The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the United States Golf Association, and is authorized to issue Handicap Indexes through the World Handicap System to individuals golfers through its member clubs. NebGolf has more than 160 member clubs, servicing more than 33,000 golfers.
The World Handicap System is an integral part of the game, and allows golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. Visit our WHS Resource Center to learn more.
The Golf Handicap & Information Network® (GHIN) is a service offered by the USGA to golf associations worldwide. GHIN is one of the largest handicap management tools in the world, serving more than 2 million golfers and 15,000 golf clubs. Services include the USGA Admin Portal for golfer management and score posting products for golfers. GHIN is maintained by the United States Golf Association® and the staff is composed of USGA employees.
Establishing a Handicap Index is simple: just post scores from 54 holes, which can be any mix of 9- and 18-hole rounds. Once you’ve done that, your Handicap Index continues to update the day after you post new scores. Our ask of you is to post the same day you play, as this contributes to the daily playing conditions calculation.
To post scores and establish a Handicap Index, an in individual in Nebraska must become a member of the Nebraska Golf Association. This can be done by visiting our Join page and either joining online or finding a NebGolf member club to join in person.
A NebGolf member club is any club, course or association with at least ten individual members that have a reasonable and regular opportunity to play golf with each other, provides peer review, and maintains the integrity of the World Handicap System™.
NebGolf members are identified by a unique GHIN number. This can be used to setup a Digital Profile in the GHIN App, or login to ghin.com.
Your Handicap Index will update each night after you post a score, which you can check via the app. You will receive emails on the 1st and 15th of each month from NebGolf with your latest Handicap Index, as well as the latest news/features in NebGolf.
Download the GHIN App or visit GHIN.com to lookup your current Handicap Index.
The active season for posting scores made on a golf course in Nebraska begins March 15 and concludes November 15. Scores made on a golf course in Nebraska during the inactive season cannot be posted for handicap purposes. Scores made on a golf course in an area observing an active season (e.g. Arizona) during the inactive season in Nebraska should be posted.
When you look at a scorecard or post a score, you’ll often see Course Rating™ and Slope Rating® – two key terms that help ensure fair play across different skill levels. The Course Rating reflects how difficult a course is for a scratch player (Handicap Index of 0.0®) under normal conditions. A Course Rating of 71.2, for example, means a scratch player can expect to shoot around 71 when they play well.
A less-known term is Bogey Rating™, and it is simply the indication of the difficulty of a golf course for the bogey player.
The Slope Rating, on the other hand, represents the relative difficulty of the course for non-scratch players compared to scratch players. The greater the difference between the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating, the higher the Slope Rating. This helps ensure that higher-handicap players receive the appropriate number of strokes.
Together, these Ratings allow every golfer with a Handicap Index to compete equitably – whether you're playing a shorter length municipal course or a championship layout. Understanding how they work helps you get the strokes you need to play on a level playing field.
