Opening Golf to the World
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship supports young people from around the world with the passion and potential to shape the future of golf.
Established in 2023 through a collaboration between The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and The R&A Foundation, the programme offers not only financial support and professional development, but mentorship from a member of the Club. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship is open to young individuals aged between 18 to 29 years-old and consists of five elements of support:- A bursary of up to £10,000 per year for educational costs
- A bursary of up to £5,000 per year to facilitate career development experience within the golfing world alongside studies or training
- Mentorship from within The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews’ membership,
- Membership of a global peer support network of Scholars past and present
- Leadership development – a year of virtual leadership training and skills development workshops culminating in the week long Scholars Conference in St Andrews
About The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship
Watch: Learn more about our scholarship programme and what it means to our Scholars.
“Through The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship, Club Members have an opportunity to help talented young people build on the traditions, values and heritage of golf while giving them the confidence and connections to take the game forward as its future leaders.”
Mark Darbon
Chief Executive, The R&A Secretary, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St AndrewsMeet the Scholars
In its first three years, 32 Scholars have been selected from over 700 applications representing 16 countries and five continents. They have a wide variety of interests including agronomy, performance nutrition, course architecture, business and entrepreneurship, coaching, sports medicine, championship staging, data science and equipment design.
St Andrews Scholars Conference
The inaugural Scholars Conference took place in St Andrews in August 2025, marking the first time both cohorts gathered in person for the first time.
Our scholars share their views on our mentorship programme.
Scholars took part in a week-long programme designed to challenge and inspire. Days 1-4 focused on personal development, leadership workshops, alongside industry talks and professional insights. The week culminated with Scholars spending time with Club Members at a drinks reception and dinner in the Clubhouse, and golf on the Eden and New Courses with Mentors and other Club Members.
Mentoring Programme
The relationship between Scholars and their Mentors is what makes The Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship such a unique opportunity. Every Scholar is matched with a Club Member who shares their interests and can offer insight, introductions and encouragement.
Both Scholar and Mentor benefit from this connection. Mentoring offers the chance to share the wisdom of experience and open doors to new opportunities. For Scholars it means having a trusted sounding board and a guide to navigating challenges.
How to apply
If you would like to register your interest in the 2027 Royal and Ancient Golf Club Scholarship email RAClubScholarship@randa.org.
