Women's golf became a varsity sport at Carleton in 1998, competing against eight other schools in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). The fall season consists of four or five major tournaments in the Midwest and typically ends with the MIAC Championships in October. The spring season includes a spring break trip and three major invitationals. Top players and teams advance to the NCAA Divisions III Championships based on their scores throughout the fall and spring season.

The Carleton women's golf program offers players a chance to continue their competitive golf careers in a setting where golf is balanced in a rigorous academic environment. The September 2005 of Golf Digest tabbed Carleton's program as one where academics come first. The Knights posted a 3.55 team grade-point average in 2004-05, placing the program among the top 25 in the nation, regardless of division. the Knights have featured nine all-scholar players, as selected by the National Golf Coaches Association, over the past three seasons.