Your handicap is a statistical measure of how you might play on a good day. Note that it is not your average score.

Your handicap is calculated using a pretty complex formula, which we take care of for you.

You can use your handicap to measure your improvement, to compare your performance to your peers, and to set up evenly matched competitions between yourself and other golfers.

You use your handicap index to calculate a course handicap (we do that for you) which is the measure of your potential at the golf course you will be playing. Then, you compare your course handicap to your fellow golfes, giving the difference in strokes to the higher handicap golfer (Thus a 10 handicap gives a 15 handicap 5 strokes). You would do so on the hardest holes marked by the Handicap row on the scorecard (In the above example it would be 1 stroke per hole on the 5 hardest holes). Once you do this, you will have effectively created an even match between both golfers - this allows you to have a tight, evenly-matched competition between golfers of different skill levels, and ultimately more fun on the course.

Beyond that, you can use your handicap to track your performance over time - even if you play golf courses with different pars or different levels of difficulty. As you improve, so does your handicap, which you can use to measure that improvement.

If you still have access to your scores, we can help you import them in to MyScorecard. Just send us an email.

Because a handicap is calculated off of your previous scores, and because it is dependent upon the order of those scores as well as the variation between them, we need to have your score history to properly compute a handicap - we cannot just import a number. You are welcome to enter your previous scores directly into your Scorecard, or contact us for assistance in importing them.

Yes, you can obtain a USGA handicap through MyScorecard.com.

The USGA has two "requirements" for a handicap to be official: The first is the handicap calculation. The handicap you receive on MyScorecard is USGA compliant and is a the correct handicap - in fact we include all adjustments (such as properly adjusting for tournament scores and automatically combining 9-hole scores) that other site claiming to be authentic do not. The second requirement is what the USGA calls group cohesion, and means that you need to be part of a local group/club that is recognized by the USGA and conforms to its requirements. MyScorecard has these clubs on its web site, and we let you join these clubs easily and at no extra charge, in the same way you would join a club formed by one of your friends on the site - in fact, we also help you form them if you are interested in running your own official club (for friends, other MyScorecard members, or both).

Because MyScorecard enables you to meet both requirements, and you will obtain a USGA handicap that can be used to enter tournaments and play on courses where a USGA handicap is required.

For more on official USGA handicap requirements, please visit the USGA web site at www.usga.org.

To print out an official handicap card you can join a USGA licensed club in your area that is open to other MyScorecard members. These are offered at no extra charge to you.

USGA rules dictate that you must join clubs local to you (within approximately 50 miles of where you live) to promote group cohesion - i.e. having people know you so that they can verify your handicap.

We have official clubs in most local areas across the United States, and you can join most in minutes and immediately print out an official handicap card. These clubs are also listed in the USGA authorized clubs database (located on the USGA web site). You are welcome to sign up for a trial to see if there is an official club in your area, or you can send us your zip code and we can tell you if there is a club available for you to join.

At the moment we can only issue official handicaps to U.S. residents, though we are trying to work with international associations to offer international members official handicaps. If you are an international member and would like us to work with your association, please let us know.

No. There is no additional cost to obtain an official handicap on MyScorecard.com. You are welcome to join an official club, or even form your own official club, at no cost beyond your original membership.

Yes. If you are a member of an official club on MyScorecard, then you can print out your USGA handicap card to enter tournaments that require one. Tournament organizers can confirm your club's official status on the USGA web site, and can confirm your handicap by pressing the Handicap Lookup link at the bottom of the main MyScorecard login page. Note that while you can use an official USGA handicap from MyScorecard to enter tournaments that require a USGA handicap, some tournaments may have additional requirements (member of a private club, member of a regional association, or have a certain skill level) that limit entry - be sure to check with the tournament beforehand.

Golf professionals, tournament organizers (and anyone else) can confirm your handicap by clicking on the Handicap Lookup link at the bottom of the main MyScorecard login page. They can then look up your information by your username or by your name and state. If you have an official handicap, they will then see your official handicap card, your most recent scores, your most recent (and best) handicap indexes, and a score verification sheet. (They can also confirm your club's official status on the USGA web site). If anyone verifying your handicap has any questions, please tell them to contact us directly.

The USGA has a few programs for official handicaps. One is through associations. The other is directly with the USGA. MyScorecard uses the latter. This is why the clubs on MyScorecard are listed directly on the USGA web site. It is also why you do not have to pay fees to the association (though your club is still required to abide by the region's season and revision dates), and why we can give you such great value on your membership. This may mean that some tournaments that require specific association membership in an association are not open to you, in spite of having an Official USGA handicap card. If you have any further questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Official clubs on MyScorecard are licensed directly by the USGA and appear on their web site in their authorized clubs database. The GHIN system is used by regional associations under a different USGA program. Because MyScorecard clubs are licensed directly by the USGA and don't pay fees to the regional association, they do not use the GHIN system.

