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Short Course: Why you need to join a club
There comes a time in every golfer’s life when he asks himself, “Should I join a club?” The answer always comes back “Yes.” But before you pawn your grandmother’s china, a “club” does not refer only to the often expensive, perhaps exclusive private country club. Other options exist (more on that later)
First: Why not stick with playing here and there at public courses or as a guest at a friend s private club? Golf, unlike most sports allows players of all abilities to compete with other players — if they have Handicap Indexes.
A Handicap Index lets others know your level of play. Think of it as a letter of introduction exchanged by strangers at the first tee. For the letter to be accurate, a player must belong to a club to allow for “peer review.” Peer review (the opportunity to play regularly with and provide scoring records access to fellow members) along with a handicap committee ensures the credibility, integrity and reliability of your Handicap Index.
Which brings us back to why you need to belong to a club. As defined by the USGA for handicap purposes, a club is an organization of at least 10 individuals that operates under bylaws with committees (including handicap) to:
- supervise golf activities;
- provide peer review, and;
- maintain the integrity of the USGA Handicap System.
More simply, a club is an organiza tion of players. You can join a private country club to establish a Handicap Index. If that does not fit your budget or taste, you can join, or create, a “club without real estate” — a USGA term for a sometimes nomadic group that plays together at various courses. There are several ways to find a club:
- Ask at your public course; many have a league or club you can join to establish a Handicap Index. Corporations, businesses and neighborhoods establish clubs: ask around local courses to see who belongs to what club.
- Contact your state or regional association. “We’ve got about 160 clubs without real estate,” says Julie Sprau, executive director of the Minnesota Golf Association. “We try to provide new golfers with direction in finding one that’s in their playing area or is looking for members.”
- Form your own club; it’s easy. Obtain a free’ Club Formation Kit” from the USGA, or contact your state or regional association to see what guidelines it has for clubs without real estate. One caveat is that club members must live in a close geographic area and have an opportunity to play together regularly. — Susan Brody
