To play Division-I golf at the University of Georgia also means you get to play golf at Augusta National. However, that unique agreement is entirely contingent on academics.
Athletes are not allowed to join their teammates at the sport’s most historic course if they get a ‘D.’
Although it depends on where you look, the Bulldogs are typically ranked as one of the top-25 programs in college golf. They finished the 2024-25 regular season ranked No. 22 and punched their ticket to the NCAA Championship with a fourth-place finish at the Tallahassee Regional last week.
Although the ultimately goal is to win a national title, members of the golf team at the University of Georgia are also rewarded for their work in the classroom. It does not matter how they finish on the course. They are presented with the highly-exclusive opportunity to play 18 holes at Augusta if they can pass every single one of their classes with a grade of ‘C’ or higher. They are not allowed to partake in the experience if they get a ‘D’ on their transcript for the year. Not even one!
I don’t know how this came together but I would imagine it stems from a connection with a booster. I would guess that one of the Bulldogs’ top financial backers also happens to be a member at Augusta National Golf Club. He makes sure to get his team on the course at least once a year. Maybe it came together naturally through the program itself.
Either way, that unique opportunity serves as the highest-level of academic motivation for student-athletes on the golf team at Georgia. Golf lovers want nothing more than to play 18 holes at the most exclusive club in the world. It is the pinnacle. For the Bulldogs to offer that opportunity to recruits is a serious advantage whether you think so or not. All they need is a C!