By Rex Grayner, SVP of Business Development, Hurricane Junior Golf Tour
If the only measure of success is a Division I logo, you will miss the best path in front of your child.
Parents fall into this trap all the time: believing Division I is the only road that validates their child’s hard work in junior golf. The problem is, that mindset narrows opportunity to a single doorway (the most crowded and competitive one) and dismisses programs where your son or daughter might actually thrive. Families who cling to “D1 or bust” often discover too late that their child spends years buried on a roster, loses confidence, or even walks away from the game they once loved. The good news is there’s another way forward. This article lays out what coaches themselves say it takes to succeed, why “best fit” always beats “biggest name,” and how today’s transfer portal has made the path more flexible than ever.
If you want reliable, practical guidance on helping your child navigate recruiting without blinders on, keep reading.
Why “best fit” beats “biggest name”
College golf is not about chasing a label, it’s about finding a place where your child can compete, grow, and graduate. I heard Illinois head coach Mike Small say in a recent interview with Dr. Rob Bell, “It’s your game and your education. Coaches provide structure, but players must accept responsibility.” That truth applies at every level.
The right fit means your child is being coached in a way they can learn, competing for real tournament reps, and living in an environment that supports both athletics and academics. Sometimes that’s a Division I program. But just as often, it’s Division II, III, NAIA, or NJCAA.
Parents often focus on visibility, but coaches care about development. James Madison head coach Carter Cheves put it plainly: he looks for players with an “obsession with improvement” and a positive approach. Those habits matter far more than the patch on your team bag.
The transfer portal changed everything
A decade ago, starting at a smaller school might have felt to some like settling. Not anymore. The NCAA transfer portal has rewritten the script, creating a new pathway for late bloomers or overlooked players to move up.
Division I coaches now recruit the portal heavily, looking for players who have proven they can compete and handle the college grind. University of Georgia head coach Chris Haack talked about this on a recent HJGT podcast episode. One of Coach Haack’s top players, Sungyeop Cho, began at Colorado Christian University, a Division II program. After earning Division II Ping All-American honors and the 2025 Gary Player International Golfer of the Year award, Cho transferred to Georgia and became an impact player in the SEC.
That story isn’t rare anymore. It’s the new reality. For today’s recruits, the portal is not a back door. It’s a second front door. Starting at a smaller program can be the launchpad, not the fallback. Families who ignore this miss out on opportunities where their child could play, improve, and ultimately climb.
What it actually takes to play college golf
Parents want the checklist, and coaches have been consistent on this. Here’s what matters most:
- Competitive fit: Compare your scoring average and tournament résumé to the current roster’s travel five. Look at the courses they play and the fields they face. Can your child realistically break through?
- Ownership: Alan Bratton, head coach at Oklahoma State, tells his players, “Take care of what’s right in front of you, stay in the moment, and be yourself.” That mindset travels well across every level.
- Player-led communication: College coaches want emails from players, not parents. Keep it short, share results, include video, and explain why the school is a fit. Follow up with real progress, not fluff.
- Habits and character: Coaches don’t recruit swings. They recruit competitors. How does your child handle a miss, bounce back from a tough round, or interact with playing partners? Those traits travel faster than résumés.
- Perspective: Choose a program that still makes sense if golf gets hard for a season. Academics, culture, and finances all matter.
The cost of chasing Division I only
Every year, I see the same story. A family locks in on a mid-major Division I program. The player is good enough to walk on but not strong enough to travel, so they sit for two years.
Meanwhile, a peer chooses a competitive Division II or NAIA school, cracks the lineup as a freshman, grows with tournament reps, and either builds a great career there or transfers up when ready.
One is chasing a logo. The other is building a career.
How to help your child take the next step
If your child wants to play in college, the first step is building a tournament schedule that proves competitive fit. Coaches need to see results on college-style setups, multi-day events from appropriate yardages, against solid fields.
Once that résumé is in place, expand the target list. Not five schools. Not eight. At least 20-30 programs across multiple divisions that match your child’s academics, budget, and goals. Mix stretch schools, match schools, and foundation schools where your player has a strong chance to travel right away.
And most importantly, take the pressure off the label. Division I is not the prize. The prize is finding the right environment where your son or daughter can play, improve, and graduate with doors wide open for the future.
Closing thought
If you walk away with anything, let it be this: college golf is about trajectory, not labels. A strong Division II or III program with the right coach, culture, and opportunities can be the perfect launchpad for a player who develops later or wants to transfer up. Coaches are watching. The portal is open. And your child’s best chance at success lies in choosing fit first, not chasing D1 at all costs. Ready to map out a schedule that shows coaches your child belongs? Register for your next events on the HJGT schedule.
