A golf club based in Texas should contact the TGA to have its club license agreement reviewed and signed.

Club Application

For TGA member clubs, after the application has been completed and signed, it should be mailed to the TGA at 16200 Addison Road, Suite 150, Addison, TX 75001 for review and approval.

For non-member clubs, after the application has been completed, it should be mailed to the TGA at 16200 Addison Road, Suite 150, Addison, TX 75001. It will then be forwarded to the United States Golf Association Handicap Department for approval. The USGA Handicap Department will review the golf club’s application and will notify the golf club and the TGA regarding the status of the application.

Approval

Once approved, the USGA will have an updated listing of licensed golf clubs on the USGA Web site, www.usga.org. A golf club must be licensed in order to utilize the USGA Handicap System. Annually, the USGA Handicap Department will conduct a random audit of a number of golf clubs to ensure that they meet the requirements of the USGA Handicap System. If at any time a golf club is found to be non-compliant, it will then lose its privilege to utilize the USGA Handicap System and must apply for reinstatement.

Golf Club Audit Procedure

The USGA has initiated an audit program for golf clubs to ensure the integrity of the USGA Handicap System. All licensed golf clubs are subject to an audit by the USGA, regardless of whether there is a compliance item in question or not. Any licensed golf club that is reported to the USGA in writing as having a potential compliance issue is immediately subject to being audited. If an audited golf club does not satisfy the audit process, the USGA will send a letter stating the non-conforming issues and impose a time limit for the club to cure its deficiencies or run the risk of being dropped from the Authorized Golf Club list located on www.usga.org and lose its ability to utilize the USGA Handicap System.

Enforcement Procedure

The USGA will ask an authorized golf association in the area to contact the club about compliance. If neither that association nor the USGA is able to get the golf club to comply, the USGA will advise the club in writing that the club may not utilize the USGA Handicap System and may not use USGA trademarks in any manner. The club will be withdrawn from the list of golf clubs authorized to utilize the USGA Handicap System and the USGA will not accept entries into USGA Championships from any member of the club unless the member has a Handicap Index through a club that is in compliance. The USGA reserves the right to inform others that the club’s right to utilize the USGA Handicap System has been withdrawn.

Appeal Process

If a golf club is dissatisfied with the initial decision, it may appeal to the Handicap Committee by sending written notice to the USGA within 30 days after being notified of the loss of its ability to utilize the USGA Handicap System. If the golf club elects to appeal, its representative shall be given reasonable notice of that Committee’s next meeting at which the matter may be heard, and shall be entitled to present its case. The staff shall submit to the Committee all information provided by the golf club together with staff’s findings and recommendation, and the USGA Handicap Committee shall issue a final decision on the matter.

Reinstatement Policy and Procedure

A golf club that has lost the privilege to utilize the USGA Handicap System will have to apply for reinstatement of that privilege and resubmit an application for a license agreement. Upon receipt of the completed application, the USGA will provide a list of requirements that need to be satisfied in order for the application to be considered. Upon the golf club satisfying the USGA that these requirements have been met, the USGA will notify the golf club and all parties that were previously notified of the club’s non-compliance that the club is again eligible to utilize the USGA Handicap System. However, the reinstated golf club is subject to the audit process during each of the next two years.