College golf in the US: scholarships, daily life and who it is right for

When I moved to Nashville at 18 I did not know it would turn into five years. Today I say: college golf was the best decision of my career. Here is what you should know about the road.

How do you get a scholarship?

College coaches recruit internationally and they look at two things above all: your position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and your results at international events. Good grades and a solid language test matter too, because you apply to a university, not just to a team.

Contact starts early, often two years before the move. Videos, emails, campus visits. If you play in the national squad and compete internationally, you get seen. If you only play nationally, you have to approach coaches yourself.

Daily life: elite sport plus a degree

A typical day in Nashville: strength training early, lectures in the morning, golf in the afternoon, studying at night. Add travel to tournaments across the country, often with missed classes you catch up on yourself. The system forces you to set priorities and handle pressure. Exactly what you need later on tour.

What shaped me most: every week you play against women who all want to turn professional. The level in the top conferences is brutally high. My years in the SEC were the best stress test I could have wished for.

What college gives you that the tour does not

The degree. At Vanderbilt I studied psychology and the communication of science, then added a Master of Science in Finance. That is my safety net and at the same time my toolbox as an entrepreneur on tour.

Then there are the things that are hard to measure: a second home, native-level English, a network of teammates, coaches and alumni that lasts a lifetime.

Who is the road right for?

Honest answer: not everyone. If you already play at professional level at 18 and want to jump straight in, the college system may cost you years. But if you need time to develop, want an education or are simply not ready for tour life yet, college gives you both: world-class competition and a plan B.

I have not regretted the step for a single day. And if you are weighing it up right now: the FAQ answers the most common questions and for everything else there is the contact form.