6604 or email at finaid@okstate.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Yellow Jackets have reason to be proud – Georgia Tech has been declared one of the world’s top 100 most prestigious universities! The men’s golf program has just as much reason to be proud, thanks to its 18 ACC Championships and 14 consecutive years with a perfect APR score. Numerous alumni have made successful careers in the professional circuit, such as Bobby Jones, David Duval, and Troy Matteson.
Georgia Tech’s Athletic Scholarship Fund is among the university’s primary sources for athletic scholarships. Student-athletes are provided with tuition and academic support and enjoy the Total Person Program services through its funding.
Furthermore, student-athletes can apply to multiple scholarship programs. The recipients are typically selected based on their academic excellence, specific talents, and financial need, among other factors. Read the scholarship requirements before applying as there are specific stacking restrictions for most scholarships.
Generally, newcomers can only receive institutional scholarships for eight semesters of full-time enrollment. The limitations on transfer students’ eligibility are determined on a case-to-case basis, depending on transferable credit hours.
Examples of Georgia Tech’s scholarships programs are:
- G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Program – This can be combined with other grants, aids, and scholarships to meet the full cost of study.
- Stamps President’s Scholars Program – This is arguably the best scholarship since it covers all tuition and fees, room and board, required books, and personal expenses. The recipient also gets $12,000 over four years for enrichment activities and $1,100 for a laptop.
- Provost Scholarship – This covers the non-resident tuition charges for up to eight semesters of full-time enrollment (At least 12 credit hours/semester)
Rollins College
The Rollins Tar golf program is recognized for its successful women’s team, which has won 13 national championships. It is for its two individual national champions in men’s golf, Jim Curti and Mike Nicolette.
Rollins College adopts the NCAA rules and regulations on student-athlete athletic scholarships. These include limitations on the reduction and cancellation of the scholarship during the award, the annual renewal of scholarships, and the notification of renewal or non-renewal.
Student-athletes are also encouraged to apply to one or more of the competitive scholarship programs. Take note that the academic scholarships don’t require additional application since these are awarded during the admission process.
Examples of these scholarship programs are:
- Alfond Scholars Program awards up to 10 full scholarships based on academic merit, among others. The award covers tuition and fees as well as room and board (value of $68,716 for AY 2020-2021)
- Dean’s Scholarships are awarded to students with outstanding academic record and leadership potential. The award is up to $30,000 per year.
- Alonzo Rollins Scholarships are awarded to students based on academic excellence, service, and community involvement. This is awarded up to $27,000 every year.
- Presidential Scholarships are awarded up to $24,000 every year, with recipients selected based on their academic excellence, service, and involvement.
Look at the Centennial Scholarships, Bonner Leaders Program, and Achievement Scholarship, too, since these have high amounts. Most, if not all, these programs are renewable every year based on the individual recipient’s academic performance and demonstrated leadership.
Contact the Office of Admission at 407-646-2161 or admission@rollins.edu for more information about scholarships. Contact Spencer Mills, the Associate Director for Athletic Communications, at smills@rollins.edu or 407-646-2393 for questions about the golf program.
Arizona State University
The Sun Devils men’s and women’s golf teams are among the most successful in the NCAA! The men’s golf team has bagged 20 conference championships and six NCAA regional championships. The women’s golf team, on the other hand, bagged eight national championships.
Notable Sun Devils alumni include Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, and Bob Gilder.
Becoming a Sun Devil golfer is easier by becoming an ASU student-athlete on a scholarship! These scholarship programs are open to newcomers, transfer students, and current students who maintain outstanding academic records and demonstrate leadership potential.
The Larry Novak Memorial Golf Scholarship is only available to full-time students with a major in Professional Golf Management. The amount varies depending on available funding, and it’s awarded based on financial need. The requirements are at least a 3.0 GPA and full-time enrollment.
The New American University Scholarship program consists of several scholarships granted to the best students who match ASU’s quest for excellence. These awards are:
- President’s Award
- Provost’s Award
- Dean’s Award
- University Award
- Academic Achievement Award
The scholarships are awarded to qualified incoming first-year students who reside in Arizona, graduated from Arizona high schools, and enrolled full-time.
ASU also offers other awards like Gastwirth Graduate Student Loan Fellowship Program (up to $10,000/year), Dechtman Wealth Management National Scholarship ($3,500), and Lessons In Your Home Scholarship ($500). The university’s colleges and departments also offer scholarships.
Contact the Admission Services at (480) 965-7788 or check this page for more scholarship information.
Augusta University
The Jaguars men’s golf team is the second golf team to win consecutive national titles in 2010 and 2011; Houston was first in 1984 and 1985. They have also won five Big South Conference championships, and we can safely say that their drive to win comes from the knowledge that their university has their back.
