Red Mountain Ranch
Member for a Day $75
Briarwood CC
Play from $55
Legend at Arrowhead
Great AGA Specials from $15
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AGA ON THE RADIO
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Welcome to the About Us portion of the AGA website!
The AGA is a volunteer based organization that is passionately dedicated to promoting the game of golf and to providing valuable benefits and services to its members. Learn more about who we are and what we do by clicking on the "+" buttons next to the individual topics.
Serving Golf Since 1923
The Arizona Golf Association (AGA), which was founded in 1923, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) association directed by amateur golfers. What started as a small group of golfers who got together to run the annual Amateur Championship has grown to an association of over 400 clubs and 65,000 members.
- Mission Statement
- The mission of the Arizona Golf Association is "To foster the enhancement and expansion of the game of golf by leading in the development of member and information services, the promotion of opportunities for all who want to play, and the protection of the game's integrity and valued traditions."
- Purpose of the Arizona Golf Association
- The Association's purpose is to promote the best interests and true spirit of the game throughout the State of Arizona. Its goals as outlined in the bylaws are:
- to promote voluntary association of golf clubs and course facilities solely for the betterment of golf and to encourage good relations among members of the Association;
- to advance uniform rules and standards consistent with those published by the USGA, especially with regard to the Handicap System (Arizona Handicap Network), Amateur Status, Rules of Golf and Green Section Research;
- to establish and maintain uniform and statewide handicap and course rating systems consistent with the USGA recommended procedures;
- to conduct state championships and assist individual member clubs in the operation of their activities; and
- to engage in and promote such other activities deemed to be in the best interest of golf, golf facilities and the golfers in Arizona.
- Responsibilities of the Arizona Golf Association
- The Arizona Golf Association is the official governing body of amateur golf in the state and is passionate about protecting the game - its appeal, traditions and history. However, we also understand the changing face of the golf population and are continually looking for ways to grow the game, to reach out to our membership and to create opportunities for new golfers to join the AGA family.
Traditionally, the AGA
- Is closely affiliated with the United States Golf Association through our licensing agreements to issue USGA Handicaps and Course and Slope Ratings within the state, overseeing the club licensing program and representing the USGA in several other areas such as administering Amateur Status;
- Is firmly committed to providing education in all aspects of the game including the USGA Rules of Golf, USGA Handicap System, conducting competitions and the proper marking of golf courses;
- Has had representation on local and national committees that have significant impact on the direction of golf and impact on you the golfer. Examples include representation on the following USGA Committees: Handicap Procedures, Course Rating, Regional Associations, Rules of Golf and Member Development;
- Has affiliation with local and national organizations that are equally as focused on improving the game and molding its future including National Golf Foundation, Golf Industry Associates, Golf Course Superintendents Association, Golf Writers, International Network of Golf, Southwest Golf Media Association, International Association of Golf Administrators, International Golf Network and Golf 20/20;
- Is a staunch advocate of the rights of golf courses in Arizona and often represents clubs in important issues such as environmental, water, taxation and municipal golf course pricing - all meant to protect golf and our members.
- Vision of the Future
- The face of golf is changing and the AGA recognizes there a vast number of recreational players that have no official connection to the game and no interest in obtaining a USGA Handicap. This is an issue the AGA is addressing with the introduction of the Recreational Membership which includes Golfers IQ. This is an individual member program that provides a scoring average, just like the pros. This Internet-based program is based on par and yardage and allows golfers to post a score and track their stats. Most importantly it allows golfers to become members of the association and participate in official events as well as take advantage of the discounts and special savings offered for a variety of products and services.
The AGA has recently completed a marketing study and is in the process of developing a member program structure that will allow individuals to become members just to support the game. This new membership program will provide all the benefits of membership except the USGA Handicap Index.
- Governance of the AGA
- The AGA is a membership based organization. Currently there are three tiers to the volunteer governance of the Arizona Golf Association
- An eleven member Executive Committee is the governing body of the Arizona Golf Association. It oversees the long-term direction of the association. Each member of the Executive Committee is either a chairman or vice-chairman of the association's standing committees. The AGA's Executive Director is an ex-officio member of this committee.
- A Council of Past Presidents ensures that the direction of the association moves in concert with its mission and long-range goals. The Council also participates in the appointment and nomination of the Executive Committee.
- A Board of Governors acts as an advisory board and consists of representatives of the various regions throughout the state. These individuals are asked to attend two meetings per year and to provide the leadership with input on current and future programs. This group provides the primary source for committee appointments and is an excellent source of future Executive Committee members.
