Non-members of golf clubs can obtain handicaps from early July

Golfers in England who are not members of English golf clubs will be able to obtain official handicaps for the first time ever from early July, England Golf has confirmed.

By signing up to the scheme, which has an annual subscription of £40, golfers will receive a World Handicap System handicap index and personal liability insurance.

The scheme, which was announced earlier this year, is controversial, with England Golf stating that its ‘ultimate aim [is] of driving golf club membership’, although some in the industry have said for years that any project that delivers handicaps to non-members will act as a disincentive to golf club membership.

In a letter to the industry, the organisation states ‘independent golfers (non-members of golf clubs) will be offered the chance to join a new digital community of golfers aligned to England Golf.

‘For an annual subscription of £40, golfers will receive a World Handicap System handicap index, personal liability insurance and access to the ‘My England Golf’ app to post scores, track progress and engage with friends.

‘The scheme will be open to all golfers regardless of age.

‘The provisional launch date and opening for registration is early July.’

Subscription will be open to any golfer with a home address in England, but any golfer who has left a golf club within the last six months will not be eligible to subscribe. Members will not be permitted to take part in county and national events.

To obtain a handicap, golfers will need to submit scores from 54 holes of golf played in accordance with the Rules of Handicapping, with all rounds pre-registered on the ‘My EG’ app, in order to secure a handicap index. The nine or 18 hole rounds must also be digitally verified by a playing partner who is either a golf club member or subscriber to the new platform. Lapsed golf club members may be allocated a handicap index based on scores in the system dating back to January 2018.

England Golf is projected to bring in £5 million from the scheme within five years, and states the money will be reinvested back into the game on areas such as ‘special projects funding for golf clubs, women and girls’ participation, junior development and support for disability and minority groups.’