The Comprehensive Guide to College Golf Scholarships
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
Golf scholarships are real, and they’re available at multiple levels of college competition. However, many families feel like they don’t have enough information to really pursue them.
Our comprehensive guide aims to fix that.
Whether you're a junior golfer just starting to think about college or a parent trying to understand how this process works, you'll leave here with a clear picture of what golf scholarships exist, who qualifies for them, and what you need to do to put yourself in a position to earn one.
What Are Golf Scholarships, and Who Offers Them?
A golf scholarship is financial aid awarded to a student-athlete specifically for their golf ability. Scholarships can cover tuition, room and board, books, or some combination of those costs, depending on both the school and the offer.
Not every college golf program offers scholarships. The type of scholarship available depends entirely on the division the school competes in.
D1 Golf Scholarships: D1 golf scholarships are available, but each team has a limit. Starting in the 2025 - 26 season, all teams have access to nine total scholarships. This includes both men’s and women’s teams alike. However, it’s important to note that coaches may still divide scholarships among the 9 players, and the increased scholarship count may reduce the number of walk-on spots on each team. However, it’s crucial to note that just because a university may have nine scholarships to give out, that does not mean that they always have the funding needed to distribute all nine scholarships.
D2 Golf Scholarships: D2 programs can offer athletic scholarships as well. Men's D2 teams are capped at 3.6 scholarships. Women's D2 teams are capped at 5.4. Similar to the D1 level, coaches can choose to offer partial D2 golf scholarships as they see fit.
D3 Golf Scholarships: D3 programs do not offer athletic scholarships. Period. That does not mean D3 is financially inaccessible; there are still other scholarships, financial aid, and grants available to help D3 athletes pursue their college golf dreams.
NAIA and NJCAA: These programs can offer athletic scholarships and often have more flexibility in how they distribute them. They are worth including on any school list, especially for players who are still developing their game.
Women's Golf Scholarships: More Opportunity Than You’d Think
Women's golf scholarships are available at every level that offers athletic aid, and female junior golfers are often in a better position to earn one than they realize.
As of the 2025-26 season, women’s D1 golf programs have 9 scholarships available per team. This is an increase from 6 scholarships per team in previous seasons. Those 3 extra scholarships can make a big difference when you are choosing schools and figuring out how to pay for college.
There is also a notable situation specific to the women's game worth knowing about: women's golf scholarships go unused at some programs every year. In fact, a 2018 study in the Archives of Sports Medicine determined that around 5 - 9% of women’s golf scholarships go unused each year. That’s between $2 - $3.6 million per year.
The fact is that coaches have money to spend but not enough qualified recruits to pursue.
Golf scholarships for females exist across D1, D2, and NAIA programs, and the competition for them is less intense than in the men's game at most levels outside the elite tier. If you're a female junior golfer, your job is to get in front of those coaches early and make it easy for them to say yes.
Golf Caddy Scholarships: A Separate Path Worth Knowing
Golf scholarships for caddies are a separate category entirely, and they are not connected to the athletic recruiting process.
Several foundations award scholarships specifically to caddies who meet academic and service criteria. The most well-known programs include those run by the Evans Scholars Foundation and similar organizations. These scholarships are competitive, merit-based, and in some cases provide full tuition and housing.
If a junior golfer has caddy experience, these programs are worth researching alongside the athletic recruiting path. They are not mutually exclusive.
How to Get a Golf Scholarship: What the Process Actually Looks Like
Getting a golf scholarship is the outcome of a well-executed recruiting process.
Coaches hand out golf scholarships based on merit. That means that they’re looking at the combination of tournament results, recruiting profiles, direct outreach, and ongoing communication that happens over months or years. Only at the end of this process will coaches begin the scholarship conversation.
Here is what you need to do:
Know your level. The first step in earning a golf scholarship is being honest about where your game projects at the college level. A player targeting D1 scholarship money needs to demonstrate a scoring average and handicap index that is competitive with current D1 rosters. Many of the students who miss out on golf scholarships are chasing the wrong division level.
Build a school list that reflects reality. Colleges with golf scholarships span the D1 and D2 levels. Your list should include stretch programs, realistic fits, and safety schools with scholarship potential at each tier. 30-50 schools is the right range.
Create your recruiting materials. Coaches need information to make decisions. Your recruiting profile should include your tournament results, highlights from recent months, GPA, and test scores. A golf-specific Instagram page with highlight clips has also become a standard part of how recruits get noticed.
Start outreach before you think you need to. The NCAA prohibits D1 and D2 coaches from replying to emails before June 15 after a recruit's sophomore year. Coaches can read those emails, though. Players who reach out early and follow up consistently are the ones who stay on coaches' radars when scholarship money becomes available.
