The Golf Coaches Association of America has opened applications for the 2026 Ron Balicki Scholarship, an annual award supporting aspiring golf journalists. Applications are now being accepted through February 27.
The selected recipient must be a current college undergraduate, graduate student, or a current high school senior. The scholarship provides a total of $5,000, awarded as two $2,500 grants during the 2026 academic year.
Applicants are required to submit the following materials:
At least three samples of media work
Two letters of recommendation from a journalist, English teacher, or media professor
A 300 word essay explaining why they are applying for the Ron Balicki Scholarship
A current academic transcript. An official transcript is not required
Media work samples may include online publications, podcasts, broadcast or videography work, photography, newspapers, magazines, or similar platforms.
Completed nomination forms should be sent directly to adam@gcaa.coach. The GCAA encourages applicants and athletic departments to share the opportunity widely.
Past recipients of the Ron Balicki Scholarship include Luke Hendry of Texas, Tracy Peyton of Palm Beach Atlantic, Brayden Conover of Oklahoma, Cade Tjomsland of Palm Beach Atlantic, Alex Gelman of Arizona State, Carson Racich of Florida Gulf Coast, Ben Parris of Arizona State, and Henry Oelhafen of Vanderbilt.
About the Ron Balicki Scholarship
The Ron Balicki Scholarship honors the legacy of Ron Balicki, whose career helped shape coverage of college and amateur golf. Balicki began covering golf professionally in 1980 and became a foundational voice in the college golf landscape during his time at Golfweek beginning in 1983.
Over his career, Balicki earned multiple national writing awards from the Golf Writers Association of America, the International Network of Golf, and the Texas Golf Writers Association. He was inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2010 and covered every NCAA Championship from 1985 through 2013.
Balicki was widely respected for his commitment to the sport and the people within it, leaving a lasting impact on college golf media that continues through this scholarship.
The first Ron Balicki Scholarship was awarded in 2018, with the current two semester $5,000 format in place since the 2018 to 2019 academic year.
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