GHIN ?

[Par4Par]

How does one acquire a GHIN number?  I have a whole bunch of golf score cards form the past 2 years and would like to submit them.  I do not belong to a club, just golf at city courses.  Do I need to be associated with a club or something?

Any help would be grateful!

Thanks!

[DaveP043]

First, what you are looking for is an official USGA Handicap Index.  GHIN is a handicap calculation and record-keeping system that is set up by the USGA for use by regional Golf Associations who choose to use it.  Most do, but a number of Associatins around the country have elected to use their own system, or other commercial options.  Type 3 (usually internet-based) clubs usually use their own in-house service.

I know, that's pretty pedantic, but I just want to make sure you understand that you can have an official USGA Handicap.  So yes, to have an official USGA Handicap you have to be a member of a "club".  That doesn't mean a private golf club, many public golf courses have clubs for handicap purposes.  The easiest thing for you might be to ask at the pro shop of whichever golf course you play most often, and join the club there.  Another route is to find your local association's website (mine is at www.vsga.org) and research Member Clubs there.  I would always recommend joining a local club, at either a public or private course, as compared with joining an internet-based club.  You'll generally get to play in in-house tournaments, and maybe make a friend or two.

[David in FL]

As Dave said, your easiest route to establish a handicap is likely online, through your state golf association.

[Par4Par]

Thank you!

[Club Rat]

The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association handles most courses in the STL area, both Private and Public.

The cost has become ridiculous IMO, $40 per year.

This site will give anyone an official Ghin Index  -  https://golfhandicapnetwork.com/

Only $10 per year.

I believe the web platform which is used, is actually Handicomp.com

We used to be subscribe to their service at our club for years.

I used to enter scores on their old DOS program for several years until the club switched.

3 hours ago, Par4Par said:

How does one acquire a GHIN number? 

And yes, you can enter the scores played prior. Keep in mind, only 20 rounds will used when starting.
You can enter as many as you wish for a "Record of Scores" which will be available to review if you desire at any times.
Through the Ghin Network, a player can view their score history since the beginning.

[DaveP043]

27 minutes ago, Club Rat said:

Through the Ghin Network, a player can view their score history since the beginning.

John, I haven't seen a way to do this with either the phone app or the main website.  On the website, I only see the revision scores plus anything more recent.  On the app, I can only find a report showing the last 12 months.  I know I can see more when I log in as an administrator, but not many folks can do that.  Do you know something that I don't?

[Club Rat]

2 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Do you know something that I don't?

Check with your Head Pro. They have the ability to show reports that users do not have access to.

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Hmm, I could of swore several years back I was in the Golf shop and our pro pulled my history.
Maybe the MAGA Assoc. is different?

I can check the next time at the club.
I could be mistaken, wouldn't be the first time... 

[DaveP043]

If you have administrator access, you can see the entire history, but the rest of the world can't.  I have access as my club's handicap committee chair, and the pro shop does as well, but that's all as far as I know.  Rank and file golfers can't go any further back than the 12 month history available in the phone app.  Apparently I can look up the complete history for anyone, as long as I know their name.  

[Buckeyebowman]

I used NOGA, the Northern Ohio Golf Association, to get my GHIN number and HI. This was suggested to me by a member here. Don't look at the GHIN website, it looked like no course around here offered the service. Looked at the NOGA site, and there were courses galore! I simply went to the one closest to me, asked about it, and they signed me up. I was ready to start posting scores. Easy peasy!

It does have a cost associated with it.

Edited November 12, 2019 by Buckeyebowman