Facts About Playing At The National Collegiate Athletic Association Level

According to Peter Sanders, creator of ShotByShot.com, a Stamford, Connecticut-based company that has analyzed more than 80,000 rounds of golf to determine the tendencies and habits of golfers at all levels, these are some of the standards your game has to meet if you expect to play at the college level:

  • On a 35-yard wide fairway, college golfers will hit the fairway about nine times in a typical round, or 64%.
  • They can fly the ball about 250 yards and produce an average ball speed of 160 miles an hour and a clubhead speed of 105 miles per hour with a driver. (boys)
  • They only hit the ball into severe trouble or out of play (OB, penalty or advancement situation) about once every 20 drives, or less than once per round.
  • NCAA players hit about 12.2 greens in regulation per round.
  • They make about three birdies per round, and their average birdie putt is 18 ft.
  • Their iron play is consistent. They find severe trouble (OB, water, unplayable) about once in every 10 rounds.
  • Their short-game skills are very strong. Greenside sand shots are played to within eight feet 48% of the time.
  • Three-putts are rare, about once every 35 holes played or on 3% of their total holes played.
  • They make 90% of their putts under three feet, and make 56% of their ‘scoring putts’ between four and 10 feet.
  • They get up-and-down 59% of the time within 50 yards, excluding sand shots and shots with a putter.

As you can see, playing golf at the NCAA Division 1 level is serious business. Those players who have the motivation, drive, courage and the will to get better, through coaching, good practice habits and patience, can achieve their dream of playing Division 1 golf. Good luck

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