A golfer must belong to a golf club to obtain a USGA Handicap Index.
This does not mean you have to be a dues paying member of a private club;
you may become a member and receive a USGA Handicap Index by joining the
men's/women's golf association at a private, public, or resort facility
that belongs to the LGA. Golf clubs that belong
to the Louisiana Golf Association (LGA) receive USGA Handicap Indexes
computed by our handicapping services vendor, EZLinks.
Once you join a golf club, the club will assign you an association
number. Your association number is unique and can follow you to any club
or association that is a part of the LGA Handicap Network (LHN). You can use your
association number to post scores at your home course and at other
courses that participate in the LHN. You can also post scores
at clubs outside of Louisiana if that state golf association participates
in the International Golf Network (IGN). When you post as a guest at other courses,
your scores are routed back to your home club using your association
number.
If you have belonged to a LGA Member Club that participates in the LHN
in the past and had an association number, be sure to give that
information to your new club. The LHN
retains golfer records so that even if your membership has lapsed, the
LHN will still have
your score history and you won’t have to start over to establish a
handicap.
The LGA has 12 handicap revisions per year to update your score history
and Handicap Index. Players can begin posting scores at anytime as the LGA
runs on a year round handicap schedule. Revisions are always on the
first day of the month. Handicap labels can be printed from the handicap
computer at your home club. This card will show your Handicap Index and
last 20 scores.
