| Title: | Welcome to the Golf Notes Conference! |
| Notice: | FOR SALE notes in Note 69 please! Intros in note 863 or 61. |
| Moderator: | FUNYET::ANDERSON |
| Created: | Tue Feb 15 1994 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 2129 |
| Total number of notes: | 21499 |
While watching coverge of the U.S. OPEN, I saw those commercials with
Arnold Palmer about joining the U.S.G.A. The motivation was to become
a "golfer" and not just "play golf".
This seemed attractive and stimulated by ego, so I called the toll free
number to find out about the U.S.G.A. The girl I talked to was only an
operator/registrar type and couldn't tell me anything other than it
cost $25 and I get a bag-tag. So I say ok, I'll think about it and
call back.
So, here I am, generic-golfer, considering joining the U.S.G.A. and I
think "why"? If I do, so what? I don't mean this as a put-down, I'm
just ignorant. Can someone educate me (and others I assume)?
In order to join the U.S.G.A., do I need to belong to some golf course?
Do I need to join my state's (Colorado) golf association? What are the
advantages, what are the disadvantages?
All I want is an "official" handicap so that when I play in charity
tournaments (and other's) I can be honest. Also, I want to be able to
keep it up-to-date without having to pay an arm-and-a-leg to join a
local golf course. Is this possible?
Can someone help?
Thanks in advance,
+- Mark
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 308.1 | Info you're looking for | ENGINE::WARFIELD | Gone Golfing | Mon Jun 27 1988 21:52 | 47 |
RE: .-1
> So, here I am, generic-golfer, considering joining the U.S.G.A. and I
> think "why"? If I do, so what? I don't mean this as a put-down, I'm
> just ignorant. Can someone educate me (and others I assume)?
Joining the USGA is basically a way to help them fund their existance
as the agency that governs golf in the US (and with the Royal & Ancient
worldwide. They sponsor competitions, test & regulate equipment,
and to research into better sorts of grass, etc.
The benefits inlcude a bag tag, the rules of golf booklet, and a
magazine that comes out monthly or every other month. The magazine
is good, covers competitions, history, golf research, etc. It is not
very large 40-50 pages (but not many ads.) It is tax deductable.
> In order to join the U.S.G.A., do I need to belong to some golf course?
> Do I need to join my state's (Colorado) golf association? What are the
> advantages, what are the disadvantages?
No, No, and except for the magazine the only advantage is that you are
supporting the association.
> All I want is an "official" handicap so that when I play in charity
> tournaments (and other's) I can be honest. Also, I want to be able to
> keep it up-to-date without having to pay an arm-and-a-leg to join a
> local golf course. Is this possible?
Most public courses a mechanism to get a handicap. (Some call it
an Inner Circle Club.) What you have to do is for a fixed fee yearly,
turn in all your cards (wouldn't want to be accused of sandbagging) and
post them on a handicap posting sheet. This includes rounds played at
that course & others. On a semi-periodic basis updated handicaps are
posted. You generally get some sort of card that you can take with you
to show your handicap when you play in those tournaments. The handicap
computation is generally done by the local state golf association.
In Massachusetts the dues for the MGA is $20.
If your local public course doesn't have this sort of arrangement
available supposedly you & your buddies at the course can form your own
little golf club & subscribe to the local associations handicap service.
(So said Ben Crenshaw in a USGA ad on TV). I don't know what happens
if the course is not rated.
Hope this helps,
Larry
P.S. The USGA defines how handicaps are calculated.
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| 308.2 | VINO::RASPUZZI | Michael Raspuzzi | Tue Jun 28 1988 12:49 | 8 | |
I joined the USGA program. It's nice to get "Golf Journal" once
in a while. I like getting a new rule book every year too.
Another side note about being an associate. You know that US Open
program that they were getting $5 for at the open? If you are a
USGA Associate, they send you a complimentary copy.
Mike
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| 308.3 | Number for the USGA??? | DSTEG2::SOUZA | Just say "NO" to Decaf | Thu Jun 14 1990 17:23 | 8 |
Does anyone have the number for the U.S.G.A., I know that when I joined
there was an 800 number to call. I was looking into getting someone an
associates membership as a gift, and I can't seem to find the
information anywhere. Does anyone have the number.
Thanks Steve
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| 308.4 | # is... | MSEE::KELLEY | Custom club fitting/club repairs | Thu Jun 14 1990 17:36 | 6 |
Steve,
The number is 800-223-0041...
Gene
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