In 2021, each player must now have a single user account to apply to any USGA championship. Parents/guardians must create an account for each child. To learn more about creating an account, please click the Apply Now button below.

Login in to the Golf Handicap Information Network with your email address and/or GHIN number in order to post your latest scores!

Explore the rules of golf and have access to rules clarifications, changes, publications, modifications and beyond. The USGA provides resources to better learn the rules by asking questions, participating in virtual workshops and more.

Course Rating™ is an indication of the difficulty of a golf course for the scratch player under normal course and weather conditions. Slope Rating® is an indication of the relative difficulty of a golf course for players who are not scratch players compared to players who are scratch players, The lowest Slope Rating is 55 and the highest is 155. The Alabama Golf Association, with support from the USGA, is responsible for training volunteers and conducting the on-course rating of all golf courses within our jurisdiction. The Course Rating System is the foundation of the World Handicap System, and without the dedication of the Allied Golf Association staff members and volunteers everywhere, the system would not function successfully. To search a course near you, please click the Course rating and Slope Database button below.

The Handicap Index is the worldwide measurement of an individual’s golfing ability. For further information or to learn more about the World Handicap System and rules of handicapping click the Learn More button below.

Amateur golfers, whether playing competitively or for recreation, play golf for the challenge it presents, not as a profession or for financial gain. You can learn more about the Rules of Amateur Status, contact the USGA with a question, or complete the application for reinstatement by clicking the Learn More button below.