Online golf club?

[bunkerputt]

I know you typically need to join a club that offers a handicap service in order to get a recognized handicap. I'd like to get mine official so that I have the option of playing in tournaments. Does anyone know of a free and quick online golf club where you can just post scores and get a recognized handicap? I did some googling, but wanted a real person's take on it.

[clubchamp]

I think the golf galaxy website and golf.com both can give you an official usga handicap. You just pay a monthly or yearly fee

[goblue107501]

There are plenty of sites that will do a free handicap but they won't be official. Heck, if you know how to do basic math you can keep it yourself. If you want an offcial index so you can get the card with the info on it, and a GHIN number, then you will have to pay for it.

[bunkerputt]

  goblue107501 said:

There are plenty of sites that will do a free handicap but they won't be official. Heck, if you know how to do basic math you can keep it yourself. If you want an offcial index so you can get the card with the info on it, and a GHIN number, then you will have to pay for it.

That was basically my question. I've computed my handicap by recording rounds online and getting whatever the calculator spits out at me. But do you really have to pay for it? I found this site:

http://www.myonlinegolfclub.com as an example. I'm not really sure what it means, though. Do you have to take the certificate with you to tournaments, or can they just look it up by your GHIN number? I'm guessing it depends.

[kfowler]

See if your state has a golf association. Here in Michigan we have GAM.org. You get an official handicap with membership. It's all done on line. You choose a home course but it really doesn't matter where you play.

[alf174]

  kfowler said:

See if your state has a golf association. Here in Michigan we have GAM.org. You get an official handicap with membership. It's all done on line. You choose a home course but it really doesn't matter where you play.

Yep, its what I use. And being a member gets lots of perks (2 for 1, discounts, Golf magazine, USGA membership, etc.) At $25 a year it pays for itself very quickly with all of the savings.

[tjy355]

Why not join the men's club at your local municipal ?

[bunkerputt]

  kfowler said:

See if your state has a golf association. Here in Michigan we have GAM.org. You get an official handicap with membership. It's all done on line. You choose a home course but it really doesn't matter where you play.

I found TGA, Texas Golf Association. It looks like there are a few courses on there, one of which I have actually played. So do you usually have to pay both the association and the particular club?

[TN94z]

  bunkerputt said:

I found TGA, Texas Golf Association. It looks like there are a few courses on there, one of which I have actually played. So do you usually have to pay both the association and the particular club?

I do the same thing in TN. It was a 25.00 fee for the year and basically they just assign you to a club and encourage you to participate in events there. You don't have to pay anything to the club.

[alf174]

  bunkerputt said:

I found TGA, Texas Golf Association. It looks like there are a few courses on there, one of which I have actually played. So do you usually have to pay both the association and the particular club?

No, just the association. Here in MI, the GAM asks you to pick a home club but it can be any participating course in the state, you don't have to be a member or have even golfed there. The TGA looks identical to the GAM.

[uttexas]

There is a website that has USGA recognized golf clubs you can join with approval by the commissioner (for free). You then post scores to obtain a USGA official handicap index.

The website name is dotted out here.
However, if I google search "how to obtain a USGA handicap golf social network"
it is the first one on my search.

[bunkerputt]

  uttexas said:

There is a website that has USGA recognized golf clubs you can join with approval by the commissioner (for free). You then post scores to obtain a USGA official handicap index.

I think I found it ( secret

). Does it start with an S and rhyme with "cracka"?

[uttexas]

affirmative.

[Jay-Bird]

There is also the ability to join (or create) an "eClubhouse" - for those who don't have a "home course".

Here's a link to the Kansas based one . So now I can freely not renew my membership at my current home course, but still retain my GHIN and play in KGA events! Awesome!!!

[treebound]

I thought the USGA had a requirement against virtual membership due to accountability and verification concerns. Several years ago I had to join a local men's club to establish an official handicap. Guess I'll have to check into it again.

[drglew]

i think treebound is right. I used to have an official USGA handicap through an online "virtual" club several years ago. But then that club said the USGA changed the rules, making eligibility much more stringent, as the USGA clarified that a "club" with the rights to issue handicaps had to be from a "defined geographic area", and members also "must have a reasonable and regular opportunity to play golf with each other". The online club tried to organize matches and tournaments with other members to fill those requirements, but none of my playing partners were members of the same online club, so i was screwed.

However, i found the online fee wasn't that different than the fee to get a legit USGA handicap at any other course. So moral of the story, is that it may be a whole lot easier (and not much more expensive) to just establish (i.e. buy) a handicap at a course. Most public courses offer the ability to purchase a USGA handicap -- in Georgia it's usually $40-$50/year at most courses i've seen.

[WUTiger]

Golf Galaxy site charges you an annual fee, and has a "playing season" about 9 months long. You also are supposed to play a few rounds w/ your area GG players, where you all attest each other's scores. Each area GG "club" is supposed to have a handful of official events each year.