How to Research College Golf Teams

(Free Tools + Guide)

Understanding Best Fits For Your Scoring Average

Okay, so you’ve figured out your competitive average. You know generally what level you’re targeting. But now you’re staring at your laptop thinking: “How do I actually research college golf teams? Where do I even start?”

Because Googling “good D2 golf schools” gives you approximately one million results, most of which are recruiting services trying to charge you $2,000.

Let me save you some money and show you exactly how to research college golf teams yourself, using free tools that are easily accessed and used by college coaches.

Your New Best Friends: Golfstat & Clippd(And How to Use It)

If you’re wondering how to research such things as tournament results and scores for college golf teams, Golfstat and Clippd are your answers.

Tournaments and Live Scoring. Golfstat has live scoring for events. It’s free, updated constantly after every tournament, and will answer about 90% of your questions.

Here’s how to use Golfstat to research college golf teams:

Step 1: Go to Golfstat.com
Seriously, just type it in. There you will see scores for current and recent college events. You can pick a tournament for men or women and see the scores

Step 2: Select Event
Once you’ve selected an event you can Navigate to the event page you will see all the teams participating. You can then look at Team leaderboards, the Team/Player Leaderboard to show you how the players on a team scored, next is pairings, team/player stats, pairings and player leaderboard.

Step 3: Review Stats
You can look at how individual players performed at the event, and look more closely at how teams performed. You can gain insights into if a team is a strong team (all the players have good scores close together, or if there is some separation.

You can also get a sense for how difficult the course was by looking at team/player stats where they break down scoring on Par3’s ,Par4’s & Par5’s. It also has course stats to show you how the scoring was distributed on each hole for the course.

The NCAA Option Scoreboard by Clippd

The second option people navigate to for research is Scoreboard by Clippd. The NCAA recently transitioned it’s scoring to Clippd so you can see more in depth team data and sort by school, level, etc. It’s not fancy, but it’s the most comprehensive college golf database that exists.

Step 1: Available on Desktop or in App stores.
Navigate to the home page or download and open the app. We will use the desktop for this example.

Step 2: Navigate to “Teams & Players” then Teams
In the top navigation menu, click “Teams.” This will pull up the team database.

Step 3: Filter by Division and Gender
On the left sidebar, you can filter by: – Division (D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO) – Men’s or Women’s golf – Conference – State/Region

Step 4: Search for Specific Schools
If you have schools in mind, use the search bar. Type in the school name and their team page will pop up.

Step 5: What to Look at on Each Team Page
When you click on a team’s page, here’s what matters:

Team Scoring Average (Current Season): This tells you what the team collectively shoots. But don’t stop here—dig deeper.

• Individual Player Stats: Click on “Roster” to see each player’s: – Scoring average – Number of rounds played – Tournament results
• Tournament Results: Below that you will see “Events” to see: – Where they compete – How they place as a team – Individual performances in each tournament

Step 6: Compare Their Lineup to Your Scores
This is critical for learning how to research college golf teams effectively:
Look at their 4th and 5th players in the lineup. That’s your comparison point. If their 4th player averages 76 and you average 77, you’re competitive. If their 4th player averages 74 and you average 80, that’s a reach school.

How to Find College Golf Scores That Actually Matter

When you’re figuring out how to research college golf teams, you need to know WHICH scores to pay attention to.
Scores That Matter: ✅ Scoring averages from the current season ✅ Results from multi-day, 54-hole tournaments ✅ Rounds from courses over 6,200 yards ✅ Competitive tournament play (not qualifying rounds)
Scores to Ignore: ❌ Practice round scores ❌ One-off great rounds that are outliers ❌ Rounds from super-short or easy courses ❌ Results from 3+ years ago
Pro Tip on Finding College Golf Scores:
Look at their fall AND spring seasons. Some teams have totally different lineups between seasons as players develop or transfer. You want the full picture.

College Golf Team Stats That Tell the Real Story

Beyond just scoring average, when you research college golf teams, look at these stats:
Team Depth:
How many players do they travel with? If they only bring 5 players to every tournament and those same 5 players have been in the lineup for 2 years, it’s going to be hard to break into the travel squad.

If they rotate 7-8 players? Way more opportunity.

Scoring Spread:
What’s the gap between their #1 player and their #5 player?

• Narrow spread (3-4 strokes): Very competitive depth. Hard to make the lineup.
• Wide spread (6-8 strokes): More opportunity for development players.

Tournament Schedule:
How many tournaments do they play per semester? More tournaments = more opportunities to compete and improve.
Where do they play? Regional tournaments? National invitationals? Playing in higher-level events means better competition.

Low Rounds:
Check each player’s low round. If the 5th player’s low round is 72 but their average is 77, that shows potential. The coach believes in developing players, not just recruiting finished products.

How to Compare College Golf Programs Side by Side

Once you’ve identified 10-15 schools, here’s how to compare college golf programs systematically:
Create a Spreadsheet with These Columns:
1. School Name
2. Division Level
3. Team Scoring Average
4. #4 Player Scoring Average
5. #5 Player Scoring Average
6. My Scoring Average
7. Where I’d Fit (likely travel player, bubble player, or redshirt candidate)
8. Number of Tournaments Per Year
9. Scholarship Budget (D1/D2/NAIA only)
10. Academic Requirements
11. Location
12. Cost After Aid

Color Code Your Target List:

• Green (Target Schools): Your scores fit perfectly in their 4-5 spot
• Yellow (Reach Schools): You’d be at the bottom of the lineup but competitive
• Blue (Safety Schools): You’d be at the top of their lineup

You want a balanced list: 3-4 target schools, 2-3 reach schools, 2-3 safety schools.

