A Dream Come True: My Journey to College Golf
Written in her own words by Kim Penzold
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of College Golf. As a little kid, I loved watching movies and TV shows about life on American campuses, and pretty early on it became clear to me: one day I want to experience this myself.
But how did I actually get here? And how did coaches even notice me?
The Message That Changed Everything
Back in 2022, when I was in 10th grade at a sports-focused school, I played in a tournament where a recruiter saw me for the first time. A few days later she reached out on Instagram and asked if I had ever thought about playing College Golf. That message was the start of everything.
We kept in touch, and I began to look into the whole process. Pretty quickly, I realized that it would be much easier for me and my parents to go through an agency. That’s when I signed up with Scholarbook. What I liked most was that they had clear criteria, a lot of experience, and—very important for me at the time—communication in German.
Finding the Right Fit: Menlo College
Because I started early, I had enough time to prepare my application video and all the deadlines that come with the process. In February 2023 I finally started having calls with coaches from different universities. After lots of thinking and comparing, I decided on Menlo College in California. The deciding factors? The coaches, the location right in the heart of Silicon Valley near San Francisco, and the chance to play outdoors all year round.
When I started the process, my handicap was 0. One year later I was at -2, which might have opened doors to even stronger teams. But looking back, I think it’s the right decision to go somewhere I can really play right from the start, without the pressure of constantly proving myself. Experience on the course is what matters most. And since transfers have become much easier in recent years, I know I’ll have options later on.
For my current college, I only needed to take the Duolingo English Test (which really wasn’t too difficult). I got my I-20 and visa as early as April, which took away a lot of the stress.
Life on Campus Begins
Now I’ve been here for exactly one week—and I already love it. The professors and students are incredibly welcoming, and the community is so international: people from Germany, Czechia, Hawaii, England, Singapore, Japan, India, Canada, and many more places. Menlo is a small college with about 900 students—more than half of them athletes. That makes it easy to get to know everyone quickly.
Our official team practices don’t start until August 27th, but I’ve already been on the golf course every day with my teammates. Training, playing, and simply getting used to this new life.
Conclusion
Along the way, I’ve already learned a few things that I would tell every girl who dreams of College Golf:
- Be open with your teammates and the people you meet. Friendships make everything easier.
- Find your own rhythm and daily routine—it helps so much with balancing golf and classes.
- Don’t feel pressured to go partying in the first weeks. Give yourself time to settle in.
- Bring a mattress topper—most dorm beds are Twin XL and not the most comfortable.
- Ask your college exactly what they need from you (TOEFL, SAT, Duolingo, etc.) and when they’ll provide your I-20.
- If you live in a colder place, try to film your application video in spring or summer so the conditions are better.
This journey has just started for me, but I already know it was the best decision I could have made. If you’re thinking about College Golf: go for it. Start early, ask questions, and believe in yourself. The process may seem big at first, but step by step it all comes together—and one day, you’ll be sitting on your new campus just like I am now.
