Scholarship

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wulsy

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My son has found a belated interest in the game and is improving pretty rapidly (he is 16 years old). He would like to study in the US and combine it with golf. He is pretty/very good academically so it would need to be combined with a course which would be relevant for industry/commerce on completion as he is not interested in pursuing golf professionally.

What is the minimum golfing standard required for a decent scholarship at a good US College/University and how is this generally measured? As he has "started" late he will not have a great golfing CV with respect to national and international level tournaments, but should still reach a HCP of scratch. Is it still possible to pursue this nevertheless?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
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Kevin Shields

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He's got the foreigner part down already. They have a better chance than kids from the U.S. for whatever reason. I'm no expert but I don't think they care about his handicap. I would think its all tournament results. Maybe a combo academic scholarship with some golf thrown in.
 
mgranato

mgranato

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Every large to medium to small to really small college/university in the states has a golf team. And as Kevin noted, if he has an accent, he will find a roster spot. I would suggest narrowing down the list by geographic region you/he'd like him to live in, and then start looking at the schools by what they offer academically that interests him.
 
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Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
This situation is really funny. Take for example a kid that plays the home course of a college up the road, the kid is a plus 2 handicap, reigning city junior champ, but his family didn't cart him around the US playing AJGA. The college brings in some kid from Sweden, beautiful swing, local kid gives him 3 a side, local college still won't talk to him.

Happens everyday. So yeah, wulsy, just tell every college coach you're from England and presto! More college offers than you can shake a stick at.
 
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Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
This is a true story: I contacted a college about a girl I was coaching, a high 70's low 80's player that worked really hard, college coach was a complete douche, wanted nothing to do with me, her or anybody from the States. A few weeks later, I created a fake email address uploaded a couple of her swings sent the link to the guy, said she was a promising player from Scotland, gave him the same stats, same scores, same height and weight.

I got an email back within the afternoon and the coach was extremely interested and wanted to set something up to meet her immediately.

I would love to be a college golf coach, I think I would be pretty good at it, especially recruiting, simply because I would tap in to untapped resources...
 
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OLIVER1

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Fascinating and a little sad.
It would be interesting to see what would happen, if Europe had such a great college system, if American students got a better look relative to the locals
 
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OLIVER1

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And Wulsy, is the college system in Europe still no better than when i left some 14 years ago? It'll never be as good as the system in the States, granted, but no improvement in all that time seems hard to fathom.
Maybe you should open your own school in the Meditteranean area. Those places could do with some foreign income right about now and I've a feeling you could be brill at that sort of a thing.
 
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johnnymac2201

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I don't think that the European college system is any worse than the US system, it's just that they don't have the athletic departments that US colleges have. I doubt if anybody gets a scholarship to Cambridge or Oxford for playing golf, soccer, or even being on their famous rowing teams.

I wonder if there is any sort of financial incentive for US schools to take foreigners over locals?
 
mgranato

mgranato

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Pull out any media brochere for a state side university... they love advertising an international student body. Their non-profitable sports teams are doing are just doing same thing. Some feel it demonstrates a more well-rounded college atmosphere.

I blame soccer. :) When I was finishing school, the soccer coaches had already figured out that players who've played the sport since birth were probably a better bet than the kids who just played a couple years in high school. Then the tennis coaches caught on. I think the on-field advantages of international recruiting is by and large sport specific, and I think it is over done by some sports and programs.
 
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Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
Leo, I don't know. I have heard that the assumption is they more readily appreciate the opportunity and will work harder and dedicate themselves more to their sport because they do not have interferences of family and friends close by. Who knows, those are just some things I have been told.
 
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cwdlaw223

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wulsy said:
My son has found a belated interest in the game and is improving pretty rapidly (he is 16 years old). He would like to study in the US and combine it with golf. He is pretty/very good academically so it would need to be combined with a course which would be relevant for industry/commerce on completion as he is not interested in pursuing golf professionally.

What is the minimum golfing standard required for a decent scholarship at a good US College/University and how is this generally measured? As he has "started" late he will not have a great golfing CV with respect to national and international level tournaments, but should still reach a HCP of scratch. Is it still possible to pursue this nevertheless?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Click to expand...

That's easy. Win (or finish high) in AJGA events. That's where college coaches recruit because it's the way they can measure a kid against good competition. Your high school record is almost meaningless (and you're presumed to get top 10 at states if you're good) If you son doesn't show well in those events he won't get a D-1 scholarship. D-3 schools have kids that shoot 75-78 as a stroke average and make the travel team. D-1 is probably closer to 70-73 stroke average to make the travel team.
 
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cwdlaw223

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Colleges want foreigners because they're so concerned about "diversity" scores for U.S. News World Rankings. Golf is a sport that has a fair amount of foreigners that can play (unlike USA Football - maybe a couple Germans on U.S. military bases). It's all about the AJGA production unless you know someone or have killer grades (ex. 4.0) for D-1 schools. There's that much competition now in every sport. There's no longer a huge knowledge gap in sports because of the internet.
 
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OLIVER1

New
Interesting.
Maybe in the upper echelons of talent the schools will take anybody - mainly U.S kids, where their golfing achievements are more keenly understood and relativised; - however, in the mid to lower tiers of ability, where sits dramatically more young golfers, maybe U.S schools will prefer foreigners who pay a bit more to go.
In the final analysis, I'm sure it's all about money...It always is, isn't it?

If your kid gets into a U.S school, Wulsy, he can be guaranteed of a great time and a welcoming atmosphere from the Americans. I speak from experience
 
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birly-shirly

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I've got nothing helpful to add as to how to get a scholarship in the US - but just wanted to say that you must be proud Wulsy. Your boy's just starting out in life as a scratch handicap AND he's bright. You must have been doing something right. Nice one.
 
Burner

Burner

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tongzilla said:
Jared- that's f--ked up. What is it about foreign golfers that make them so desirable?
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Embryonic Ryder Cup winners who might be persuaded to jump ship to the US.
images
 
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DCgolf

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i recruited for a while some years ago. AJGA is the biggest criteria, national amateur rank, and what have they won? They care not about school matches or resumes, just competitive results. Like one guy said to me "if a kids any good, we probably have heard of him".
 
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