Club Benefits
The AGA currently consists of approximately 400 clubs representing 65,000 Arizona golfers. Members receive a personalized membership card which identifies them as a member of the AGA. In order to provide service to members, the AGA --
- License with the USGA to Issue USGA Handicaps
- The AGA is licensed by the United States Golf Association to issue USGA Handicap Indexes to its member clubs. The AGA provides a state-of-the-art handicap system, the Arizona Handicap Network (AZHN) in partnership with the Arizona Women's Golf Association. The AZHN provides all AGA and AWGA members with an on-line, real-time method for posting scores and retrieving information. It also provides club administrators with powerful tools to effectively manage the USGA Handicap System. The AGA Membership card is specially designed to allow members to affix their current handicap stickers on the back.
- License with the USGA to Rate Golf Courses
- The AGA has been granted a license by the USGA to rate golf courses within the state of Arizona and Northern Mexico and to issue USGA Course and Slope ratings. This program is critical to the Handicap System as the Course and Slope ratings are taken into account when a Handicap Index is calculated. AGA volunteer teams consistency score among the top associations in the country at the annual USGA Calibration Seminar.
- GPS Measuring Services
- For the past several years, the AGA has been using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to measure golf courses. The AGA was the first association in the world to utilize this latest technology! It is still one of only a limited number of associations that have adopted this method.
The measurement of golf courses is part of the services the Course Rating Department provides to member clubs. This service includes a club's overall yardage from every set of tees, as well as the driving range. Measurements are available for new courses and changes to existing courses. Additional measuring services are provided upon request and for an additional fee.
- Tournament Program
- The AGA manages a tournament program that provides opportunities for not only the finest golfers in the state but also for the average golfer who just wants the social experience. These include
- Five major open championships and 2 major divisional championships
- All men's USGA qualifying rounds conducted in Arizona
- Local and regional tournaments to provide a competitive environment for those members that enjoy competition.
- Divisional Series played at gross and net for members 45 years of age and older.
- Senior Series for members 55 years of age and older played in a team format at gross and net
- AGA Member days for those that just want an opportunity to play some Arizona golf courses in a non-competitive atmosphere
- Annual Club Team Championship, a two-person scramble format open to all member clubs in the association.
- Annual representation of Arizona at local, national and international championships including Goldwater Cup Matches, Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, Arizona Utah Matches, USGA State Team Championship, Peru International Championship, Taiwan Amateur, Mexican Amateur Championship and the Columbian Amateur Championship.
More information on AGA Tournaments
- Communications-Publications and Website
- Direct communication with our member clubs poses some interesting challenges. Maintaining correct contact information for both the club management team as well as the individual members is an on-going process. The AGA --
- Publishes a magazine, Arizona The State of Golf, four times a year covering topics of interest to AGA members. The January issue each year also contains a directory or Arizona golf courses. The magazine is mailed to all members that have provided us with their mailing information;
- Automatically emails updated Handicap Index information following each update (requires members to provide us with their email address);
- Emails a monthly e-newsletter sent to all members who have their email address on file. These newsletters provide opportunities for special discounts and informs members of programs and upcoming events, information about workshops and seminars and other items of interest to the membership;
- Manages a dynamic website that attracts over 33 million hits per year and is our most effective communication tool.
- Club Software Tools
- Tournament Management System (TMS): All AGA clubs have free access to our tournament software to manage regular playdays as well as special events and invitationals. It's fully integrated with the AZHN and pulls current handicaps for both members and guests directly from the AZHN database. Score card information is also readily available at the push of a button. Once the event is concluded, it will also post the ESC adjusted scores directly into the member's scoring record -- saving tournament chairmen hours of score input.
This is a very comprehensive and robust program that manages all aspects of an event including
- Setting up teams and flights;
- Creating pairings;
- Printing score cards (including dotting the cards on appropriate holes);
- Generating cart signs;
- Scoring for almost any format imaginable,
- Calculating skins
- Producing final reports.
Club Management System (CMS): AGA member clubs can now have their very own fully developed, interactive club website. For those clubs that already have a website, it provides a great complement to add features or functions that may not be available on the current site. The website is easy to use and provides the opportunity to instantaneously communicate with your members, reduce administrative workload and automate applications. Best of all, it's fully integrated with the AZHN and the Tournament Management System (TMS). Clubs can--
- Sign up new members or renew existing memberships
- Allow members to sign up and pay for club events on-line
- Setup and display tournament participants, pairings and results
- Post scores into the Arizona Handicap Network (AZHN)
- Communicate with other members through a club directory and bulletin board
- Send newsletters or club activity information to members
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