We've launched the new forums! Read more here

USGA missing the mark with GHIN

wubears71

wubears71

Well-known member
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
14,796
Reaction score
8,581
Location
Webster Groves, MO
Handicap
8.1 GHIN
I've been thinking of this for a while since the World Handicap system was introduced and the thread about Grint calculating handicaps for combined rounds got me thinking again.

The USGA makes it way too difficult for golfers to get an official handicap - something all golfers should be able to get easily. There is absolutely no reason today that a golfer has to be associated with a course or club to sign up for one. In St. Louis, the METGA offers the Metropolitan e-club for golfers that need a GHIN but don't have a home course.

This should be a no brainer and I don't understand why the USGA has not implemented a nationwide "e-club" so that anyone can easily get a GHIN - it's freaking 2020! Any golfer should be able to go to USGA.org and there should be a giant button at the top that says "Sign up for your official golf world handicap" and it should either be free or just have a nominal fee.

(MY MOCKUP)
Screen Shot 2020-08-08 at 11.21.26 AM.png

It's not like it requires server farms the size of Amazon to record the last 20 rounds played for each golfer in the system. Heck, make the latest revision free and past revisions only historized for paid members. Being a USGA member should include a GHIN IMHO.

Furthermore, the USGA should have an API that gives any of the other shot tracking/score tracking apps out there to have an easy path to automatically move scores from the user's preferred app to their official GHIN.

Then, every USGA commercial should end with "Visit USGA.org to sign up for your official world handicap."

It's just something that seems so straight forward. It's not like 25 years ago when the only way you had to enter the scores was at the club terminal or have an admin person at the club do it. With the world golf handicap, we should have 1 system that does it the same way and make it easy so we don't have GRINT, Arccos Handicap, Roll your own spreadsheet handicap, the "I think" handicap, ushandicap.com, etc. All golfers should have easy access to a GHIN handicap and number. Most golfers I talk to have no idea how to get an "Official" handicap, but would like to have one.

Get with it USGA!
 
 
Makes way too much sense. If they've proven one thing, it's that they tend to go the other direction when things make sense or are otherwise easily solved.
 
You should be heading up the committee to get this changed.
 
Everyone thinks I'm a curmudgeon a-hole, (don't care) :cool:
...but the powers that be WANT to make golf more exclusive. :ROFLMAO:
Golf course land is so valuable. They want to close courses and develop. Private courses will remain for those who can afford, eventually.

Anything the "powers that be" can do to make you frustrated with the game, or changing it in ways so that it becomes almost unrecognizable, (like allowing soccer out on the course while people are trying to safely play golf) they are doing it.
Little by little. Incrementalism. Watch your city councils closely if you have a public course in your area. Golf is under attack.
 
Regardless of how the USGA/R&A makes noise about "growing the game" and making it more accessible, there is still a strong snobby, elitist element amongst the decision makers in those organizations.
 
Snickerdog said:
You should be heading up the committee to get this changed.
Click to expand...
I actually applied for a director position within the local USGA association. But I think I’m too much of a pot stirrer for them. They want a submissive, yes sir, no sir person in the position
 
How long was the Bush family in charge of the USGA for? Doesn't go much higher than that.
Lots of land with golf courses, so lots of people are interested.

I saw "World Handicap" and knew it was going to be an intentional frustration-fest. :cautious:
I just plain quit keeping a handi years and years ago. I know what I can shoot and could care less about scrambles and whatnot. (y)
 
They could easily charge courses a $500 fee to maintain their slope yearly. They could twist the Tour's arm to donate to promote the sport and then the money off the US Open could pay the rest. Easy peasy IMO. Bam! The game is more accessible and easier for new golfers to compete with their more seasoned friends.
 
I just looked at the web site for The Grint. For $19.99/year they will sell you an actual USGA handicap. What could be easier than that? Just download the Android or iPhone app and subscribe.

Can't imagine the USGA posting a link to The Grint on their main handicap page, though.
 
Last edited:
That kind of common sense will get you nowhere with the USGA :rolleyes:
 
Great idea, and well expressed. I've never had an official handicap because it never seemed like something worth paying for. I'm never going to be entering any tournaments. My league keeps an unofficial cap based on league rounds only. And I have another unofficial one through the swingU app on my phone. If it was free or $5-10 per year, why wouldn't I get an official handicap, if that was a possibility?
 
gonyr said:
Great idea, and well expressed. I've never had an official handicap because it never seemed like something worth paying for. I'm never going to be entering any tournaments. My league keeps an unofficial cap based on league rounds only. And I have another unofficial one through the swingU app on my phone. If it was free or $5-10 per year, why wouldn't I get an official handicap, if that was a possibility?
Click to expand...