Beyond Scoreboard: Other Free Tools to Research College Golf Teams

1. School Athletic Websites
   Go directly to each school’s athletics website. Look for: – Roster with bios (where players are from, what they shoot) – Coach bio (background, coaching philosophy) – Team stats and results – Recruiting questionnaire or contact form
2. Social Media (Instagram, Twitter/X)
   Follow the team accounts. You’ll see: – Team culture and vibes – How often they post (engaged program vs. not) – Player personalities – Tournament updates
   Follow individual players too. See if they seem happy. Check if they’re improving.
3. Golf Rankings Sites
   • Golfweek/USA Today Rankings: See where teams rank nationally
   • Junior Golf Scoreboard: If you’re competing in junior tournaments, see which colleges recruit from those events
   • WAGR (World Amateur Golf Ranking): For individual player rankings
4. NCAA Eligibility Center
   Not for research, but critical: register at eligibilitycenter.org if you’re targeting D1 or D2. Get your academic eligibility sorted EARLY.

The Scoreboard Deep Dive: Advanced Research Tips

Once you know how to use Scoreboard by Clippd for basic research, here are advanced strategies:

Tip #1: Check Multiple Seasons
Don’t just look at fall 2025 scores. Check spring 2025, etc. (NOTE -You may have to us school websites or Golfstat for historic information as Clippd only started recently tracking scores.) This shows: – Is the program improving or declining? – Are scores consistent or wildly different? – Did key players graduate? (Opportunity for you!)

Tip #2: Look at Tournament Difficulty
Click into individual tournament results. See: – How many teams competed? – What was the competition level? – What were the course conditions?
Winning a 6-team regional tournament is different than placing 5th at a 20-team national invitational.

Tip #3: Track Individual Player Development
Find a player who was a freshman 2 years ago. Track their scoring average progression: – Freshman year: 79 average – Sophomore year: 76 average – Junior year: 74 average
That shows the coaching staff develops players. That’s a GREEN FLAG.

Tip #4: Compare to Your Home State Competitors
See where players from your state went to school. Check their Golfstat results. If a girl from your high school league is now playing at X University and shooting similar scores to what she shot in high school, that’s a realistic target for you.

Red Flags When You Research College Golf Teams

Watch out for these warning signs:
🚩 No recent scores posted: Program might be inactive or not reporting results
🚩 Huge roster with only 5 players competing: Too much depth = hard to break into lineup
🚩 Massive turnover year over year: Players are transferring out. Why?
🚩 Coach recently changed: New coach = unknown culture and expectations
🚩 Scores declining over multiple seasons: Program is struggling
🚩 No freshmen or sophomores in lineup: They only recruit transfers or grad students

Green Flags When You Research College Golf Teams

These are GOOD signs:
✅ Consistent improvement in team scores over 2-3 years
✅ Players improving from freshman to senior year
✅ Mix of classes in the lineup (not just juniors and seniors)
✅ Active social media presence (engaged program)
✅ Competing in regional AND national tournaments
✅ Multiple players from your region (they recruit there)

How to Organize Your Research

Don’t just browse randomly. Be systematic about how to research college golf teams:
Week 1: Cast a Wide Net
Look at 30-40 schools across different divisions. Get a feel for the landscape.
Week 2: Narrow to 15-20 Schools
Based on scoring fit, location preferences, academic match, etc.
Week 3: Deep Dive on Top 10
Really dig into those Golfstat pages. Check multiple seasons. Look at every player’s progression.
Week 4: Create Target List
Finalize your list of 8-10 schools you’ll actively reach out to.
Ongoing: Update Based on Your Scores
As your scoring average changes (hopefully improves!), revisit your list. You might move from targeting D2 schools to reaching for D1 schools if you drop 3 strokes over junior year.

Action Steps: Start Researching This Week

Days 1 & 2: Learn Scoreboard by Clippd & Golfstat
Spend 2 hours just clicking around Scoreboard & Golfstat. Get comfortable with how to navigate, which one shows what information and how to find find college golf scores.

Days 3&4: Create Your School List
Based on your competitive average and location preferences, list 20-30 schools to research.

Day 5 to 7: Deep Dive Research
Use Clippd Scoreboard, Golfstat, school websites, and social media to research each program thoroughly.

Day 8: Build Your Spreadsheet
Organize all your research in one place with the comparison spreadsheet template above.

Days 9-10: Finalize Target List
Narrow down to 8-10 schools where you’re a realistic fit and genuinely interested.

The Bottom Line on How to Research College Golf Teams

Learning how to do research on college golf teams isn’t complicated, but it DOES take time. Budget 10-15 hours to do it right.
The payoff? You’ll know exactly where you fit, which schools to contact, and how to have informed conversations with coaches.
Because when you email a coach and say “I noticed your 4th player averages 76, and I’m currently averaging 76.5 in competitive tournaments,” that coach knows you did your homework.
And coaches notice players who do their homework.

Coming Up Next

Now you know what scores you need for college golf, and you know how to research college golf teams to find your fit.
Next up: the mental game nobody talks about. Because even when the numbers say you’re good enough, your brain might be screaming “YOU’RE A FRAUD.”
Let’s talk about dealing with imposter syndrome and self-doubt in college golf recruiting.

If you just found this page with a search, be sure to visit our main page for other tips on topics like creating a showcase video or golfing resume or getting input from a current college golfer.