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Click here to view a letter to all clubs from the CEO of Golf Australia about the new handicap login procedure (24 July 2018)
How to register. The first time you use the handicapping service on www.golf.org.au from Tuesday 4 September you will automatically be presented with a short on-line form that you will need to enter a few details into (including your email address).
Help desk contact details. If you are experiencing difficulties with the registration process please ring 1300 650 750 or email help@golflink.com.au
Who can register. There are no restrictions on who can register to use the handicapping service on www.golf.org.au.
Remaining continually logged-in. You are able to avoid having to log-in each time you want to view your handicap on the same device – once you have logged-in to the handicap-view pages, you are able to remain logged-in on that device into the future (unless its security or ‘cookie’ settings are at a very high level).
Accessing multiple handicap records. Once logged-in to www.golf.org.au under your new personal log-in, you will be able to view the handicap history of any golfer you know the GOLF Link number of, without needing their email address.
I regularly use my club’s website, app, or software system to enter competitions, or to book tee times, or to view competition results, etc. If I stay within my club’s website, app, or software system will I have to operate the new log-in process?
No. The new log-in process only applies when you use www.golf.org.au to access handicap or score history information. Nothing will change when you remain within your club’s website, app, or software system.
However if you access the www.golf.org.au handicapping service by clicking on a link from within your club’s website, app, or software system, then you will be exiting your club’s system and you will be using www.golf.org.au to access handicap or score history information. If you do this you will need to operate the new log-in process.
What are all of the steps I have to follow to register?
• The first time you use the handicapping service on www.golf.org.au from Tuesday 4 September you will automatically be presented with a very short on-line form.
• To register you will need to enter a few details into the form (including an email address) and then hit the ‘register’ button.
Am I still able to check my friends’ handicaps under the new log-in process?
Yes. Once you have registered and logged-in under your new personal log-in, it will be just as easy for you to check your friends’ handicaps as it has always been. You will still be able to access the handicap history of any player you know the GOLF Link number of, without needing their email addresses.
Will I be able to opt out of receiving any commercial marketing?
Yes. There will be an opt-out check-box that will be clearly presented to you as a part of your registration process.
What are Golf Australia’s reasons for adopting the new log-in requirements? How is it good for golf?
There are four main reasons why Golf Australia has decided to adopt what has become the standard practice of asking users to log-in to an internet service.
• We want to continue to improve our website by developing a better understanding of who uses it and what it is that they want us to provide in our handicapping service. At the moment we have an indication of how many individual people use our handicapping service on www.golf.org.au but our information is very general and we don’t have a clear enough understanding of the sort of upgrades that people would find attractive. We want more people to visit our website more often and in order to do that we know we need to continue to innovate in ways that people will find interesting and informative.
• We want to generate data to support a business insights tool for the use of clubs and golf industry groups. As the national organisation for golf, we have a unique capacity to aggregate large amounts of club membership data. For some time now, clubs and golf industry groups have been looking for us to use this capacity to support the development of a modern business insights tool to generate a detailed understanding of the people who play our sport, along with their playing preferences and trends. It is widely believed this would have a powerful potential to support golf clubs and their businesses.
• We want to generate more revenue to invest into club support and game development programs. Golf Australia is a not-for-profit organisation – all the money we generate is directed back into providing a service to golfers and clubs and to developing the game and its facilities. It is incumbent upon us as the national sporting organisation to be exploring different sponsorship and other commercial opportunities to try to grow revenues for investment into the game. And it will always be easy for golfers to opt-out of receiving any commercial marketing.
• We want to upgrade our communication channels. It is a priority for us to upgrade our communication channels with Australian golfers – both in the way we communicate with you, and the way you communicate with us.
Why does Golf Australia believe it is important to upgrade its communication channels with golfers?
Developments regularly occur that have a direct impact on the playing experience of Australian golfers. Sometimes information on these developments will be relevant only to segments of golfers, and at other times it will be relevant to all golfers. At the moment there is a strong reliance on coordinating each one of Australia’s 1600 golf clubs in order for information to be passed to the people it impacts. Information gets double-handled or triple-handled which is inefficient and wasteful of people’s time. And it is a process that is guaranteed to breakdown in parts. It also places an unfair and unnecessary burden on a huge number of golf club administrators – many of whom are volunteers.
For example, in the next few months substantial changes to the Rules of Golf will come into effect. There will also be notable changes to the way your handicap is calculated as a result of the global introduction of the World Handicap System. We believe that this is the type of important information that should go direct to a golfer.
But this new communication pathway will not be a one-way street. We want to make it easier for golfers to express their preferences and views to us. We will be providing various feedback opportunities for golfers on the following types of subjects:
• The Golf Australia website.
• The way your handicap information is presented to you on www.golf.org.au.
• The services we provide – how they can be improved, what matters to you, and what does not matter to you.
• And of course on the type of information we communicate to you via the upgraded channels. If you feel we are not getting the balance right, or that you are getting information that is only relevant to others, then you will have the opportunity to express your views to us.