College golf has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past decade, with the sport's footprint expanding significantly thanks to increased television coverage. From the constant movement of golf carts between shots to the humming sound of generators strategically placed on the course, the sights and sounds of professional golf events have become increasingly common at the collegiate level, particularly in Division I.

Unlocking the Potential of College Golf: How TV Coverage is Revolutionizing the Sport

The Changing Landscape of College Golf

The D-I college golf national championships were first broadcast on Golf Channel in 2014, with the men's event taking the spotlight a year before the women's. Since then, the sport's presence on television has continued to grow, with more than 180 hours of college golf being shown on the network this fall, including live events for five consecutive weeks in October.This increased exposure has had a profound impact on the sport, as Oklahoma men's coach Ryan Hybl attests. "It certainly changed for the good, all positive," he says. "I mean, we have way more folks that are willing to come out and watch us. I think it's only a positive. I certainly think that the pressure has been escalated, which is not a bad thing."For programs like Oklahoma, playing on TV has become the norm. The national championship is a highly anticipated event, but even at many top tournaments in the fall and spring, cameras are following the future stars of the professional game, giving players a glimpse of what it's like to compete under the added pressure of television coverage.

Showcasing the Best of College Golf

Last week, the Jackson T. Stephens Cup featured the top-ranked men's and women's programs in the country, with the Oklahoma men and Arkansas women competing at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. This was the Razorbacks' second time being on camera this fall, in addition to their home event, the Blessings Collegiate, earlier this month."It gives great exposure to our golf program," says Arkansas women's coach Shauna Taylor. "It really gets us, you know, for us, specifically, at blessings collegiate we can showcase our home, and that's that's so valuable for us for three days to show Blessings."One of the standout performers at these televised events has been Maria Jose Marin, a sophomore at Arkansas. Marin captured medalist honors at the U.S. Women's Amateur at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in August, before making a run into the semifinals. The following month, she competed at the LPGA's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, made the cut, and then played at the Blessings Collegiate the next day. Last week, she led the Razorbacks to a team title at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup, their third win of the fall, two of which came on TV."That's huge for her and huge for our program and our brand and their exposure and our exposure," Taylor says. "It's priceless."

Amplifying the Stories of College Golf's Rising Stars

The growth of college golf on TV has also been bolstered by top amateur events getting their share of air time. The Augusta National Women's Amateur, for example, has provided an avenue for the top female amateurs to have their stories told and build their brands. The USGA has also done a commendable job of showcasing its junior and amateur events to audiences, allowing players to make a name for themselves by winning some of the country's most prestigious events.Now, unlike in the past, the top amateurs don't go into the shadows during the fall and spring when they're in college. They remain on TV, representing their colleges and continuing to captivate audiences."People really tune in. People really look forward to it," says Stanford coach Anne Walker. "I don't ever remember people being able to really follow the individuals within the sport. You could follow a team, but it was harder to really track on the individuals and the individual stories and what their journey had been. These stories just keep pouring into people's homes, so you can really follow your favorite players now."Walker's own experience with coaching the greatest female amateur of all-time, Rose Zhang, is a testament to the power of television exposure. Zhang's fame and popularity were undoubtedly bolstered by her success playing on television, whether it was her pair of individual wins at the national championship, the Augusta National Women's Amateur victory, or her triumphs in USGA events.

Capitalizing on the College Golf Boom

College golf also fits into an early-week time slot when the professional game isn't playing, giving those looking for live action an avenue to watch the top amateurs in the world. For those players who capitalize on that opportunity, the sky's the limit for how it can propel them into the future.Walker draws a parallel to the "Caitlin Clark effect" in the WNBA this year, which resulted in record crowds and viewership numbers. Even Walker herself was drawn to the sport after not paying much attention to it in the past, thanks to the platform that TV coverage provided."We need to have really compelling individual stories to draw people into golf, and then once we get them in, then they will be compelled to follow teams, and then they'll be compelled to follow college golf and LPGA golf," Walker says.With the continued growth of college golf on television, the sport is poised to reach new heights, captivating audiences and showcasing the next generation of golfing superstars.