The Northern California Golf Association!
The NCGA is one of many 'Allied Golf Associations' in the United States. The USGA is the governing body of golf in the U.S. but relies on the states to take care of golf business in their regions. California has two such golf associations - the NCGA and the SCGA (Southern California Golf Association).
A golf association is composed of clubs. To become a member, a golfer must join a club - private, public, associate or online eClub. The NCGA has over 1300 clubs to which over 200,000 members belong.
So what does the NCGA do?
One of the key functions is to administer Handicap Indexes for its association members using the USGA's centralized Golf Handicap Index System, aka GHIN. There are a number of things 'under the hood' that make this possible in addition to the system database and computation infrastructure. There is a link below to an article on the importance of course rating which you might find interesting.
The NCGA also provides training and governance for the Rules of Golf- you missed our article on Rules 101, check it out!
The NCGA dates back to 1901, when a rich tradition of hosting golf tournaments began. Today there are over 500 tournament days on the calendar for golfers of all ages and abilities. Another key game-changer in our history was the NCGA's acquisition of 2 golf courses - Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach and Poppy Ridge in Livermore - where NCGA members enjoy exclusive member rates and privileges.
And, like many other member associations, the NCGA provides a number of benefits that help our members enjoy golf more, including exclusive access to great courses and deals on golf, travel and other services. So - if you join an NCGA club, you become part of a community of over 165,000 golfers in Northern California and get access to all these benefits.
How else is the NCGA connected to golf in Northern California?
Good question - there is a partner ecosystem that includes the NCGA, over 800 golf courses, over 1300 golf clubs, the Northern California PGA organization, youth and community initiatives, environmental and social organizations and more. The challenges of 2020 were tested and met by all these groups working together to keep the sport as one of the few bright spots in the sports and recreation world.
Whether you're a seasoned member or a looking to get into golf, rest assured that the NCGA and our partners are committed to supporting everything that makes this sport possible.
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