Finding the Best College Golf Programs

For aspiring golfers, the prospect of playing at the college level is an exciting one, filled with opportunities for growth, competition, and camaraderie. Balancing academics with the demands of collegiate golf requires careful consideration, but the rewards can be immense, leading to unforgettable experiences and lifelong friendships. This article explores the landscape of college golf programs, offering insights into the recruiting process, different division levels, and highlighting some of the best colleges for men's golf programs, particularly in the Southeast Region.

Navigating the College Golf Recruiting Process

The journey to college golf begins long before signing a National Letter of Intent (NLI). It starts with envisioning where you want to spend your next four to five years. The women’s college golf recruiting process begins with your vision of where you see yourself thriving for four to five years. Before you sign your National Letter of Intent (NLI), it’s important to answer a few key questions. While NCAA women’s golf rankings, and really all golf rankings, aren’t everything, they do serve as a good indicator as to how competitive a school is, both in a recruitment and scholarship context. The more highly ranked the women’s college team is, the more women who typically want to play there. For men and women, it's a marathon, but it’s well worth it in the end when you sign your National Letter of Intent (NLI). Once the ink is dry, you’re ready to kick off the next step of your golf career at a new place to call home.

Scholarship Opportunities in Women's College Golf

Finding colleges with women’s golf scholarships is high on many players’ lists. Women’s golf scholarships can be found at every level of college golf except Division 3. There are other ways to supplement, or “stack,” scholarships, including academic scholarships, grants and financial aid, especially at D3 colleges.

Exploring Different Divisions in College Golf

With 996 colleges with women’s golf teams among five divisions, there are plenty of opportunities to play at the next level. Similarly, over 1,300 men’s college golf teams offer diverse levels of competition and academic focus. Understanding the nuances of each division is crucial for finding the right fit.

NCAA Division 1

NCAA Division 1 women’s golf schools offer a large range of options in regards to academics and school size.

NCAA Division 2

NCAA Division 2 women’s golf schools are not much different than Division 1 schools, though there is a higher probability of earning more scholarship money at this level. Division 2 golf schools with men’s programs are still a great place to look if you’re in the market for a competitive college golf career.

NCAA Division 3

NCAA Division 3 women’s golf schools offer plenty of playing opportunities, especially at colleges with excellent academic programs.

NAIA

Women’s NAIA golf schools are usually smaller schools, but don’t let the fewer number of programs deceive you - there are plenty of women’s golf scholarships available at this level. Women’s NAIA golf teams are also a great place for high school seniors to play if they had decided to join the recruiting process later than their peers.

NJCAA

Women’s NJCAA golf schools include community and junior colleges and provide the opportunity to train at a collegiate level with a higher chance of earning a golf scholarship before transferring to a larger, more competitive school. Men’s NJCAA Division 1 and Division 2 Golf Programs provide student-athletes with the highest probability of receiving scholarship money as well as an extra year to prepare for a traditional college golf team experience. Many golfers play on a NJCAA men’s golf team for one year and then transfer to an NCAA or NAIA program.

Top NJCAA Men's Golf Teams

The current top 10 Division 1 Men’s NJCAA golf teams are the following:

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Midland College
Central Alabama Community College
Hutchinson Community College
Odessa Community College
McLennan Community College
Indian Hills Community College
Eastern Florida State
New Mexico Junior College
Western Texas Community College
Iowa Western Community College

The current top 10 Division 2 Men’s NJCAA golf teams are the following:

South Mountain Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Glendale Community College
Parkland Community College
Mesa Community College
Kirkwood Community College
Iowa Central Community College
Tyler Junior College
Heartland Community College
Meridian Community College

Best Colleges for Men's Golf in the Southeast Region

For those specifically interested in the Southeast Region, several colleges stand out for their strong men's golf programs. These rankings consider factors like the overall quality of the school, athletic competitiveness, and athletic aid per student.