This comes in the form of scholarships, many of which are need-based. This means applicants should submit their complete FAFSA documents to the Office of Student Financial Aid on or before the deadline. The Scholarship & Financial Assistance Committee determines the number of scholarships and the specific amounts awarded to recipients.
The Academic Scholarships have a February 1 deadline for the upcoming academic year. The deadline for the Fall 2021/Spring 2022 academic year is then on February 1, 2021. The applications are submitted via the university’s dedicated scholarship management system.
Many colleges and departments of Augusta University also have their scholarship application deadlines and processes. Be sure to contact the college or department you’re enrolled in for more information.
Student-athletes on scholarship – and even those without the benefit of scholarships – are prohibited from accepting or receiving extra benefits from sources inside and outside the university. These include but aren’t limited to loans in the form of cash, co-signing of loans with a third party, use of vehicles, provision of professional services for little to no charge, and purchase of food or drinks.
For more information on student-athlete benefits and responsibilities, contact Augusta University Athletics at 706-737-1626 or write to them at Christenberry Fieldhouse 3109, Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, Georgia, 30909
Stanford University
The Stanford University Cardinals are known for their athletic prowess, and the men’s golf team isn’t an exception! The men’s golf team has nine NCAA Championships and boasts three individual champions – Sandy Tatum, Tiger Woods, and Cameron Wilson. Yes, that Tiger Woods!
Fortunately, getting a Stanford education while playing college golf is possible with the university’s inclusive scholarship, aid, and grants program. About 70% of its students receive financial aid in some form, with approximately 58% of students receiving it directly from the university. The university aid includes athletic scholarships with a portion allocated for the men’s golf team.
For the current academic year, the average amount received by the current freshman class from all sources is $58,494. Suffice it to say that a Stanford education is possible if you’re a promising golfer!
Stanford offers a full cost-of-attendance athletic scholarship to deserving student-athletes. The scholarship covers a vast range of expenses, including:
- Tuition
- Health fee
- Orientation fee
- Documentation fee
- Room and board
- Personal expenses
- Supplies
- Travel
- Required textbooks
But the athletic scholarship doesn’t include coverage for Cardinal Care, the student health insurance program. Student-athletes aren’t typically allowed to accept need-based aid from the university alongside athletic aid. However, they can accept outside scholarship alongside need-based scholarship, if applicable; the former will replace the student responsibility component but not the parent contribution.
Contact the staff at financialaid@stanford.edu or 650-723-3058 for more information about athletic scholarships and other financial issues.
Recommended Schools
University of Nevada – Las Vegas
The UNLV Rebels have won the NCAA Division I Men’s National Golf Championship (1998). Many professional golfers started their careers at UNLV, such as Adam Scott, Skip Kendall, Chris Riley, Chad Campbell, and Ryan Moore. Many of the players on the men’s and women’s teams are also on athletic scholarships.
There are numerous scholarship programs available at UNLV, including:
- The National Athletic Trainers Association Foundation Scholarship Program gives 50-75 students $2,300 each.
- The Far West Athletic Trainers Association/District 8 gives eight athletic training students $1,500 each monetary award.
- The Dr. Gerald Higgins Scholarship Athletic Training Student Award is an annual award given to a student-athlete that meets the stringent criteria. These include academic excellence, demonstrated ability to be a certified athletic trainer, and meets the National Athletic Trainers Association standards.
- The Leta Orr Scholarship Athletic Training Student Award is also awarded annually in the amount of $500. It’s awarded to an undergraduate student with outstanding academic performance and community service.
For more information about scholarship opportunities, send your letter to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy. Las Vegas, NV 89154, or call them at 702-895-3011.
University of Redlands
The Bulldog Athletics office strives to provide its student-athletes ample opportunities for competition in intercollegiate settings. Its student-athletes compete in NCAA Division III and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Its athletics program’s popularity is that about 20% of its College of Arts and Science students are athletes, and about 95% received financial assistance (AY 2018-2019).
Indeed, Redlands takes care of its student-athletes through a wide range of merit-based and talent-based scholarships and grants, as well as financial aid packages. Most of these scholarships cover only the tuition and fees, while some scholarships are provided regardless of financial need.
Interested students may apply through the University of Redlands Application for Admission or the Common Application website. Scholars must maintain good academic performance and meet other applicable requirements for the renewal of their scholarship.
Students should note limitations on the number and amount of university-issued scholarships they can receive in an academic year. Check your award letter for the scholarship programs you have been accepted into and for which the university gave its approval.
You may want to complete this survey to increase your chances of selection to a named scholarship.
