FAQs

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Chek with local Lions, Rotary, Golf Teams, Church's, or local Golf Clubs.   Many golfers have friends or family members as guides.

Donations to the USBGA may be tax deductible and are appreciated by the USBGA to support the sport of Blind Golf in the USA.   When donating to the USBGA using PayPal, we offer a Comments box where you can add your wishes for how the Donation should be used.  This information will be received by the Treasurer and allocated appropriately.  See more here about Donation options.  You can also refer to our Payment Instructions here.

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No.  The USBGA and the International Organization, the IBGA, both recognize 3 sight categories for players:  B1 - Totally Blind, B2 - Vision Impaired, and B3 - Vision Impaired.   Read more about the sight categories, rule modifications and guides here.

Any person who has a visual acuity worse than or less than 20/200 in BOTH eyes.  Your vision cannot be correctable to be better than 20/200 with either glasses or contacts. Finally, you must be a U.S. citizen or have dual citizenship.  Associate Player Members from Central America and other Regional North American Countries that don’t have sufficient players to form their own IBGA Member Association are able to apply for an associate membership.

1. Exception: ASSOCIATE PLAYER MEMBERSHIP  Players from Central America and other Regional North American Countries that do not have sufficient players to form their own Member Association through the IBGA may apply for Associate Player Membership to the USBGA.
2.  Associate Player Members meet the specific qualifications of their membership classification and are responsible for paying yearly USBGA membership dues.  They may play in any tournament offered through the USBGA and are responsible for paying all associated tournament fees. Note: Associate Player Members may not vote in elections or run for office.

That is because the IBGA is our parent organization that officially determines potential members'  sight qualification and sight category placement.  Having a single organization makes every country equal in both placement and approval.  Then the individual countries run their organizations separately for events and tournaments, unless the IBGA is involved in sponsorship of a tourney, where they would again oversee the event with standardized international rules.

I.   USBGA MEMBERSHIP:

A.   MEMBERSHIP:

1. MEMBERS:  Members shall be classified hereinafter.  Members shall have the privileges and obligations as set forth in these Policies and Procedures and By-Laws.

Gender Policy:  The USBGA will employ the policies of the LPGA and PGA as it relates to transgender athletes to provide the athletes an avenue to membership, an opportunity to participate in our events and in an effort to assure fair competition for all members and participants.  Reference PGA of America Championship Gender Policy and the LPGA Gender Policy.  If applicable, applicants will identify themselves during the USBGA membership application process.

a.       FULL MEMBERS must meet the specific qualifications of their membership classification and must be permanent residents of the United States.

2. The acceptance of membership into the USBGA shall bind each Member to uphold all the provisions of the Charter, By-Laws, Policies and Procedures and other rules of the USBGA and to accept the decisions of the Board of Directors (Board) acting within provisions of the By-Laws.

3. Exception: ASSOCIATE PLAYER MEMBERSHIP:  Players from Central America and other Regional North American Countries that do not have sufficient players to form their own Member Association through the IBGA or a DCP who’s main residence is not the United States, may apply for an Associate Player Membership to the USBGA.
   1. Associate Player Members meet the specific qualifications of their membership classification and are responsible for paying yearly USBGA membership dues.  They may play in any tournament offered through the USBGA and are responsible for paying all associated tournament fees.  Note: Associate Player Members may not vote in elections, run for office or serve on committees.

 

4. Exception: DUAL CITIZENSHIP PLAYERS (DCP) Players who have Dual US Citizenship and wish to apply for Full Membership with the USBGA will have to declare the USA as their “Home” Country and live in the United States for six (6) or more months a year.  Exception: Dual Citizen Players who were granted DCP status prior to August 2022 are grandfathered in for the six-month residency requirement.  The remaining requirements are still applicable to all DCP’s. 
   1. The DCP will have to declare their “Home Country” status by November 15th each year for the next calendar year.
   2. The “Home Country” is responsible for submitting the DCP’s scores to the USBGA Handicap Chair / IBGA for establishing and maintaining their handicap.
   3. If a DCP fails to comply with any of the conditions detailed here they cannot apply for Full Membership and may apply for an Associate Player Membership (ref I.A.1.c Exception above.
   4. The DCP may NOT serve on the “Board” of their “Non-Declared Home Country.”  In doing so, the DCP will forfeit their Full USBGA Membership rights.
   5. If a DCP applies for membership to the USBGA, lives in the United States for 6 months or more a year, declares the United States as their “Home Country” and does not serve on the Board or hold elected office in their Non-Declared Home Country, they may apply for a Full Membership to the USBGA and may vote in elections, run for office and serve on committees provided they are in good standing with current membership dues and tournament fees.

No, there is one USBGA that holds tournaments throughout the USA.

