Ryan Stolys | Nov. 19, 2024

Looking back on my time at Simon Fraser University (SFU) as a student-athlete on the golf team, I am very happy with the decision I made during the recruiting process to attend SFU. I was given the opportunity to compete in the NCAA DII for a competitive team aimed to compete for a national championship each year. I was able to study computer engineering and participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities that helped me develop skills that I use on a daily basis in my life post-SFU. 

Over the years I have often been asked the question, “How did I decide to attend SFU?”. Most often, I am asked by juniors aspiring to reach the next level or parents hoping to gain insight into the world of college golf recruiting that can be best described as confusing and complex. My experience with the recruiting process is fairly unique since I signed with SFU while it was going through a coaching transition, a situation that can often lead to horror stories of retracted commitments and stranded athletes worked out better than I could’ve asked. I wanted to play golf in the NCAA and study engineering, both of which SFU could offer at competitive levels and I had the added bonus of being able to stay in Canada and avoid international tuition fees. 

While the specific details of how each school goes through the recruiting process can vary, what remains constant are the things I believe should be considered when deciding where you want to play college golf. Below I have highlighted what I feel are the 5 most important things to consider, in order:

Program Philosophy & Culture

I consider the program philosophy to include things like the importance placed on school vs athletics, training time as a team vs individually, attendance requirements for team events and other team culture related things. In my experience, this is primarily driven by the Coach of the program but also influenced by the leadership on the team. 

When I was most happy to be part of the SFU team, I found myself in agreement with the philosophy that was defined. Similarly the opposite was true, when I was most frustrated with activities on the team, it was often a result of a disagreement with how the team was functioning. I think it is important to note that in most cases, as an athlete, you don’t get a say in this program philosophy and what is defined by the coaching staff is what you have to adhere to. Because of this lack of control, I feel that this is crucial to find alignment between your training philosophy and expectations and the team you are looking to join. 

Similar to philosophy is the team culture. While this is guided by the coach, it is ultimately adhered to by the athletes which enables you as an athlete on the team to influence it. These can include things such as how early the athletes show up for training, how much everyone pushes themselves beyond what is required and how the team supports and encourages each other. When learning about a program, speaking with current athletes will help you get the best idea of the current culture. Even though you as an athlete do have the ability to influence a team’s culture, changing it is a long process so I recommend looking for alignment between your expectations and the current teams.

Team Performance 

I believe that the caliber of the team you are joining needs to align with your skill level and your goals in golf. I think it is reasonable to strive to get onto the best possible team your results will allow you to. However, I do think this has the potential to lead to a poor experience since being part of the team does not mean you will make the traveling team. While I would’ve felt pretty great about myself coming home in the summer with an Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) golf bag having been on a team with Victor Hovland, Matt Wolff and Austin Eckroat  I would likely have never sniffed the starting lineup during my entire time at the school. While this is obviously an exaggeration since I would have never been recruited by a school like OSU based on my junior golf results, the idea of joining a team that you will be able to compete with is important. 

The flip side of this is that I also wanted to be part of a team that is going to help me reach my goals in golf. When I began at SFU I had aspirations of playing professional golf and getting better each year so joining a team with players better than me was highly valuable. I was surrounded by teammates with similar goals that pushed me to get better. 

Look for a school that you will be able to compete at and will also help you improve over your time and reach your goals in golf beyond college, if you have them. 

Education Quality 

It can often be easy to forget while looking for a college golf team that you are joining the team as a STUDENT-athlete and you need to consider the student aspect of the equation. For the vast majority of college golfers, the formal education portion of your student-athlete experience will be what you use after you graduate. 

In my experience, I knew I wanted to do engineering and was not willing to compromise that to play college golf. As a result, I significantly limited the number of options I had but that was arguably the best decision I made since I loved my degree and now have a valuable education that I am able to make use of in the workforce. For many of the juniors I have spoken to, they are not as motivated about school as I was and don’t value it in the same way I did. In those cases, my recommendation is to at least make sure it is a consideration. Look at the programs the schools offer or reach out to admissions advisors at the school to see if there are programs that align with your interests and a potential non-golf career you would enjoy. Maybe there is a program that is offered where you can learn things that will help you take your golf to the next level like sport psychology or kinesiology. 

Training Facilities

Training facilities and resources are the fancy bells and whistles that a program can WOW potential recruits with. Do they have their own training room? Private driving range? Full access to a golf course? What kind of gear do the athletes get? Many of us have seen some of the world class training facilities at Top 25 D1 schools like Vanderbilt or Texas but for the majority of college recruits, the choice is slightly less glamorous. 

My recommendation is first focus on the proximity of the facility. How close to campus is it? Do you need a car to get there or is it walkable from campus or dorms? The second factor is access, will you be able to train when you want or will you be limited by member play and other restrictions? The third factor to consider in my opinion is quality, will the facilities allow you to improve your game? You should probably be spending the majority of your time working on shots inside of 50 yards and have access to a range that enables you to see a ball flight year round. Beyond those basics, you will probably be able to work on whatever shot you need on the course.

The training facilities are really cool and easy to be distracted by but don’t forget that the facilities themselves don’t make you a better golfer, you still need to put in the time. 

Location 

The next factor to consider in deciding on a school is the location of the school. There are two parts of this: proximity to family + friends and climate. 

For some, being close to home is a major bonus. Maybe you will be able to live at home and can save money on rent. Maybe living nearby will allow you to still visit home regularly and easily. For others, college is a chance to get away from home and experience your first true independence. This may not be a factor for you at all but take note of what the location of your school means for your current relationships both with friends and family. 

The second component to location is the climate where your school is located. If your school is located in Canada or the northern US, you likely won’t have the opportunity to play outdoors for a large part of the season or will be training in cold, wet weather. This can be a significant factor to consider depending on your goals in golf. If you have aspirations of turning pro but are unable to play golf between November and April, you’re going to need to consider what accommodations are available to be able to continue improving and training throughout the year that a more mild climate school would have helped you avoid. 

Summary 

There are many factors beyond the 5 I have listed that you may find important but in my experience playing college golf, these factors will play the biggest role in both your decision and your enjoyment of your college golf experience. 

Deciding on a school can be a daunting and scary task. For many it can be one of the most significant decisions they have made in their life to this point but I hope that my experience and advice will help make that decision just a little bit easier.

Good luck!