The popular scholarship programs are:
- The Richard and Virginia Hunsaker Scholarship Prize is an annual scholarship awarded to about eight incoming newcomers with amounts ranging from $4,000 to full cost. The selection criteria include academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, school and community involvement, and financial need. This award can be combined with any Redlands Achievement Scholarship.
- The Achievement Award is given to students with superior academic achievement and demonstrated leadership, school, and community involvement. Recipients get as much as $30,000 in award amount per year.
Call the Financial Aid office at 909.748.8047 for more information.
San Jose State University
The San José State University Spartans women’s golf team is notable for its three NCAA championship titles, 17 conference championships, and 37 All-America honors. The men’s team is successful with one NCAA championship title, ten conference championships, and two NCAA individual champions. The notable Spartan alumni include Arron Oberholser, Ken Venturi, and Danielle Ammaccapane.
Spartan golfers can access the numerous scholarship opportunities at SJSU. The in-state tuition and fees start at $7,852 (full-time undergraduate tuition is $5,742 and corresponding fees are $2,110), with non-California residents paying an additional $396/unit. This is an excellent value for your money – you get a high-quality education at an affordable price, especially if you get a scholarship.
SJSU’s Financial Aid and Scholarship Office manage three types of scholarships.
- The campus-based scholarships, known as Spartan Scholarships, are offered by the university every academic year. The applications for AY 2021-2022 will be accepted starting in January 2021. Students who have been approved for a Spartan Scholarship are notified by email.
- The various academic departments within SJSU award department-based scholarships. These scholarships have specific criteria, application processes, and deadlines, so be sure to contact the concerned department.
The College of Social Sciences scholarships, for example, include Les Francis Scholarship for Civic Education and SJSU Alumni Association Dean’s Scholarships.
There may be separate policies for athletic grant-in-aid scholarships, as mandated by the NCAA and the university. Student-athletes may receive full scholarships covering tuition and fees, room and board, and required textbooks. They are awarded by the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (FASO) with the head coach’s recommendation and the Director of Athletics’ approval.
Contact John Kennaday, the golf program’s head coach, at 924-1251 or email him at john.kennaday@sjsu.edu
University of California – Los Angeles
The UCLA Bruins men’s golf team only has two NCAA Championships to its name, but it’s considered a force in college golf due to its strong standing. From its ranks came well-known names in the professional golf circuit, including Patrick Cantlay, Scott McCarron, and Corey Pavin.
If you’re looking for a strong chance at a golf scholarship, you must try UCLA! It has a solid financial aid program designed to provide students from diverse backgrounds to acquire first-rate education. In fact, about 30% of its revenues from tuition and fees are allocated for financial aid, including to its student-athletes.
Furthermore, UCLA has its Gold and Blue Plan intended for students with identified financial need. Students from families with annual income below $80,000 pay zero tuition.
Undergraduates can also receive grants and aids that cover nearly all, if not all, of their tuition and fees, thanks to a generous stacking program. Many undergraduates are also on the Pell Grant program.
Golfers can also vie for the athletic scholarships awarded based on their combined academic and athletic ability instead of their financial need. The UCLA Athletic department generally funds these scholarships through ticket sales, corporate partnerships, and private donations. The university awards about 285 full athletic scholarships to its student-athletes, including golfers, and these cover tuition, fees, room, and board.
Interested in being recruited as Bruins? You can contact a UCLA coach via email or telephone, as well as submitting a recruiting questionnaire. You may also contact Shana Wilson, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Communications, at swilson@athletics.ucla.edu or call at 310-206-7870.
Purdue University
The Purdue Boilermakers are making their marks at the NCAA Division and Big Ten Conference. While they have only won one NCAA national team championship, they have 12 Big Ten Conference championships. Their alumni include Rick Dalpos and Shiv Kapur.
Boilermaker golfers can apply for scholarships with varying amounts, mostly based on academic and athletic merit, while many are also based on financial need. These scholarship programs are designed to provide students with the opportunity to complete their studies and compete in events with less financial worries.
There are plenty of scholarships programs to choose from, including:
- The Purdue Black Alumni Organization Roger Blalock Scholarship comes with a $1,000 award for each recipient. Applicants must be of African or Hispanic descent and with at least a 2.80 GPA.
- The Mortar Board Fellowship Awards gives out $2,500 per student with exceptional academic standing and community service. Applications are available in January with a deadline in early March.
- The NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship is open to members of ethnic minorities and women who will be pursuing a postgraduate degree in any sports-related field. The award is for $6,000 for each student.
- The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is open to final-season student-athletes who plan on enrolling in a graduate program. The award amount is $7,500 for each recipient. The application deadline is mid-May.
