The four-year BA (Hons) course will be offered by the University of the Highlands and Islands from September, with the backing of leading player Jack Nicklaus.
The degree will “combine the classroom with the fairway”, the university said, focusing on themes which should “prepare budding pros for the demands of the golf industry”.
The course will be based at the university’s North Highland College in Dornoch, next to Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
It complements UHI’s existing BA (Hons) in golf management, also delivered at the Dornoch campus.
To gain admission to the new course, students must have an impressive golf handicap – of 4.4 or lower for men, and 6.4 or lower for women.
The course “combines practical training, coaching and playing opportunities with study in academic subject areas”, the university added.
Students will also undertake work placements and receive training in areas such as sports science, golf equipment technology and business to aid their preparation “for a range of career paths”.
Mr Nicklaus, who won a record 18 Major championships, said the new course had his full support and was “in the best interest of the future of this great game”.
Among the lecturers on the course will be Lesley Mackay, a former European Tour golfer, who described it as an “exciting, enterprising and innovative degree programme”.
“There is no other degree programme like it in Scotland and it gives an opportunity to aspiring golfers to reach their potential, both as a golfer and academically,” she said.
Several other universities in the UK offer golf-related degrees, but most of these focus on sport management.
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