Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2022 - 6

IN SID E
T HE MG A
What is MGA
Membership?
* BY TOM RYAN *
T
Leveling the
Playing Field
he USGA launched a new program
this season to provide golfers access to
a handicap index through the USGA
website. The golfer's profile information is
gathered and then forwarded to the appropriate
state golf association, like the MGA, and
that golfer then becomes an MGA member.
With only social media promoting it in the
spring, it's been a surprising success so far,
with the majority of the golfers never previously
having had an index. We expect it to
grow exponentially once it's advertised during
televised USGA championships beginning
in June.
The MGA's own Join Online program,
accessible through the MGA website, is a very
similar program, having been around for
several years. A golfer can choose the facility
they would like to be aligned with, and with
a just a few clicks, is registered and on the
way to receiving a GHIN handicap through
the MGA. I would encourage your family and
friends who are not members of an organized
club to check this out. As you know, a handicap
levels the playing field when competing
with your friends, as well as providing a
barometer of improvement as you post your
scores throughout the season.
With spring also comes the MGA tournament
season. Men's and Women's U.S. Open
qualifiers were held in May, with several local
names vying for spots in the championship
fields. Our men's and women's championship
seasons also got going, with qualifying
for our three men's match play events, the
Players' Championships, being held in May as
well. The season opening Women's Scramble
and Senior Women's Four Ball have already
crowned champions, and our senior tour's
28th season is well underway.
I'd like to remind you that all MGA championships
are open to spectators, and if
" All MGA championships
are open to spectators,
and if you've never
attended one, this is a
great year to do it. "
you've never attended one, this is a great year
to do it. Our championships are held on great
golf courses, providing you the chance to see
many of these courses up close while watching
great golf. It's a wonderful opportunity to
see the top-level talent we have throughout
the state, from high school to the senior circuit.
Check out the tournament schedule on
our website for the dates and locations of all
our championships.
We are also going through a transition
in how we provide golf information to you,
recently making the decision to move from
four print issues of the magazine to two
issues-one in the spring and one in the fall-
while providing two or three digital issues in
between. This will allow us to be timelier in
providing tournament content to you, while
still delivering the features we've done in the
past. This issue is our first digital-only issue.
Finally, I would like to mention the passing
the spring of Mark Brettingen, longtime
MGA tournament photographer, and an
important member of the MGA family. Mark
was a wonderful person and absolutely loved
what he did. Many of our tournament players
had personal memories of Mark they shared
with us upon the news. His memorial service
was truly a celebration of life! Mark will be
missed by everyone connected with the MGA.
See you on the course.
6
It's your invitation
to play some of the
finest golf courses
around, through
participation in MGA
Associate Members' Days or
the MGA Senior Tour.
* It's your USGA Handicap
Index, now updated daily,
after a posted score.
* It's your subscription to
Minnesota Golfer magazine,
delivered to your home or
email. * It's your support of
programs and services that
make the game better.
MGA Events
to Watch
Minnesota State Junior
Girls' Championship
(July 11-12, Fox Hollow GC)
MGA Amateur
Championship (July 18-20,
Olympic Hills GC)
Minnesota State Junior
Boys' Championship
(July 25-26, Little Crow CC)
MGA Women's Amateur
Championship (July 27-29,
Rochester G&CC)
MGA Women's Senior
Amateur Championship
(August 15-16, Hastings CC)
MGA Amateur Four-Ball
Championship (August
16-18, Le Sueur CC)
MINNESOTAGOLFER Summer 2022
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2022