- The Jim McKay Scholarship Program gives $10,000 for every scholar chosen based on his/her potential contribution to sports communication.
Check out this page, too, for information on financial aid.
University of Tulsa
While the Golden Hurricane women’s golf team was at its strongest during the 1970s, it’s still a force to be reckoned with today. The team has four national championships and 12 conference championships. Golfers like Nancy Lopez, Kathy Baker, and Melissa McNamara once called the University of Tulsa their second home.
Among the best things about being a Golden Hurricane member: You have a strong chance of attending TU on a partial ride, even a full ride! TU currently offers a full complement of scholarships, with about 83% of its student-athletes receiving athletic scholarships.
There are many other scholarships to choose from on TU as well. Be sure to ask the head coach or a financial aid staff about the possibility of stacking endowed scholarships with merit-based academic and athletic scholarships.
Golden Hurricane golfers can apply for these endowments:
- Brett and Charles Myers Men’s Golf Scholarship Endowment Fund
- Robert Laird Men’s Golf Scholarship Endowment Fund
- Athletic Legacy Scholarship Endowment Fund
- Nick and Barbara Allen Athletic Scholarship Endowment Fund
- James W. Bishop, Jr. Endowed Scholarship for Student-Athletes
- John Charvat/Brunswick Corporation Athletic Scholarship Fund
- Wally Branstetter Scholarship Endowment Funds for Student-Athletes
- Jack and Moon Canon Endowed Scholarship for Student-Athletes
- Brandon Diles Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund
There are also university scholarships for incoming first-year students, transfer, and current students. These include the Presidential Scholarship, the TU Academic Scholarship, the TU Commitment Award, and the International Leadership Scholarship.
Admission and scholarship queries can be addressed to The University of Tulsa, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104, or email them at admission@utulsa.edu or call them 918-631-2307 or toll-free 1-800-331-3050.
Duke University
The Duke Blue Devils women’s golf team is undoubtedly the most successful of all the athletic teams since 2000. The lady golfers have won seven national championships and 13 consecutive ACC championships. The likes of Jenny Chuasiriporn and Brittany Lang have played for the Blue Devils.
The student-athletes at Duke University must meet exacting academic and athletic standards. Indeed, they must be willing and able to comply with their academic load requirements and contribute to the Duke community.
The golf team’s head coach must inform the Office of Admissions about the applicants for athletic scholarships and other grants and aids. The Office of Admissions will then inform the applicant through a formal letter about her admission to the scholarship program.
Student-athletes may also apply for other forms of assistance. The Undergraduate Financial Aid Office typically created a customized aid package for applicants, and these aid packages include grant funds and self-help. The self-help fund consists of subsidized, low interest, deferred payment loans combined with work-study eligibility.
Florida Southern College
The Moccasins women’s team has four championships, while the men’s team has 13 NCAA national championships. Both teams have individual national champions, including Rocco Mediate, Jeff Klauk, and Lee Janzen.
Golfers of Florida Southern College enjoy many benefits, including scholarships and aid based on athletic talent, academic merit, and financial need, among other factors. The university provides more than $51 in grants and aid every year!
Student-athletes, including golfers, can also apply for two or more of the numerous scholarship programs at FSC. The merit scholarships are open to all students with notable academic achievements and with full-time enrollment status.
The most notable scholarships programs and their amounts include:
- E.T Roux Scholarship ($5,000-$8,000/year)
- Edna Mae Pearce Lockett Scholarship ($7,000-$11,500/year)
- Emilie E. Watson Scholarship ($11,000-$17,000/year)
- Lucius P. Ordway Scholarship ($10,000-$15,000/year)
- Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer Scholarship ($12,500-$21,000/year)
The university also has faith-based scholarships and departmental scholarships that student-athletes should look into.
Daytona State College
The Falcons and Lady Falcons golf program has produced the likes of Tiffany Chan and Pat Meyers. In recent news, three Lady Falcons were recognized with the 2018-2019 All-American Scholars by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA). This is recognition of their strong academic and athletic achievements.
Indeed, being a Lady Falcon is no mean feat! But it’s possible with the help of scholarships – there’s less financial pressure. The Daytona State College offers a wide range of scholarship programs, including:
- The S-STARS Scholarship is a full in-state tuition scholarship program open for STEM students, among other criteria.
- The L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series Scholarship with award amounts of $1,000/recipient.
- The William H. Murray Memorial Scholarship, a merit-based and need-based grant.
As with all athletic and academic scholarships, student-athletes must maintain their grades and actively participate in their sports. It’s a challenge to balance study and practice, but it’s possible, and you don’t need to look far for inspiration.
