You think you know Florida State sports. You probably think of the chop, Doak Campbell Stadium on a Saturday night, or maybe the softball team tearing through the ACC. But honestly, if you aren't looking at what’s happening on the greens at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club, you’re missing the actual dynasty being built in Tallahassee.
Florida State University women's golf isn't just "good" anymore. They've moved past the phase of being a pesky contender. Under Amy Bond, this program has turned into a factory for elite, world-class talent that consistently humbles the traditional powerhouses of the sport.
We’re talking about a team that finally broke the glass ceiling in 2025 by winning their first-ever ACC Championship. It wasn't a fluke. It was the culmination of a decade of "almosts" and "so closes" that finally turned into a trophy.
The Amy Bond Era: More Than Just Winning
Amy Bond is the winningest coach in the history of the program, but that title almost feels too small for what she’s actually done. She’s an alum. She played there in the late 90s. She knows what the Garnet and Gold means.
Since taking over in 2010, she has dragged this program into the top tier of the national conversation. It’s a relentless pace. The Seminoles have made 18 straight NCAA Championship appearances. That is a level of consistency that most programs in any sport would kill for.
Most people don't realize how much of a "player's coach" Bond is until they see the results. Every single player who has finished their senior year under her has earned their degree. Every single one. In the era of the transfer portal and "one-and-done" mentalities, that’s a stat that actually carries weight.
The 2025 Breakthrough
For years, the ACC title was the one thing missing from the trophy case. FSU had been the runner-up eight times. Eight.
Then came April 2025 at Sedgefield Country Club. They went into match play as the No. 2 seed and had to face a relentless Wake Forest team. It came down to the wire. Alexandra Gazzoli, only a freshman at the time, found herself all square going into the 18th hole against Carolina Chacarra. When Chacarra's drive went out of bounds, Gazzoli stayed cool, carded a par, and sealed the win.
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Basically, it was the moment the program proved it could handle the absolute highest pressure.
Why the World No. 1 Chose Tallahassee
If you want to know how elite FSU has become, look no further than Lottie Woad.
The English phenom didn't just come to Florida State to play college golf; she came to prepare for the LPGA. By June 2024, she was the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world. She won the Smyth Salver as the top amateur at the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.
Think about that for a second.
You have a student-athlete attending classes in Tallahassee who is simultaneously the best amateur golfer on the planet. Woad’s success—including her professional win at the 2025 KPMG Women’s Irish Open before even turning pro—put Florida State on a different map. It's not just a southern school with a good golf team; it's a global destination.
The "Ting" Factor
Then you have Mirabel Ting.
Ting is a force of nature. In 2025, she was the No. 1 ranked collegiate golfer according to Scoreboard. She won the Annika Award. She’s the kind of player who makes a 5&4 victory in an ACC Championship final look like a casual Sunday round. When you have Woad and Ting in the same lineup, you aren't just playing a college match. You're playing against a mini-pro tour.
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Florida State University Women's Golf and the Pro Pipeline
The "Nole to Pro" pipeline is very real. It's not just a marketing slogan.
Look at the names that have come through this program recently:
- Matilda Castren: Represented Finland in the Tokyo Olympics and has multiple wins on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour.
- Morgane Metraux: A Swiss powerhouse who led the 2024 Paris Olympics after the second and third days, eventually finishing T18.
- Kim Metraux: Another Olympian and a consistent presence on the European circuits.
These women aren't just making rosters; they are leading leaderboards on the biggest stages in the world.
The $10 Million Secret Weapon
You can't talk about Florida State University women's golf without talking about the Seminole Legacy Golf Club.
It used to be the Don Veller course, a solid but somewhat standard university track. Then, in 2020, they dropped $10 million on a Nicklaus Design renovation. It became the first Jack Nicklaus Legacy Course in North America.
It is brutal. It’s a par-72 that can stretch to over 7,200 yards. The greens have zero flat spots. If you can putt at Seminole Legacy, you can putt anywhere in the world. The facility also includes a 12-hole par-3 course specifically for the teams to sharpen their short games.
Honestly, the course is a recruiting tool in itself. When a high school star walks onto a 10-acre private practice facility that looks better than most country clubs, the decision to commit gets a lot easier.
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What's Next for the Seminoles?
The 2025-26 roster is deep. You’ve got returning talent like Sophia Fullbrook and Alexandra Gazzoli, who already have championship-clinching experience.
But there’s a new wave coming. The program is leaning heavily into international recruiting while still keeping a lock on Florida talent like Haley Davis.
The goal isn't just another ACC title. The goal is the one thing Amy Bond hasn't touched yet: the NCAA National Championship trophy. They finished third in the 2025 National Finals, their best finish ever. They are knocking on the door, and frankly, the door is starting to crack.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Players
If you're following this program or trying to get recruited by a school of this caliber, here is the reality of the situation:
- Watch the schedule, not just the rankings. FSU plays one of the toughest schedules in the country (think the Moon Golf Invitational or the Tar Heel Invite). Their ranking is earned against the best of the best.
- Short game is the separator. The private 12-hole par-3 facility at FSU is there for a reason. Most players can hit it 250 yards; very few can scramble for par from a Nicklaus bunker.
- Academics aren't optional. Under Bond, if you don't perform in the classroom, you don't see the grass. The program's perfect graduation rate under her tenure is a testament to that.
- Follow the amateurs. To see where FSU is heading, watch the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). That's where they find their next Lottie Woad or Mirabel Ting.
Florida State women's golf has stopped being a "rising" program. They have arrived. And if the last two years are any indication, they aren't going anywhere.
Keep an eye on the spring 2026 schedule. The transition from the fall season into the championship stretch is where this team traditionally finds its gear. If you want to see elite-level golf without the PGA/LPGA price tag, getting out to Tallahassee for a home match is probably the best-kept secret in Florida sports.