Local Knowledge

TGA/GHIN® MEMBER INACTIVATION DELETION DEADLINE IS FEB. 28

The TGA would like to remind all its member clubs’ GHIN contacts, head professionals, and golf shop staff that the end of February is the deadline for TGA/GHIN Member Inactivation Deletion.

All golfers no longer wanting to participate in the GHIN service must be inactivated in your club roster no later than 11:59 p.m. (CST) on February 28. Your club’s March billing will be based on the number of active GHIN golfers in your GHIN Roster after that date and time.

For those clubs participating in the TGA’s Online Join Renew (OJR) program, golfers added via OJR have already paid and should be left in your club roster as “active.” The credit amount (if applicable) will be shown on your club’s March bill summary.

Lastly, please take this opportunity to make certain all Junior/Minor golfers are coded correctly as “J” type with their Date of Birth and Minors have been linked to a Guardian. Juniors/Minors not coded as such by midnight on Feb. 28 will be charged the regular rate.

If you have any questions or need assistance accessing your player rosters, please contact Mary Harrison, TGA Senior Director of Handicapping & Membership, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (214) 468-8942.

REGISTER FOR UPCOMING WHS™ HANDICAP SEMINARS

The TGA will be conducting three World Handicapping System (WHS) Seminars over the next several weeks: Tuesday, February 20, at McAllen Country Club in McAllen; Wednesday, March 6, at Barton Creek Resort & Country Club in Austin; and Thursday, March 7, at Pecan Grove Country Club in Richmond.

These seminars will provide an opportunity to learn more about the WHS and renew your 2024 Club Authorization at the same time. The presentations are a comprehensive educational overview of the WHS with discussions and solutions to common situations.

Among the topics to be covered are:

• The basics of the Rules of Handicapping™ including how the Handicap Index® is calculated

• Key changes to the WHS for 2024

• Proper administration of handicapping at your club, including the important role of the Handicap Committee

Attendees are required to bring their own laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Prior to the presentation, attendees will be emailed their club’s unique link to the Club Authorization Quiz. After the PowerPoint presentation, attendees will take the open-book online quiz. A passing quiz score is required for all clubs to continue to use the WHS. PGA members receive 3 Education credits!

Attendees will receive a copy of the 2024 Rules of Handicapping Manual and the 2024 Handicapping Reference Guide. A digital copy of the 2024 USGA Handicap Committee Guide is available online.

The cost of each seminar is $45, which includes lunch and materials. Registration will start at 8 a.m. and the seminar will run to 2 p.m. Space is limited and will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For those interested in attending one of these seminars, online registration is available through the links below or on the TGA website. Please join us for an informative and interactive seminar focusing on how to implement the WHS at your club successfully and to take the Club Authorization Quiz. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Mary Harrison, Senior Director of Handicapping & Membership, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (214) 468-8942.

2024 WHS Seminar Online Registration

> WHS Seminar Registration – McAllen Country Club (Feb. 20)

> WHS Seminar Registration – Barton Creek Resort & Country Club (March 6)

> WHS Seminar Registration – Pecan Grove Country Club (March 7)

TGA PROJECT MUNI

The Texas Golf Association established ‘Project Muni” in mid-2023 as a multi-year financial commitment to investing in member club municipal facilities. In Texas and across the country, municipal facilities play a vital role in the overall health and well-being of the game by providing the most accessible entry point for those who are new to golf or want to get started in the sport.

The goal of TGA Project Muni is to grant funds to member club municipal facilities across the state to help overcome budgetary challenges so they can invest in agronomy projects and/or practices that will help improve course conditions and enhance a player’s experience and potentially create a larger number of committed golfers.

The project centers around a two-part grant funding program:

1) TGA provides fund grants for every municipal facility to cover the cost of a USGA Course Consulting Service (CSS) once every 5 years. The purpose of a CSS is not to tell anyone how to run a golf course or what products to buy. A CSS is tailored to a facility’s specific needs, assessing key concerns on-site, followed by a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations, and research-backed education materials.

2) TGA provides matching fund grants (up to $10K) to a facility wanting to implement CSS recommendations or to make other improvements that will support sustainability, enhance player experience, or make the game more accessible.

To learn more about TGA Project Muni and how municipal facilities can benefit from this new, strategic initiative, please contact Kelly Kilgo, Managing Director of Outreach/TGA Foundation, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (214) 468-8942.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FEB. 21 FOR TEXAS GOLF HOF CLASS OF 2024

Nominations for the 2024 Class of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame opened on Jan. 10. The public is urged to nominate qualified individuals before the deadline on Feb. 21.

Following the nomination deadline, the list of nominees will be screened by the induction nominating committee to be sure they meet the eligibility requirements of the specific category for which they were nominated. There shall be no more than eight total nominees per category per induction year. Not all public nominations are guaranteed a place on the official ballot.

Nominations for individuals and courses can be made in six categories: Amateur Player, Professional Player, Golf Professional/Teacher, Lifetime Achievement, Professional Service, and Texas Registry of Historic Golf Courses.

The 2024 Class will be announced in May and formally inducted this October in Houston. Tickets to the fall induction ceremony will be made available to the public as details become finalized.

For more information about the nomination process, categories and requirements for nomination and online nomination form, click here.