Note that handicaps are conferred by the club you belong to, not the GHIN system. Thus your ability to get USGA handicaps from USGA clubs on MyScorecard. Tournaments often ask for the GHIN number because the GHIN system enables golfers who are members of the regional association to lookup each other scores, or enter in from course computers. That should not prove to be a problem for you as tournaments or other relevant bodies can verify an official clubs' status on the USGA web site and can use the MyScorecard Peer Review page (located via our sign in page) to confirm members' scores and handicaps indexes. If the tournament has any further questions, they are welcome to contact us and/or the USGA directly.

In addition to offering an official handicap card, MyScorecard has a number of tools and features that will make your game better and more enjoyable, including hole-by-hole scoring, detailed statistics tracking and performance reporting, social features such as forming clubs and tracking friends, and much more.

You can go to our lost password page and enter in your current email address to have your password and username automatically sent to you.

If you have changed your email address since the last time you updated your account, or are unsuccessful in retrieving your password, you can send us an email with your full name and other relevant information (e.g. zip code, old email address, what you thought your username might have been) and we will conduct a manual search for you. We will try and get you your password as soon as possible, and appreciate your patience as we search through our database for you.

We would ask that you first check your spam folder to see if the email ended up there. If not, then there may have been an issue sending the email to your account. In that case please send us an email with your full name and other relevant information (e.g. zip code, old email address, what you thought your username might have been) and we will conduct a manual search and ensure you receive your password information..

For more information and to sign up, Click here.

You are most welcome to place a link to the MyScorecard site. Please contact us if you would like a graphical link.

You must receive permission in order to use the content on MyScorecard, though we are happy to grant permission for most uses. Please contact us for further information.

Please send us an email - we are always interested in finding ways to work together with potential partners.

MyScorecard clubs are virtual groups that enable you to interact with other golfers. These can be your close friends, co-workers, or other MyScorecard members in your area that you don't yet know!

Club members can see each other's scores and handicaps, send notes and chat on the club chatboard, calculate course handicaps for the group, get alerted to rounds played/improvements by other players, and track points throughout the season, just to name a few!

MyScorecard allows you to form informal groups with your friends, or form more formal official clubs - Official clubs are recognized by the USGA and enable members to print out USGA handicap cards.

Yes, you can easily form your own club and invite your friends to join. You can be a member of, or administer multiple clubs.

Yes, MyScorecard is optimized for league tracking. You can set up multiple clubs (e.g. for Monday, Wed, Friday Leagues), members can see each other's scores, handicaps, and course handicaps. Individuals can enter scores, or you can enter scores for them. You can send emails to individuals or the groups. Members can post messages to the league bulletin board, receive alerts about other members. You can set up both in-person and virtual events, track points throughout the season, and award virtual trophies to members. And you can even make your league official and offer official handicap cards to all of your members.

To find out more or to have a MyScorecard representative help set up your league, please contact us.

Yes, MyScorecard has special tools and programs for large leagues and clubs. This includes efficient score entry, subchapters, offering official handicaps, and varying levels of administrative control.

To find out more or to have a MyScorecard representative help set up a free trial, please please contact us.

There are no additional requirement or costs for setting up your own club.

If you wish for each member to have access to your club, then each person will need to set up their own account. MyScorecard offers group discounts for groups of 10 or larger, if one person pays for the entire group. For more information, please contact us. If you wish for you to be the only person who has access to the group's handicaps and scores, you only need your own account and can use our club administrator score entry feature. Note, however, that in this case there will be a small additional fee for each member you wish to track.

To get started, you can register for a free trial, go to the clubhouse page, and create your club. You can then begin to invite other members to join your club. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.

Yes, MyScorecard offers group discounts for groups of 10 or larger, if one person pays for the entire group. For more information, please contact us.

Yes. We will need some basic information to confirm your club's status, but once confirmed we will be able to set up your club and members to use our service and print USGA handicap cards without difficulty.

If you are trying to enter a score but instead are taken back to the login page, then most likely your browser currently is blocking all cookies. This can often happen if you are running a firewall or have chosen higher security/privacy settings on your browser. Cookies are small bits of information that a server providers to the browser in order to maintain the 'session' or connection. Most browsers give you the ability to accept cookies in the Preferences menu (either overall, or for specific sites). Try enabling your browser to accept cookies.

For Internet Explorer (IE), the cookies preferences can be found by choosing Internet Options from the Tools menu. When the Internet Options dialog box comes up, choose the Privacy Tab. Now you have a choice of enabling cookies for just the MyScorecard site or for all sites.

To enable cookies for MyScorecard:
Press the Edit button on the lower right hand part of the box, enter www.MyScorecard.com in the address box that appears, and press the Allow button. You should see 'Myscorecard.com' appear on the left. Then press the OK button until you have closed the open dialog boxes.

If you allow cookies for MyScorecard.com, and does not fix the problem, please contact us for further assistance.

We'd love to hear it! Send us an email with your suggestion, and we'll do our best to implement it.