Wake Forest University: Our analysis found Wake Forest University to be the best school for Men’s Golf athletes in the Southeast Region in this year’s ranking. On the financial side of things, the Men’s Golf team at Wake Forest University made $1,050,757 in revenue. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Wake Forest University also claimed a spot on our overall quality list.
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College: A rank of #2 on our list means Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a great place for Men’s Golf athletes in the Southeast Region working on their bachelor’s degree. Louisiana State University is a public institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
University of Florida: You’ll join some of the best athletes around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #3 in this year’s ranking. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. The Men’s Golf team at UF brought home $43,890 in revenue in a single year. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our overall quality list.
Duke University: You’ll join some of the best athletes around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #4 in this year’s ranking. Duke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The Men’s Golf team at Duke brought home $791,801 in revenue in a single year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Clemson University: The excellent sports programs at Clemson University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for Men’s Golf athletes in the Southeast Region. Speaking financially, the Men’s Golf team at Clemson took home $797,672 in revenue. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. On top of its placing in this ranking, Clemson also did well on our overall quality list.
University of Virginia - Main Campus: University of Virginia - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region list. Speaking financially, the Men’s Golf team at University of Virginia took home $947,183 in revenue. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Auburn University: Auburn University did quite well in the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7. Auburn is located in Auburn, Alabama and, has a large student population. On the financial side of things, the Men’s Golf team at Auburn made $387,845 in revenue. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Auburn excels when it comes to quality.
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus: Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region list. Speaking financially, the Men’s Golf team at Georgia Tech took home $993,146 in revenue. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Emory University: Emory University did quite well in the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #9. Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. Emory brought in $401,224 while tallying up $289,962 in expenses for its Men’s Golf team. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Nova Southeastern University: Nova Southeastern University landed the #10 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. NUS Florida also claimed a spot on our overall quality list.
University of Georgia: With a ranking of #11, University of Georgia did quite well on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The Men’s Golf team at UGA brought home $97,786 in revenue in a single year. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Florida Institute of Technology: Florida Institute of Technology landed the #12 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. The Men’s Golf team at Florida Tech made $130,275 in revenue, while incurring $123,977 in expenses.
Rollins College: Rollins College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region list. Rollins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winter Park, Florida.
University of Mississippi: University of Mississippi came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. On the financial side of things, the Men’s Golf team at Ole Miss made $138,881 in revenue. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Rhodes College: Rhodes College landed the #15 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Berry College: Berry College did quite well in the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. The team at Berry took home $202,594 in revenue and paid out $144,451 in expenses in recent times. On top of its placing in this ranking, Berry also did well on our overall quality list.
Sewanee - The University of the South: With a ranking of #17, Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. Sewanee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sewanee, Tennessee. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Lee University: Lee University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking.
Oglethorpe University: Oglethorpe University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region list. Oglethorpe is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a small student population.
Lincoln Memorial University: Lincoln Memorial University landed the #20 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. LMU brought in $296,342 while tallying up $295,174 in expenses for its Men’s Golf team.
Lander University: Lander University landed the #21 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. Lander University brought in $574,506 while tallying up $474,395 in expenses for its Men’s Golf team. Thus, the team actually made $100,111, which isn’t bad at all.
LaGrange College: LaGrange College landed the #22 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking.
Newberry College: Newberry College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. Newberry College is located in Newberry, South Carolina and, has a small student population. Newberry College brought in $228,193 while tallying up $205,990 in expenses for its Men’s Golf team.
Guilford College: Guilford College landed the #24 spot on the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking. Guilford is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. The team at Guilford took home $167,057 in revenue and paid out $116,942 in expenses in recent times.
Young Harris College: Young Harris College did quite well in the Best Colleges for Men’s Golf in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #25. YHC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Young Harris, Georgia.

A Day in the Life of a College Golfer

Imagine a typical day as a college golfer in the spring season - you may have an early morning workout, interesting classes (that you get to choose!) and then golf practice the rest of the afternoon, all while hanging out with your teammates and classmates. Some of your weekends will be spent traveling to golf tournaments or playing qualifying rounds at your home course. Now imagine all that hard work paying off and coming home with a national team title. That’s a huge accomplishment on the golf side, and there are other areas of college life to look forward to as well.

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