The flow of international golfers seeking to combine the lecture hall and the “links” for further education in the USA shows no sign of abating and each year dozens of aspiring young golfers negotiate the college recruitment minefield to secure a placement likely to shape the rest of their lives.

The significance of the choices made along this journey can be daunting, choices that will determine appropriate academic demands and a suitable level of golfing competition, both crucial to a successful, and more importantly happy, collegiate career. Since this process is so challenging for the international student unfamiliar with the American collegiate system, he or she will often turn to one of many “recruitment agencies” to offer guidance from start to finish.

With experience acquired during my own stint as a student-athlete and almost three decades working closely with developing players, I have always been slightly sceptical towards such agencies and the pricey services they offer. While there are certainly many reputable service providers in this area, it is crucial that families of college prospects perform due diligence before committing as service quality can vary.

The account of a talented Norwegian junior golfer who put their trust in an agency based in the west of Scotland underlines that there can be pitfalls. The player, who was seeking a college placement for the summer of 2025, entered an agreement with the company in late 2023 and paid a hefty sum up front.

The communication flowed at the start of the association and the player received guidance to compile a CV and a short swing video early the following spring. Soon the interaction declined sharply and emails, messages and phone calls went unanswered for long periods, before finally in November 2024, the family sent written notice of termination and requested an equitable resolution to having paid handsomely for a service that was never received. Almost six months on, and despite repeated attempts to make contact, the family has received no response.

This young prospect was left in the lurch with time pressure building to secure a college placement but happily tackled the process themselves and with solid support and guidance from trusted members of their network, has been rewarded with an excellent offer from a NCAA Division I university.

A student-athlete pitched at the right level of sporting competition and an appropriate academic standard can enjoy an enriching life experience while opening doors to a future career, sometimes in the professional game, often elsewhere in the golf or sports industry. To achieve that perfect match, a more personal approach to contacting coaches may well be better received by the coach and emboldens the student by giving them ownership of the process itself. It will also avoid a costly scrape with an unreliable recruitment service.

For more information or advice in this important field, please feel free to make direct contact.

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