Alaska Golf Association
Since 1959, the Alaska Golf Association (AGA) has been committed to the development and expansion of golf throughout Alaska. The mission of the AGA is to promote excellent playing experiences; engage with local golfers, partners, and organizations; expand participation and access across the state; and celebrate the history of the state’s champions and moments.
The AGA also supports the development of junior golfers by providing events, training, and education aimed at enhancing their confidence and skill.
Together with the state’s golfers and volunteers, the AGA continues to support the game and the golf community across the state to make the sport of golf accessible for all.
The AGA is staffed by an executive director and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. As the governing body of golf in the state of Alaska, the AGA is an allied association of the United States Golf Association and works to promote and grow the game of golf in Alaska. The AGA organizes tournaments and state championships, conducts qualifiers for USGA national championships, provides educational programs, and works to improve the quality of golf courses in Alaska through course ratings and rules seminars.
The USGA and the AGA have a long history of working together to promote and grow the game of golf. The USGA provides the AGA with resources and support, and the AGA helps to promote the USGA’s programs and events in Alaska.
British Columbia Golf
British Columbia Golf – a member-based organization governed by the British Columbia Golf Association (BCGA) – is the governing body of amateur golf in British Columbia, representing more than 56,000 members at over 300 clubs across the province.
Recognized by the Ministry of Community, Sport & Cultural Development as the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) for golf in the province, British Columbia Golf is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the game of golf in BC. British Columbia Golf is also involved in national golf affairs through its affiliation with Golf Canada and the other provincial golf associations. Internationally British Columbia Golf is affiliated with the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, the Pacific Coast Golf Association and Junior America’s Cup, as well as being an active member of the International Association of Golf Administrators.
British Columbia Golf actively conducts championships, programs and services to help shape the present and future of golf in British Columbia. The development of athletes and coaches, the Playground to Fairway (P2F) School Golf Program and the Public Player’s Club are only some of the initiatives British Columbia Golf leads for golf in the province. British Columbia Golf also administers the Rules of Golf, Handicapping and Course Rating.
Idaho Golf Association
The Idaho Golf Association (IGA) was founded in 1969 with the goal of being an all-encompassing umbrella organization for amateur golf in Idaho. The mission of the IGA is to promote the best interest of amateur golf, by providing course rating and handicapping service to member clubs; conducting championships; providing playing opportunities for all members; educating golfers; and protecting the spirit of the game. The IGA is comprised of nearly 16,500 members and approximately 85 member clubs.
The IGA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of nine men and women who serve three year terms. Operations are administered by three full-time employees and P.J. Boatwright Interns. Fourteen state championships and five USGA qualifiers are conducted each year in addition to over 40 events on the IGAJ Junior Tour.
The staff of the Idaho Golf Association, albeit small, will collectively provide customer service to both individual members and member clubs of the IGA to ensure that all benefits of membership are being delivered in a professional manner. This includes overseeing the IGA’s statewide network of computers and acting as the support vehicle for inquiries on the USGA Handicap System and GHIN software. Staff will assist the Championship Committee with the Amateur State Championships and serve as the statewide authority on the Rules of Golf. Staff also conducts and/or co-facilitates the various USGA qualifiers for their national championship.
Montana State Golf Association
Founded in 1917, the Montana State Golf Association is a non-profit organization of members and member clubs dedicated to serving the game of golf in Montana, to more than 20,000 individual members and providing core services to more than 100 member golf clubs and 97 golf courses throughout the state.
The MSGA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with its officers being elected yearly at their fall meeting. Montana is divided into five geographic districts and each district is assigned four members from the MSGA Board of Directors. A director is elected for each district, who serves a four-year term.
The MSGA donates annually to the University of Montana and Montana State University golf teams. Money is also divided among the schools supporting golf teams in the Frontier Conference. Golf course superintendents statewide benefit from a yearly contribution to the Peaks and Prairies chapter of the GCSA. Golf Professionals are awarded a yearly contribution to each of the PGA sections.
The MSGA conducts state championship competitions, and also the Montana Cup with the statewide PGA chapters. It provides statewide Junior Golf Coordinators and District Junior Directors who are responsible for state Junior tournaments and Boys’ and Girls’ Junior America’s Cup teams. In 1986 it established, and still maintains, the Montana State Golf Hall of Fame.
