Can You Get A Handicap Online?

Many of us will be able to recall a time when a non golf club member turned up for a competition and said, “Just put me off 18.” It can raise eyebrows when that person comes in with 44 points to take the money.

It used to be the case that you could only get an official golf handicap if you were a member of a golf club and went through the process of handing cards in to determine what you would play off.

These days, however, you can get a handicap online. It means that ‘Mr 18 Handicap’ can get an accurate index just like club members – and it also means casual golfers can record scores and track their performance just like their member friends.

Here’s how to get a handicap online.

United States

The nomadic golfer in America needn’t worry about feeling different to the golf club member, for the United States Golf Association (USGA) has created a community for non members where they can obtain a handicap index.

When you register online, you need to enter your state and zip code; you are then matched with the relevant association. For example, if you live in Virginia, it will be the Virginia State Golf Association that services your golf community, and the cost is $55.00 for a 12-month membership.

England & Scotland

In England, if you’re not a golf club member but want an official handicap index, you can join iGolf, an easy-to-use platform that allows you to obtain one under the World Handicap System (WHS).

iGolf, which costs £44.00 per year, is the only way to obtain a handicap index under the WHS, the same as a club member has.

Subscribers can enjoy access to a range of benefits including personal liability insurance – plus they will be given access to the MyEG app where golfers can enter and verify scores.

Scottish Golf has set up a similar platform called OpenPlay, a flexible subscription for non golf club members who want the ability to benchmark their performance with an official WHS handicap.

With OpenPlay, there are two forms of membership: annual and pay monthly, which cost £50.00 and £4.99 respectively, the latter of which you have the flexibility to cancel at any time.

Just like iGolf, it’s the perfect solution for casual golfers who, for various reasons, aren’t golf club members, but still want to enjoy the benefits that come with having an official handicap.