National or International Tournaments: How to Choose the Right Events to Maximize Your Chances of U.S. College Recruitment

When considering studying at a U.S. university through golf, one question always comes up:

Should you prioritize national or international tournaments to get noticed by college coaches?

Many young golfers — and their parents — assume that competing in the biggest tournaments is the only way to get recruited. The reality is more nuanced: your strategy should depend on your current level, your goals, and the type of college golf program you are targeting.

At 15 or 16, I already had a strong WAGR ranking and significant international tournament experience. My goal was to attend Wake Forest University, one of the top college golf programs in the country. To maximize my chances, I knew I needed to compete in major events where top college coaches would be watching: the U.S. Women’s Amateur and other leading tournaments in the United States and Europe.

That exposure helped me get recruited by the university I wanted to attend.

But not every player follows the same path. For many young golfers, focusing their efforts on national tournaments may actually be the better strategy — and I’m going to explain why.

1. Understand What College Coaches Look at First

When a college coach evaluates your profile, they will first look at your actual level of play.

→ Your scoring average is one of the main indicators.

They will then look at your rankings:

• WAGR (World Amateur Golf Ranking), if you are ranked.

• In some cases, your European (EGR) or national ranking.

If you are not ranked in the WAGR, your scoring average will be particularly important. And that average is directly influenced by the tournaments and courses you choose to play.

2. Adapt Your Tournament Schedule to Your Level

Here are a few guidelines depending on your situation:

If you are already competing at a high national level and beginning to perform internationally

→ A mix of both is ideal.

• International tournaments demonstrate your ability to adapt to demanding courses and compete against strong fields.

• National tournaments allow you to maintain a strong ranking in your country while continuing to improve your scoring average on courses where you have a better opportunity to score well.

If you are one of the top players and already highly ranked in the WAGR

→ Prioritize high-level international tournaments.

• Coaches from the top college golf programs are more likely to see you compete at these events.

• They can compare your game directly with other top players in your age group.

At this level, national tournaments may no longer be as essential to your recruiting strategy.

If you are an intermediate-level player — a strong national player but not yet world-ranked

→ Focus primarily on accessible national tournaments.

• Choose courses where you have a realistic opportunity to score well and improve your scoring average.

• College coaches may not know the strength of the field or difficulty of the course at smaller national events, so they will often focus primarily on your scores.

• Adding one or two international tournaments during the year can be valuable to show college coaches that you are willing and able to step outside your comfort zone, but your priority should remain producing strong scores.

3. Don’t Underestimate the Impact of Courses and Playing Conditions

Some players believe they absolutely need to compete in the most “prestigious” tournaments. However, if your goal is to build a strong scoring average, it can sometimes be more strategic to play national events on courses you know well and where you feel confident.

→ Your score speaks first — not the name of the tournament.

This strategic approach can often be more effective than filling your schedule with extremely competitive tournaments where consistently producing strong scores may be much more difficult.

Inside The Club educational platform, I help you:

• Understand the key principles of the U.S. college golf journey.
• Understand what college coaches are looking for and prepare effectively for their recruiting criteria.

I also dedicate a complete module to these topics, where we explore:

• How to organize and plan your tournament schedule.
• The different categories of tournaments and how to select the events that best align with your goals.
• How to understand the different rankings and ranking systems.

Getting recruited by a U.S. university does not depend on one tournament or one great performance. It requires an overall strategy that combines consistency, progression, and smart tournament selection.