| The Western
Pennsylvania Golf Association contracts with the
GHIN Service to provide a USGA Handicap Index® to
golfers through its Member Clubs. A golfer may seek
out membership in the WPGA three different ways:
1. Join an
existing Member Club associated with a golf
course
2. Join an existing Type 2 or
Type 3 Golf Club
3. Form your own Type 2 or Type 3 Golf Club
Since
"Individual" handicapping is contrary to the USGA
Handicap System, it is not permitted. We encourage
interested golfers to form their own club with our
assistance, further increase their enjoyment of the
game by providing accurate handicaps to their
friends and family.
Definition of
a Golf Club
A "golf club"
is an organization of at least ten individuals
members* that operates under bylaw with committees
(especially a handicap committee) to supervise golf
activities, provide peer review, and maintain the
integrity of the USGA Handicap System. A golf club
must be licensed by the USGA to utilize the USGA
Handicap System. A club can obtain a license
directly from the USGA or in conjunction with its
membership in an authorized golf association that is
already licensed by the USGA and that has
jurisdiction in the geographic area that includes
the principal location of the golf club.
Members of a
golf club must have a reasonable and regular
opportunity to play golf with each other. They must
be able to return scores personally, and these
scores must be readily available for inspection by
others, including, but not limited to, fellow
members and the club's Handicap Committee.
A golf club
is one of three (3) Types:
Type 1. The
members of a Type 1 club and located at a single
specific golf course with a valid USGA Course Rating
and Slope Rating where a majority of the club's
events are played and where the club's scoring
records reside; or
Type 2. The
members of a Type 2 club are affiliated, or known to
one another, via a business, fraternal, ethnic, or
social organization. The majority of the club
members had an affiliation prior to organizing the
club; or
Type 3. The
members of a Type 3 club had no prior affiliation
and a majority of the recruiting and sign up of the
membership is done by solicitation to the public
(e.g. newspaper, Internet).
*Note: For
administrative reasons, some authorized golf
associations may require a golf club to have more
than the USGA minimum of ten members in order for
the golf club to be a member of the authorized golf
association.
(USGA
Handicap System Manual, 2008 - 2011)
In order to
have an accurate handicap, and be a member in good
standing of the Western Pennsylvania Golf
Association, you must be an active participant in
either a club at a course you often play, or with a
group of individuals who regularly play together at
a variety of courses. This option is available to a
group of golfers wishing to form their own club not
associated with a particular golf course. We call
this a “non golf course” Club and encourage golfers
to get together with friends or co-workers, form the
necessary committees, draw up by-laws, and begin
creating your own traditions through regularly
scheduled play days and competitions. The WPGA will
provide USGA Handicap Indexes® to all “non golf
course” Clubs that comply with our criteria for
membership. We offer GHIN software (which includes a
tournament program, among others) and support for a
club that desires computerized handicapping.
For
additional information on forming a Type 2 or Type 3
Golf Club, please call the WPGA office at (412)
826-2180 and talk to
Jeff Rivard. |