As the statewide representative of the United States Golf Association, the MSGA administers the GHIN handicap service for its members, conducts qualifying events for USGA national championships, interprets the Rules of Golf and administers the Amateur Reinstatement Program, among other core services.
Oregon Golf Association
The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) was formed in 1924 to conduct the Oregon Amateur golf championship which included both Men and Women. The OGA is a 501(c) 6 non-profit amateur golf association governed by volunteer, amateur golfers who employ a full-time, professional staff of nine people.
Today, the OGA has evolved into a non-profit entity of more than 270 public and private clubs numbering approximately 42,000 members throughout Oregon and SW Washington. The OGA is unique in that its membership is comprised of all demographics including Men, Women, Adults, Seniors, Juniors, Private and Public golfers.
Licensed by the United States Golf Association as guardian of the game of golf for this region, the OGA promotes enhancement and expansion of the game of golf by protecting the game’s integrity and valued traditions, as well as promoting opportunities for all that want to play by leading in the development of member and information services.
Subsidiary businesses include Oregon Junior Golf Fund, Inc. (OJGF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable foundation and OGA Golf Course, Inc. (OGAGC).
OJGF oversees a nationally recognized junior golf program for over 1,100 youth in Oregon and SW Washington. Each year, the Oregon Golf Association presents more than 60 days of competition and more than 6,000 rounds of competitive golf for Junior Golfers ranging in age from 8 through 17. It also has developed one of the premiere regional junior golf competitions in the country, the Hogan Cup. Hogan Cup alumni include tour players such as Bobby Clampett, Fred Couples, Joe Rassett, Jack Renner, Lennie Clements, Scott Simpson, Rick Fehr, Robert Gamez, Bill Sanders, Kirk Triplett, Jim Nelford, John Fought, Peter Jacobsen, Jeff Quinney, Casey Martin, Michael Putnam, Ricky Barnes, Jason Gore and Tiger Woods.
The OGA is one of eight amateur golf associations in the country that owns and/or operates a for-profit public golf course. More than 40,000 rounds of golf are played annually at the OGA Golf Course, located in Woodburn, Ore.
Washington Golf
Founded in 1922, Washington Golf (formerly known as WSGA) has grown into one of the largest amateur golf associations in the United States providing a multitude of member benefits and services to more than 92,000 golfers, 520 member clubs, and 260 golf facilities throughout Washington and Northern Idaho.
WA Golf is committed to providing golfers with opportunities to play and develop their passion for golf no matter their skill level. This means organizing casual golf events and the state-wide Net Four-Ball, conducting high-caliber competitive championships, or simply offering member savings at area courses to encourage play. Additionally, WA Golf Youth On Course provides kids access to affordable rounds of golf.
As the representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA) for Washington state and northern Idaho, WA Golf provides members and member clubs with the computational tools and services of the World Handicap System through GHIN to provide a USGA Handicap Index and Course Rating. Additionally, members count on WA Golf as their local, authoritative source for the Rules of Golf.
Along with the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, WA Golf co-owns and operates The Home Course in DuPont, Wash.
WA Golf, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, is governed by a board of volunteers, and employs a full-time staff of 15 people.
Golf Canada
Golf Canada – a member-based organization – is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing more than 350,000 members at 1,600 clubs across the country. Recognized by Sport Canada as the National Sport Organization (NSO) for golf in this country, Golf Canada is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the game of golf in Canada.
Golf Canada actively conducts championships, programs and services to help shape the present and future of golf in Canada. High performance athlete development, National Golf in Schools, Golf Fore the Cure, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, the CN Canadian Women’s Tour and CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program, are only some of the initiatives the association delivers in conjunction with the provincial and other national golf associations.
As the authority for golf in Canada, the association also administers the Rules of Golf, amateur status, handicapping and course rating.
In addition, Golf Canada conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while regional junior and national amateur championships provide world class competitive opportunities for Canada’s top golfers to showcase their talents.
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, equipment standards, and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories, and Mexico.
The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history, and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.