So You Want to Play College Golf

By Jeff Fisher

Most junior golfers who compete in summer tournaments do so with an eye towards playing college golf. However, few of them know what it really takes to move on to that next level.

Let’s look at some facts. In Division I 289 schools have Men’s teams and 232 have Women’s teams. For the men, each team is allowed 4.5 scholarships and on the women’s side 6.0. That is for the entire team. Not a lot when you consider many programs carry between 10 and 12 players.

So, how do you snag one of these spots? First of all, do your research. Go to the PING College Golf Guide www.collegegolf.com and you will find contact information for every coach at every school that plays college golf in the United States. Then, start early! If you are already starting your junior year in high school and have yet to send letters of introduction to college coaches, you are behind schedule. Once you do make contact, send the coaches updates on things like your upcoming tournament schedule and results.

The two things that are most important when it comes to looking at colleges is to first make sure you are contacting schools where you have a good chance of making the traveling roster. Nobody wants to be left behind on campus while the team travels to an event. And second, make sure you find an instructor who can help you devise and implement a plan to help you reach those goals.

At the OB Sports Golf Academy the five members of our 2010 senior class will all play Division I college golf in the fall. This summer our students have won AJGA events and qualified for big national events like the U.S. Junior Girls Championship, the U.S. Public Links and the U.S. Open. The road to college golf truly goes through the OB Sports Golf Academy!

If college golf is your goal, then do not wait any longer. Let us help you get on that track today!

OB Sports Golf Academy Director of Instruction Jeff Fisher can be reached at 480.414.9330 or jfisher@obsports.com.