Members are not automatically eligible to play in the annual National Championship tournament.  Qualifications are detailed in our Polices & Procedures:   INITIAL QUALIFICATION: To play in a National Championship Tournament a new blind or vision impaired member must submit three (3) scores that meet the following criteria. The new blind (B1) member must have a Maximum handicap of (54) fifty four or lower for men and (63) sixty three Maximum for women. The new visually impaired (B2) member must have a Maximum handicap of (45) forty five or lower for men and (54) fifty four Maximum or lower for women. The new visually impaired (B3) member must have a Maximum handicap of (36) thirty six or lower for men and (45) forty five Maximum or lower for women that is played on a regulation golf course from the men’s regular tees, the ladies’ tees or the senior tees. Score cards must be attested to by the player, coach and golf professional. All efforts should be made for the attesting coach to be the coach for the player in his/her first National Championship.   If the new member cannot meet the Initial Qualification requirements to play in the Stroke category in a National Championship, then they are allowed to play in the Stableford category until they can meet the Initial Qualification criteria as stated above.

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RE-QUALIFICATION: Any blind (B1) Member scoring over one hundred sixty five (165); vision impaired (B2) Member scoring over one hundred forty five (145); vision impaired (B3) Member scoring over one hundred twenty five (125); of any regulation eighteen (18) holes played in a National Championship Tournament must re-qualify in order to compete in their next National Championship Tournament. The requirements outlined in paragraphs VI.A.1 and VI.A.2 also apply for re-qualification.   If the Member cannot meet these re-qualification scores to play in the Stroke category in a National Championship then they are allowed to play in the Stableford category until they can meet the Initial Qualification scores as stated above.

MEMBERSHIP FUNDRAISING FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:  If a player raises at least $1,000 for the USBGA through a fundraising event such as their personal Classy fundraising page, an event at their local golf club, a GoFundMe fundraiser or a donation from friends and/or family, their entry fee for a National Championship may be waived.  The member may select which year’s National Championship their entry fee will be waived for. Fundraising efforts will only impact entry fees for the National Championship and no other USBGA tournaments.

USBGA Website Online Payment Instructions   We have updated the https://usblindgolf.com website to provide you the ability to pay for 1. Membership dues (Membership Tab), 2. Tournament fees (Tournament Tab) and 3. Donations (Donate Tab) to the USBGA or a specific event of your choice.  Payments are made through PayPal or credit / debit card.   Below are the instructions for each type of Online Payment (membership, tournament or donation):      

1. MEMBERSHIP DUES

  At the blind golf website main page  https://usblindgolf.com : Click on the MEMBERSHIP TAB at the top of the page On the MEMBERSHIP page, scroll down to PAYMENT OPTIONS:  1) Online using PayPal: Click the MEMBERSHIP DUES drop down menu and select either the Player ($100) or Coach/Support Member ($25) option Add a comment in the Comments Box if you choose Click on the ADD TO CART BUTTON that will bring you to the PayPal payment page. Click on the PAYPAL CHECK OUT BUTTON if you have a PayPal account or the CHECK OUT button to complete the transaction via credit/ debit card.      

2. TOURNAMENT FEES

  At the blind golf website main page  https://usblindgolf.com : Click on the TOURNAMENTS TAB at the top of the page On the TOURNAMENTS page, scroll down to Pay for a Tournament, 1) Online using PayPal: Click on the TOURNAMENT FEES drop down menu and select the tournament type (Open, National or Regional) fee Click on the ADD TO CART BUTTON that will bring you to the PayPal payment page. Click on the PAYPAL CHECK OUT BUTTON if you have a PayPal account or the CHECK OUT button to complete the transaction via credit / debit card.   **We also added a link titled Miscellaneous Fees that brings you to a variable price PayPal option where you can pay for extra fees such as guest dinners, golf shirts etc.   ** Need to pay miscellaneous fees not listed above? Pay online here Click on the Pay Online HERE link and complete the transaction   USBGA Website Online Payment Instructions

3. DONATIONS

  At the blind golf website main page https://usblindgolf.com : Click on the DONATE TAB at the top of the page On the DONATE page, scroll down to the Select Donation Amount section.  There are two options

1. At the Drop Down Menu, select an amount listed then Click on theSpecify “Donation” Amount button

At the PayPal payment page select the Pay with PayPal option or Pay with Debit or Credit Card option to complete your donation

2. Click on theSpecify “Other” Amount button if you want to donate a different amount

At the PayPal payment page select the option to Donate with PayPal to complete the transaction adding your target donation in the comments box   Or   Click on the Donate with a Debit or Credit Card button At this payment page, click on the “Add comments for the USBGA” button to specify the tournament or cause for your donation. Fill in the credit card information Click on the blue “Donate Now” button to complete the transaction