What is a Handicap Index®, and how do I get one?

A Handicap Index represents your demonstrated playing ability and allows golfers of different skill levels to compete fairly, track performance/progress and provides access to tournaments.

To obtain a Handicap Index, you will need to join an authorized golf club and post scores for at least 54 holes. This can be a mix of 9- and 18-hole scores.

You have a couple of options for joining/renewing and maintaining your Handicap Index.

(1) You can join a traditional green-grass club in your area. To view clubs in your area, you can use this map. If you decide to join a traditional club, you will need to reach out to the club directly to be added to their Handicap Roster.

(2) You can join one of our Carolinas virtual eClubs. Our eClub membership is $45/year and lasts 365 days. You can join an eClub from our association website. You will need to select the eClub based on the county you live in. You will be prompted to answer if you have an existing GHIN number. The system will email you a 6-digit verification code and from there, you will follow the rest of the steps. You will be automatically activated once you successfully complete the process.