Join through Mass Golf
Mass Golf’s Members Now! program connects you with a participating member club online. The published program fee is $60. You can also ask a local member course to set up your membership and GHIN number; check that facility’s fee and renewal terms.
Post 54 holes to get started
You need 54 posted holes to establish a Handicap Index. They can be a mixture of eligible nine-hole and 18-hole rounds. Enter the course, tees, date and scores through GHIN. Let the system calculate the differentials rather than trying to build the index yourself.
Nine-hole scores no longer wait for a partner
The World Handicap System changed in 2024. For a golfer with an established index, a nine-hole score uses an expected score for the other nine to create an 18-hole differential. It is not paired with another separate nine-hole round. For an initial index, expected-score calculations begin once 54 actual holes have been posted.
Your first index is not an eight-round average
With fewer than 20 differentials, the USGA uses its shorter-record table, including adjustments for some record sizes. Once the record contains 20, the calculation uses the lowest eight of the most recent 20, subject to the handicap rules. The index measures demonstrated ability, not your average score.
Use the tees you played
You can post from different rated tee sets. Select the actual tees in GHIN so the course rating and slope are right. There is no need to stay on one tee set to make the system work. Choose tees that fit your game.
Check the active season
Mass Golf’s active score-posting season runs April 1–November 14. Scores played elsewhere may follow that location’s active season. Check the rules before posting an autumn or winter round, and ask your handicap committee if you are unsure whether a score is acceptable.
Post promptly and accurately. Before entering a competition, check its handicap and eligibility requirements; having a GHIN number alone does not establish every event’s entry conditions.
Sources and current booking information
Reviewed October 6, 2026. Prices and access can change; use the operator's terms for your date.
