Licensing Program for Clubs Application

NGA Member Clubs
To receive an application please contact Justin at the NGA office, (402) 505-4653, ext. 104 or click here to download an application. Once the application has been completed and signed, it must be mailed to the NGA office at 6618 South 118th Street, Omaha, NE 68137 for review and approval.

NGA Non-Member Clubs
To receive an application please contact Justin at the NGA office, (402) 505-4653, ext. 104 or the USGA Handicap Department. Once the application has been completed and signed, it should be mailed to the NGA office at 6618 South 118th Street, Omaha, NE 68137 for review and signature. It will then be forwarded to the USGA® Handicap Department for approval. Upon reviewing the golf club’s application, the USGA will notify the golf club and the NGA regarding the status of the application.

Approval
Once approved, the USGA® will have an updated listing of licensed golf clubs on their Web site, www.usga.org. The NGA will also have a listing of licensed golf clubs in Nebraska at NGA Licensed Golf Clubs. A golf club must be licensed in order to utilize the USGA Handicap System™. Annually, the USGA Handicap Department will conduct a random audit of a number of golf clubs to ensure that they meet the requirements of the USGA Handicap System. If at any time a golf club is found to be non-compliant, it will then lose its privilege to utilize the USGA Handicap System and must apply for reinstatement.

Golf Club Audit Procedure
The USGA® has initiated an audit program for golf clubs to ensure the integrity of the USGA Handicap System™. All licensed golf clubs are subject to an audit by the USGA, regardless of whether there is a compliance item in question or not.

Any licensed golf club that is reported to the USGA in writing as having a potential compliance issue is immediately subject to being audited.

If an audited golf club does not satisfy the audit process, the USGA will send a letter stating the non-conforming issues and impose a time limit for the club to cure its deficiencies or run the risk of being dropped from the Authorized Golf Club list and lose its ability to utilize the USGA Handicap System.

Enforcement Procedure
The USGA® will ask the NGA to contact the club about compliance. If neither the NGA nor the USGA is able to get the golf club to comply, the USGA will advise the club in writing that the club may not issue a USGA Handicap Index® to any of its members, may not use any part of the USGA Handicap System™, and may not use USGA trademarks in any manner.

The club will be withdrawn from the Authorized Golf Club List and the NGA and USGA will not accept entries into NGA and USGA Championships from any member of the club unless the member has a Handicap Index through a club that is in compliance. The NGA and USGA reserves the right to inform others that the club’s right to utilize the USGA Handicap System has been withdrawn.

Appeal Process
If a golf club is dissatisfied with the initial decision, it may appeal to the Handicap Committee by sending written notice to the USGA within 30 days after being notified of the loss of its ability to a USGA Handicap Index to its members. If the golf club elects to appeal, its representative shall be given reasonable notice of that Committee’s next meeting at which the matter may be heard, and shall be entitled to present its case. The staff shall submit to the Committee all information provided by the golf club together with staff’s findings and recommendation, and the USGA Handicap Committee shall issue a final decision on the matter.

Reinstatement Policy and Procedure
A golf club that has lost the privilege to issue a USGA Handicap Index will have to apply for reinstatement of that privilege and resubmit an application for a license agreement. Upon receipt of the completed application, the USGA will provide a list of requirements that need to be satisfied in order for the application to be considered. Upon the golf club satisfying the USGA that these requirements have been met, the USGA will notify the golf club and all parties that were previously notified of the club’s non-compliance that the club is again eligible to issue USGA Handicap Index. However, the reinstated golf club is subject to the audit process during each of the next two years.