Good question. Most golf courses will have a kiosk inside their pro shop where you are more than welcome to post your score following your round. Now you know how to get a GHIN number, don’t hesitate. In order to establish your first Handicap Index you will need to record a total of five 18-hole rounds, ten 9-hole rounds, or a combination of the two. Golf is a game that is super saturated with rules, tradition, and strategies to learn. Play golf! You can look up any player's handicap, if that player has an on official USGA handicap with a club or association affiliated with GHIN. Golfers should enter a correct score for every round they play to maintain an accurate handicap. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Welcome to the GHIN system! If you can’t find the course, let us know! Establishing a GHIN number is part of what it takes to get a handicap in the game of golf, and your handicap is the only thing that will help you stand a chance playing against your scratch golfer friends, so you definitely want one. Sign into your account and select “Renew Membership” to get your annual rate for only $49! Your index will state NH until the 1st. While all common and relatively harmless practices when you are playing by yourself, the above-listed rules deviations are only going to hurt you in this situation. New to GHIN? How do I re-activate it? They have asked for my GHIN number. Here’s how it works. To get your handicap all you have to do is log your scores through a sanctioned data base, which will then help determine the average amount of strokes you shoot over par. More than 12,000 clubs, 71 associations and 2.1 million golfers participate in the GHIN service, as of 2012. (NOTE: You are more than welcome to record post-dated scores so long as you have your scorecard for reference.). Thank you! The natural next question then is, “What is a handicap, and why do I need one?”. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; GHIN: I Don't Know My GHIN Number -- How Can I Find out What It Is? It's a service established by the United States Golf Association to provide handicaps for players at certain golf clubs and associations. ), STEP 2 – Start golfing! The word club in golf can sometimes have a pretty expensive connotation but don’t worry, in this case we, do not mean a “country club.”. Getting a handicap can very literally change the way that you play the game. In order to establish your first true index you’ll need the minimum number of rounds recorded… AND it has to be after an eRevision date. STEP 1 – Sign up to get your official GHIN number. We travel cross country in our motor home and find it tough to join any single club in order to get a ghin card. Consider your GHIN number to be the login information for your golf game. However, if you are willing to do some sleuthing you can probably also find a service that is available for free. Can I add my Dominican games to GHIN? amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; To get your GHIN number you are going to need to log five eighteen hole rounds. Good question. STEP 3 – Enter your scores. The #1 Southern California Golf Community. STEP 1 – Sign up to get your official GHIN number. The group or association is responsible for providing it for you. Here’s our 4 easy steps to help get you started tracking your Handicap Index. Visit SOCALGolfer.org and select “Post a Score” from the left hand side navigation bar. Visit GHIN.com to look up the handicap for a player if you're seeking GHIN-related information for someone else. (NOTE: Don’t have your GHIN yet? To start, GHIN stands for golf handicap index network.Why is that important?Your GHIN number is Enter the last name of the player and the state of the golfer's club or association to retrieve the player's handicap. Taking the time to get one now can help you in the long run. STEP 4 – Generate your first Handicap Index (going from NH to an actual number). What if I’ve entered my required minimum and it’s the 15th of the month? However, there are some pieces of information that are more important than others. A golf club, in this case, is something that you can join online or through some of the courses that you frequent. In order to make sure that your handicap information is current and accurate, keep track of your GHIN number and be sure not to share it with anyone else. The GHIN number is like a credit card or account number and shouldn't be shared. Join a club, get your number, and start using your handicap to win some money. Each golfer has a specific, private GHIN number. If so, the site's I went to didnt seem legitimate so I'm looking to see if others have purchased one online or if you need to go to a local golf course. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; You can use a number of other systems approved by the USGA, including USHandicap, which allows you to get a handicap without being a member of a country club or GHIN-affiliated club. Finding your GHIN number is easy to do, but well worth the effort. Top amateur golfers strive to achieve a single-digit handicap, although the game is enjoyable for many people who have high handicaps. Robert Lee has been an entrepreneur and writer with a background in starting small businesses since 1974. To start, GHIN stands for golf handicap index network. If you’re new to GHIN (or returning from being inactive for awhile) you’ll notice that your first Handicap Index is listed as NH which stands for “No Handicap”. Establish a USGA handicap by joining a golf club or association that's a member of the GHIN network. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The handicap is essentially the only provision that the USGA (golf’s governing body) extends towards the struggling beginner. It's a service established by the United States Golf Association to provide handicaps for players at certain golf clubs and associations. There are a number of websites out there which offer handicapping for free or a small fee for users. Remember that in order to get a legitimate handicap you are going to need to play a completely honest round. You’ll use it a lot! Someone with your GHIN number could log onto the system and enter fraudulent golf scores that will affect your handicap. Special annual rate for only $49! Visit SCGA.org and select “Handicap” from the top navigation bar and then select “Post a Score” from the drop down menu. I will be playing in tournaments in Casa de Campo and Punta Cana Dominican Republic, over the next few months. A golf handicap is a numerical measurement of a golfer's ability. Golfers with official USGA handicaps need their GHIN number to enter scores online at GHIN.com. Next select if it was 18 holes or 9 holes and leave the Rating/Slope Entry with the Course/Entry option. The lower the number, the better. What if I’ve entered my required minimum, it’s the 10th of the month but I’m playing in a tournament in three days and need my Handicap Index to compete? First though, you need to know what a GHIN number is. The lower the number, the better. You’ll use it a lot! Obviously, it isn’t as important as say, a credit card number, but it is a lot like an email password. What if I’ve entered my required minimum and it’s only the 12th of the month?