College golf’s competitive landscape is changing dramatically, especially in women’s Division 1, where the days of a few powerhouse programs dominating are long gone.
Seven different teams have won the NCAA D1 Women’s Golf Championship in the past eight years. That’s the same number of winners as in the previous 20 years combined.
The men’s side tells a similar story. Only two programs have managed back-to-back titles since the mid-1980s, and we’ve seen different champions in each of the last 10 years.
So what’s behind this shake-up?
“It’s really about the money,” says Justin Silverstein, women’s golf head coach at USC. “About 10-15 years ago, the top 10 schools got pretty much all the best players. But that’s changed.”
The big difference? Football money. Schools started taking some of those profits and pouring them into their golf programs. They built better facilities, upgraded practice areas, and could suddenly afford to recruit internationally.
“Now we’ve got maybe 40 schools that could win it all,” Silverstein explains. “The talent’s spread out more evenly. That’s made it harder to win – but better for the sport.”
Division 1 is still where you’ll find most future pros. These programs are incredibly demanding, with expectations through the roof.
Just ask Thomas Sutton, associate head coach at Arizona State University: “We came in second a couple years ago and I still haven’t gotten a ‘congratulations.’ That’s the level. It’s like ‘You lost in the finals? Maybe next year.'”
Division 2 offers a different path. These schools balance academics and athletics more evenly, with less pressure and intensity. While some D2 players have made it big – like PGA Tour winners Lee Janzen and Rocco Mediate – it’s pretty rare.
The numbers tell the story: Most D1 schools won’t even look at players averaging over 72 in high school. D2 programs might consider someone shooting 74.
But here’s the thing about choosing between D1 and D2: bigger isn’t always better.
“I had the best four years of my life at a smaller school because it was the right fit for me,” Sutton reflects. “If I’d gone to ASU, I probably wouldn’t have played much. It’s about finding where you belong.”
The future looks bright for college golf. More schools competing at the highest level means more opportunities for players – and more exciting championships for fans.
