To succeed in professional golf is extremely difficult. Golf, however, may serve as a path to excellent education and why not get this at an American university. “Successful professional golfers are only a few dozen. On the other hand, there are millions successful lawyers and doctors,” says David Carter and adds a few instructions on how to draw the attention of overseas universities.

Playing golf well does not mean that you get a full scholarship straight away. “It is essential to have good academic results and grades and, of course, a good command of English,” says David Carter who has very close contacts with two American universities – one in Boston and one in Minnesota. No wonder he knows what he is talking about.

The personality of the player is also very important according to David Carter. “Universities tend to choose students who get on well with other people and are good team players. They are also interested in their work ethic; the game itself comes last. To sum up, one must have a whole complex of qualities to succeed,” says the English professional.

Do not wait until they address you. Be active

Thanks to the Internet, the university golf team coaches access information about players from around the world much easier. American universities are therefore on the lookout for talented players in all possible corners of the world. If you want to draw their attention to yourself, do not wait and contact a few universities that you like the look of and would love to attend.

“They need good players and are constantly looking for them. At the same time they are searching for good students who will represent the school in all aspects. Do not hesitate and make contact with the chosen coach from the university you like and get active. Write to the coach briefly emphasising your qualities. They receive plenty of such e-mails; so do not overwhelm the coach with too much information. Just introduce yourself, write about your decision to choose this particular university and do not forget to mention your expectations,” says David Carter.

However, addressing the school is just the beginning of the long process which will hopefully lead to getting the scholarship. It is important to continue to maintain contact with the university. Keep informing them about your study performance and build a relationship with the coach. “Send him an email from time to time so that the coach knows how you are doing. The more aware he becomes of you, the greater the chance is that everything will turn out well,” he says.

Later, the university scouts travel to see their selected players. They often travel far beyond the borders of the United States – they visit Europe or go as far as Korea. It is much more difficult for boys to get a scholarship than girls though. The number of Czech female amateurs who are studying overseas proves it. For more details, please read the interview with David Carter.

Do not leave the choice of school to the very last moment

It is important not to wait too long while choosing your university. David Carter says that it is ideal to start addressing universities at sixteen, seventeen at the latest. So, choose the right university far in advance.

“Ask other players who are already studying in America and play golf there. Look for university forums and get as much information about the nature of individual universities as possible. Some schools are very good academically, whilst others are more focused on sports. The key to success is to choose the right one. I also recommend going overseas and check the university out in person,” says Carter.

“Studying in the United States is an amazing opportunity – children learn English, get to know a different culture, meet different people from various countries. Such an environment is perfect for their personal development,” concludes David Carter.

To get advice about how to obtain scholarships in American universities, please contact us by email at michaela@cartersgolf.com.