In addition to providing handicapping for our member clubs through the Golf Handicap and Information System (GHIN) and conducting many championships, the WPGA provides its membership with many services. These include seminars, publications, meetings and phone support, in specific, and information services in general.

Every club has a Club Representative who provides an interface between the club and the WPGA. Club Representatives are the Association’s conduits to the membership and club leadership to help us ensure that we provide the best service possible.

The 13th green at Hannastown Golf Club.

The WPGA conducts numerous seminars each year. These include Caddie Development, Club Leadership, Green, Handicap Chair Certification, Tournament Administration and the Rules of Golf. The seminars are conducted on a regional basis and can also be arranged for individual clubs as requested. We also host the United States Golf Association, USGA, for seminars such as GHIN Operations, Handicapping and Course Rating.

Each year an Annual Meeting and a Club Representative Day is conducted. WPGA Member Clubs are urged to send delegations for short meetings, enjoyable golf and dinner.

Communications are very important to the Association. Among our annual publications are the Member Club Directory and Annual Report. Another useful publication is the annual Club Operations and Green Operations Summary. This publication is the result of a survey filled out by WPGA Member Clubs and outlines information on dues, initiation fees, and operations comparisons such as green budgets. This survey is continually being developed, and we are always looking for more information that could be of use to our Member Clubs. In particular, we are trying to develop more information for our semi-private and public facilities.

Our organization is always just a phone call away for any questions you might have regarding rules situations, golf committee structure, tournament management or handicapping.

We are committed to being a “full service golf association” and we want to respond to the needs of our membership. We want our contributions to include providing a forum for clubs to meet, exchange ideas and become better acquainted.

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.

The 2nd hole at Mystic Rock Golf Club.

WPGA Member Clubs seeking members.

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 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)

The 3rd hole at Olde Stonewall Golf Club.

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.