Does Your State Require A Membership In Addition To Resistence & Tment Fee?

[golfinbrad]

I've been curious about this for a while.  I live in PA.  Our state golf organization runs the state AMs, Opens, Senior, 2 Ball, etc. State championships.  In addition to the tournament fees ($175 - $250), they also require that you belong to a club that is a PA Golf Organization member and if not, you need to be an individual member.  Individual memberships are $75 per year and course memberships range from $250 to $350 per year.  The majority of course do not belong.  There are at least 15 courses within a 1/2 hour radius of my home and of them. only 2 belong (1 is private). I was wondering if other states have a similar requirement or do you just pay for tournament fees?

[Abh159]

Every state I've lived in has had a similar policy. You have to be a member to sign up for events. You can either join individually (for around $50/year) or some will allow you to get a membership from your club (I have one through my private club where I currently live). Also, every tournament has an additional registration/entry fee.

 

They do have to pay the bills and employees somehow so I'd find it weird if they didn't require some sort of annual membership fee.

[golfinbrad]

Makes sense.  Just curious how other states might work.  Thanks 

[grm24]

20 minutes ago, golfinbrad said:

I've been curious about this for a while.  I live in PA. There are at least 15 courses within a 1/2 hour radius of my home and of them. only 2 belong (1 is private). I was wondering if other states have a similar requirement or do you just pay for tournament fees?

For the public course that a member of the PA Golf Assoc are you able to get a USGA handicap index there? That's all you need. You do not have to pay $75 to join the PA Golf Assoc. Taken from their website.

 

You can join the Pennsylvania Golf Association by establishing a USGA Handicap Index at a PAGA Member Club. Visit the golf professional at a course near where you work or live that is a dues paying member of the Pennsylvania Golf Association. It is necessary to establish a "home" course so that your handicap revisions can be sent to that facility for you. You can still play and post your scores wherever you want, but your handicap records will be maintained at your "home" club. Your golf professional can help you establish a handicap and start posting your scores.

 

Individuals: There is no PAGA membership fee associated with this membership level as long as you are an active member at a PAGA Member club. Accounts are verified via GHIN. 

 

https://www.pagolf.org/detail.asp?id=10&pid=0

[golfinbrad]

Just now, grm24 said:

For the public course that a member of the PA Golf Assoc are you able to get a USGA handicap index there? That's all you need. You do not have to pay $75 to join the PA Golf Assoc. Taken from their website.

 

You can join the Pennsylvania Golf Association by establishing a USGA Handicap Index at a PAGA Member Club. Visit the golf professional at a course near where you work or live that is a dues paying member of the Pennsylvania Golf Association. It is necessary to establish a "home" course so that your handicap revisions can be sent to that facility for you. You can still play and post your scores wherever you want, but your handicap records will be maintained at your "home" club. Your golf professional can help you establish a handicap and start posting your scores.

 

Individuals: There is no PAGA membership fee associated with this membership level as long as you are an active member at a PAGA Member club. Accounts are verified via GHIN. 

 

https://www.pagolf.org/detail.asp?id=10&pid=0

That's a good idea!!!  The one close to my home might do that.  The private one will not for non-members.  Thanks

[golfinbrad]

9 minutes ago, grm24 said:

For the public course that a member of the PA Golf Assoc are you able to get a USGA handicap index there? That's all you need. You do not have to pay $75 to join the PA Golf Assoc. Taken from their website.

 

You can join the Pennsylvania Golf Association by establishing a USGA Handicap Index at a PAGA Member Club. Visit the golf professional at a course near where you work or live that is a dues paying member of the Pennsylvania Golf Association. It is necessary to establish a "home" course so that your handicap revisions can be sent to that facility for you. You can still play and post your scores wherever you want, but your handicap records will be maintained at your "home" club. Your golf professional can help you establish a handicap and start posting your scores.

 

Individuals: There is no PAGA membership fee associated with this membership level as long as you are an active member at a PAGA Member club. Accounts are verified via GHIN. 

 

https://www.pagolf.org/detail.asp?id=10&pid=0

I see you are in PA.  Do you play in any state tments?

[pseudoswede]

Establishing a GHIN at any Colorado golf course or e-club based in Colorado will automagically bestow membership into the Colorado Golf Association, which makes you eligible to participate in any CGA-sanctioned event.

[golfinbrad]

Just now, pseudoswede said:

Establishing a GHIN at any Colorado golf course or e-club based in Colorado will automagically bestow membership into the Colorado Golf Association, which makes you eligible to participate in any CGA-sanctioned event.

That's really cool!!!

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Getting established here in California is SUPER easy. I picked a club nearby but you don't even have to, could be any club that is part of the network. All done online. 

[grm24]

15 hours ago, golfinbrad said:

I see you are in PA.  Do you play in any state tments?

I never did when I kept a hdcp index. Gave it up many years back.

[ChipNRun]

In St. Louis area, the two most formal entities are the Missouri Golf Association (MGA), and the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Assn. Metro consists of the eastern Missouri and southern Illinois counties of the Gateway PGA Section. Metro co-sponsors some events with the Southern Illinois Golf Association.

 

MGA requires you to pay a $40 a year membership fee, plus a surcharge for those playing Senior Series Tour. Metro, as of this year, no longer requires you to pay an annual membership fee to play in tournaments.

 

That said, both entities require you to maintain a GHIN Handicap. You can get this through a golf club, a club without land (company or social leagues without a home course), or a separate electronic club: an example, MGA has its own MGA eClub for those without a home course. Average GHIN service fee is about $35 a year.

[golfinbrad]

1 hour ago, ChipNRun said:

In St. Louis area, the two most formal entities are the Missouri Golf Association (MGA), and the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Assn. Metro consists of the eastern Missouri and southern Illinois counties of the Gateway PGA Section. Metro co-sponsors some events with the Southern Illinois Golf Association.

 

MGA requires you to pay a $40 a year membership fee, plus a surcharge for those playing Senior Series Tour. Metro, as of this year, no longer requires you to pay an annual membership fee to play in tournaments.

 

That said, both entities require you to maintain a GHIN Handicap. You can get this through a golf club, a club without land (company or social leagues without a home course), or a separate electronic club: an example, MGA has its own MGA eClub for those without a home course. Average GHIN service fee is about $35 a year.

Yeah, the GHIN I totally understand.  Interesting they charge Seniors Series more.  Thanks for posting.