Follow up. One email is not a recruiting strategy. The recruits who earn golf scholarships for college are almost always the ones who have built a systematic, follow-up email process.
Learn more about the Athlos plan, an 8-step recruiting technique that has seen us place 60+ students and counting in their ideal college golf programs.
What Coaches Look for Before Awarding a Golf Scholarship
At the end of the day, scholarship decisions come down to two questions: can this player help our team, and can this player get into our school?
Golf ability answers the first question. Coaches look at your scoring average in competition, your tournament results at junior events, and the trajectory of your game. Coaches also need to see how you perform when something is on the line.
Academic standing answers the second question. A coach cannot offer scholarship money to a player who can't gain admission. At many D1 and D2 programs, athletic recruiting and academic admissions are separate processes. If your GPA and test scores are in a range where you can get in on your own, then you’ll be making the coach’s job a lot easier when it comes time for schools to award those scholarship dollars.
Beyond those two factors, coaches are looking at character, coachability, and whether a player will contribute to team culture over four years. That read happens through every interaction you have with a program, from your first email to your campus visit. Be professional throughout the entire college recruiting timeline to maximize your changes of receiving one of the nine available scholarships.
Named Golf Scholarships Worth Knowing About
Athletic scholarships through college programs are the most direct route for junior golfers pursuing financial aid. But they aren't the only route.
A range of foundations, organizations, and individuals have established named scholarships specifically for golfers or golf-connected students. Some are national. Some are regional. Some target players. Others target caddies, pro shop workers, or students who simply love the game. A few are women-specific.
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are among the most recognized programs in the space. Verify details and deadlines directly with each organization before applying, as award amounts and requirements can change year to year.
The Evans Scholarship (Chick Evans Scholarship)
What it is: Full tuition and housing scholarship for golf caddies, valued at more than $125,000 over four years. The largest caddie scholarship program in the country was founded in 1930.
Who it is for: High school seniors or college freshmen who have caddied for a minimum of two years, demonstrate financial need, hold above a B average in college prep courses, and show outstanding character.
Restrictions: Recipients must attend one of approximately 28 eligible universities and live in Evans Scholars Foundation housing on campus.
Apply: wgaesf.org
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program
What it is: Leadership-based scholarship for high school student-athletes across all sports. 20 awards of up to $20,000 each per year.
Who it is for: High school seniors entering college with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are active in sports and demonstrate leadership, community impact, and academic achievement. Financial need is considered.
Restrictions: Not golf-specific. Foot Locker employees and their immediate family members are ineligible.
Sara Scholarship
What it is: $2,500 per year (renewable for up to four years) for female high school seniors with some connection to golf. At least 12 scholarships are awarded annually.
Who it is for: Female high school seniors with a minimum 3.3 GPA, demonstrated financial need, and any active involvement in golf. Playing ability is not a requirement.
Apply: sarascholarship.org
LPGA Foundation Chevron Changing the Face of Golf Scholarship
What it is: Five scholarships of $2,500 per year, renewable for four years ($10,000 total per recipient), for female minority students pursuing STEM degrees in college.
Who it is for: Female high school seniors from underrepresented minority backgrounds pursuing a STEM-focused course of study at an accredited U.S. college or university.
Chevron Dinah Shore Golf Scholarship
What it is: Two scholarships of $2,500 per year, renewable for four years ($10,000 total per recipient), honoring the legacy of women's golf advocate Dinah Shore.
Who it is for: Female high school seniors pursuing a college education who will not be playing collegiate golf.
First Tee College Scholarship Program
What it is: Need- and merit-based scholarship of up to $20,000 for active First Tee participants, including mentorship and professional development support.
Who it is for: High school seniors who are registered and active in a First Tee chapter, have a minimum 3.3 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and show community involvement.
Restrictions: Must be an active, documented First Tee member. Recipients must attend the Pre-College Retreat and the annual Winter Workshop.
Apply: firsttee.org
Bobby Chapman Junior Golf Foundation Scholarship
What it is: $1,500 per year (renewable for up to four years) for high school seniors, funded by sponsors of the Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational in Spartanburg, SC.
Who it is for: Any high school senior applying through their guidance office. Golf participation is not required. Selection is based on academics, character, and financial need.
Restrictions: Applications must be submitted through a high school guidance office.
Apply: spcf.org/bc-scholarship
Start Now
The scholarship money exists. The programs are out there. The gap between players who earn scholarships and players who don't usually comes down to who started early, who reached out to the right programs, and who had a process behind their outreach.
If you're not sure where to start or whether your game is at the right level, that is exactly the kind of conversation we have with families every week.
Reach out to us if you’re ready to begin your college golf recruiting journey.
