Handicapping

The purpose of the USGA Handicap System is to make the game of golf more enjoyable by enabling golfers of differing abilities to compete on an equitable basis. The System provides fair Course Handicaps for players regardless of ability, and adjusts a players Handicap Index up or down as one’s game changes. At the same time it disregards high scores that bear little relation to the player’s potential ability. The basic premise of this System is that every player will try to make the best score at each hole in every round, regardless of where the round is played, and that the player will post every acceptable round for peer review.

A Handicap Index indicates a player’s skill and is expressed in decimal form. This is not your Course Handicap, which is the number of strokes a player receives from a specific set of tees at the golf course being played. You must apply the Handicap Index to the proper slope chart to determine the number of strokes for that round.

All NNWGA member clubs are handicapped through the USGA Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN). As a NNWGA member you will receive 13 handicap revisions per year. Since we are on a seasonal schedule from March to the middle of November, you may receive 2 revisions per month during the most active months. Posting scores is the responsibility of the individual member. Tournament scores are usually posted by the committee. Penalty scores will be posted by the Club Handicap Committee for members who consistently neglect to follow correct procedures.

Posting scores on the internet was adopted in 2002. REMEMBER this should be used for posting scores when the player travels to an area which is not using the GHIN system and during our inactive season.

If you have handicapping questions you may email NNWGA.

Press the “Post On-Line” button at the bottom of the page to get to GHIN.com for the following information:

Handicap Index Lookup

Handicap Articles

Handicap Seminars

GHIN website

NNWGA JOINS THE IGN



WHAT IS THE IGN?  The IGN is a non-profit corporation developed for the purpose of providing members with the ability to post anywhere they play on the network and have those scores routed back to the golfer’s home association.  This means that a player that belongs to multiple participating associations only has to post a score once, and it will get routed to all the player’s associations.

If you are a member of more than one association, talk to your Club Handicap Chairman.  Let them know your Association and Posting  Number so they can get you set up properly.  For further information, contact Sharon Schultze or Kyle DeMeza.