News
GCAA Announces Final Week for 2026 Ron Balicki Scholarship Submissions
The Golf Coaches Association of America is accepting nominations for the 2026 Ron Balicki Scholarship through Friday, February 27.
The selected recipient will receive $5,000 in scholarship support, distributed as two $2,500 awards during the 2026 academic year. The opportunity is open to current college undergraduate or graduate students, as well as current high school seniors pursuing a path in golf journalism or media.
Full details and the nomination form are available here:
https://gcaa.coach/news
Completed applications should be submitted to adam@gcaa.coach.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
• At least three samples of media work
• Published or produced content such as online articles, broadcast pieces, podcasts, photography, videography, newspapers, or magazines
• Two letters of recommendation from a journalist, English teacher, or media professor
• A 300 word essay explaining their interest in the scholarship
• A current transcript, official copy not required
About Ron Balicki
The scholarship honors Ron Balicki’s impact on college golf coverage. He began covering the game in 1980 and became one of the leading voices in the college golf space during his tenure at Golfweek. Balicki covered every NCAA Championship beginning in 1985 and attended every GCAA National Convention until 2013.
He earned multiple writing and service awards throughout his career and was inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2010. The Ron Balicki Scholarship was first awarded in 2018 and continues to support aspiring golf journalists annually.
Nominations close Friday, February 27.
