There are approximately 226,000 high school golfers. Of those 226,000, only 11,000 of those golfers go on to play golf in college. And of those 11,000 golfers, only 1.5 to 2 percent of those 11,000 play Division I golf. What can we conclude from this? Golf is one of the most difficult sports to compete in at the college level. As a former lower tier Division I/higher tier Division II college golf recruit, these statistics alone made my chances near impossible for me to compete at the college level. However, my chances to play in college became more and more possible with the amazing opportunity known as Club Golf.
I know you might be asking yourself, what is Club Golf? Under the governing body of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA), Club Golf is a way for non-varsity golfers to stay competitive through two-day regional tournaments. Over 250 colleges have teams all across the nation and Club Golf is growing every single day. Any undergraduate or graduate student can play in these tournaments and the competition is surprisingly similar to that of regular collegiate tournaments. I have met people that were former college recruits, high school stars, even people that have just learned to play the game that are now looking to compete at a very high level.
I am entering my third tournament season at UCF. Discovering Club Golf at my university was probably one of the best things I've done in my college career. In the three semesters I have been a part of UCF, the Club Golf team has doubled its size and the competition is becoming even more stiff. Even though practice is not as enforced when it comes to regular collegiate varsity sports, it motivates me to practice as much as I can to stay on top of my game.
Golf is a huge part of my life. After college, there is a likely chance that I will be turning pro. Although that's three years from now, I am getting closer and closer to that goal with the amount of competition I face each and every day. Club Golf is just as competitive as any other collegiate golf tournament, and sometimes, the people I play are even better than what some realize.
Tournament season is coming around again; my teammates have gotten better and the competition is only getting tougher. Club Golf has me wanting to stay on top of my game, encourages personal growth and, truth be told, my college experience wouldn't be the same without it.