So for you it's not so much access as price? If The Grint offered a 50% off coupon would you subscribe to their handicap service?
 
Years ago I formalized a "club without real estate" in order to keep handicaps for myself and group of friends. There were some legal docs I needed to sign (a charter and bylaws). I thought it was so dumb at the time, and still think the same to this day. There are so many barriers to entry to play golf already, having an official handicap shouldn't be one of them.
 
I agree with much of what you are saying in regards to the idea of non-club handicaps.
FWIW they do exist.

One of the reasons for this in my opinion is that who would be policing those handicaps if not for the course? Sure golf is by and large a self policing game, but we know that doesn't always exist. My previous course had you turn in cards after each round.
 
BriMac said:
Years ago I formalized a "club without real estate" in order to keep handicaps for myself and group of friends. There were some legal docs I needed to sign (a charter and bylaws). I thought it was so dumb at the time, and still think the same to this day. There are so many barriers to entry to play golf already, having an official handicap shouldn't be one of them.
Click to expand...
That is exactly where a lot of my frustration comes from. This is not a way to eliminate local clubs, but to offer an easy and affordable alternative to the golfer that does not have a home course. Having one more hoop to jump through by finding or creating a non-real estate golf club is just ludicrous. Having one more hoop to jump through by finding or creating a non-real estate golf club is just ludicrous.
 
At the risk of repeating myself, download The Grint. Subscribe for $19.99/year. Type in your scores and you have a USGA handicap.

How is that jumping through hoops?
 
Et Tu Brute? said:
So for you it's not so much access as price? If The Grint offered a 50% off coupon would you subscribe to their handicap service?
Click to expand...
I might. I literally have no use for a handicap. I only ever play with friends or my son. So I have no issue spending a few bucks on it just out of a personal desire to keep track. But much more than a few bucks and frugality beats out curiosity.
 
JB said:
I agree with much of what you are saying in regards to the idea of non-club handicaps.
FWIW they do exist.

One of the reasons for this in my opinion is that who would be policing those handicaps if not for the course? Sure golf is by and large a self policing game, but we know that doesn't always exist. My previous course had you turn in cards after each round.
Click to expand...
I’m in a non-real estate club - we are an “e-club”.
Now the policing thing is a whole other can of worms. If every club audited posted scores, I would agree with not having a national USGA e-club. Unfortunately it just doesn’t happen. All I want to see is less barriers to get an official GHIN and then post to it, which is why I would like to see an API so golfers can still use their preferred app and it would be easy for developers to add an interface to GHIN.
 
Et Tu Brute? said:
At the risk of repeating myself, download The Grint. Subscribe for $19.99/year. Type in your scores and you have a USGA handicap.

How is that jumping through hoops?
Click to expand...
It’s not GHIN and therefore not accessible from GHIN. If USGA made it easier to get a GHIN handicap, Grint and all the others would not be necessary.
 
wubears71 said:
I’m in a non-real estate club - we are an “e-club”.
Now the policing thing is a whole other can of worms. If every club audited posted scores, I would agree with not having a national USGA e-club. Unfortunately it just doesn’t happen. All I want to see is less barriers to get an official GHIN and then post to it, which is why I would like to see an API so golfers can still use their preferred app and it would be easy for developers to add an interface to GHIN.
Click to expand...
Do you get together for rounds with people from your E-club? Do you fear your E-club might go away since its kind of built around the premise of easier access?
 
blueonblack said:
Do you get together for rounds with people from your E-club? Do you fear your E-club might go away since its kind of built around the premise of easier access?
Click to expand...
We don’t have to worry about that. We actually play in a number of inter-club matches that are handicapped and we also have our own golf outings.
 
wubears71 said:
We don’t have to worry about that. We actually play in a number of inter-club matches that are handicapped and we also have our own golf outings.
Click to expand...
And then growing the group forward and attracting new people if other services are then in the mix?
 
blueonblack said:
And then growing the group forward and attracting new people if other services are then in the mix?
Click to expand...
It’s actually our private athletic club. The only two requirements is that you are a MAC member and join the Golf Club. Then you get a GHIN through our club.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top