New Handicap System - Heads Up!

​From: Diane FELDMAN <dianesfeldman@gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 3:40 PM
Subject: Important Handicap information
 
Dear Stanford 9-Holers,
 
First, let me wish you all a very happy holiday and a happy and healthy new year!🎉  May your new year be filled with long drives and holes-in-one.⛳
 
Next, let me suggest you read the following forwarded email from the WNHGA Handicap Director.....and then save it to read again after the craziness of the holiday season.  It contains answers to several questions that some of you have asked me.  In addition, it has some more details about issues you might have wondered about but haven't asked yet.
 
I will be sending out new information and explanations of the new WHS (World Handicap System) system after the holidays.  It's just too much to concentrate on at one time. 
 
For now, please note the following important information:

• Those of you who received an email telling you that you had email addreses associated with two GHIN numbers and that you wouldn't be able post scores---don't worry if that was your old 9-hole GHIN number.  That problem now has been taken care of.
• Those of you who have a shared email (e.g., with a spouse) will have to get a unique email address to be able continue to post scores.
• No one will be able to post any scores from January 1 through January 5, 2020.  Just keep those scores and post them after the blackout period.

Happy holidays everyone,
Diane Feldman
 
 
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lauren Dummer <lddummer@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 12:18 AM
Subject: UPDATE: NCGA Shared/Duplicate E-mail address notice
To:
 
Good evening Club Captains and Handicap Chairs,
 
I'm sorry to disrupt any holiday festivities, but I wanted to offer you an update on the email notice some, if not all of you, received on back on November 19th so you may provide your ladies with some information that should be helpful as we approach the end of the year deadlines from NCGA.  
 
Email notice sent is as follows.

 
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
SHARED EMAILS ARE NO LONGER SUPPORTED
AS OF JANUARY 1, 2020
 
Due to the implementation of the new World Handicap System, the USGA/GHIN has mandated that ALL NCGA member profiles must have a unique email address prior to December 31, 2019.

As of January 1, 2020, all email addresses that are associated with more than one GHIN number will be deleted from the GHIN system. These members will not be able to post scores (except for via course kiosks) or receive handicap index revision emails until they have provided a unique email address.
If no action is taken, email addresses will be deleted from ALL active and inactive GHIN profiles.

Use the link below to update the email address associated with each individual name/GHIN number on or before December 31, 2019. 
 

Just to clarify there are two distinct parts to emails that are being addressed so let me first speak to the email you received above regarding the inactive 9-hole GHIN#.
 
Part 1:
During the conversion of 2018 USGA GHIN transferred/merged all of your 9-hole history to the new 18-hole GHIN#.  It was understood and expected that the old 9-hole inactive GHIN# would be deleted from the system, however we now know that did not happen. Unfortunately, NCGA could not delete the old inactive GHIN# as they do not possess the administrative level access to affect such changes.  NCGA has been working GHIN to resolve the issue, and in turn WNHGA has been working with NCGA. 
 
I received confirmation this afternoon from Rick Rangle, NCGA Director of Growth, that NCGA had received a response and confirmation from GHIN. GHIN will remove all emails associated with the inactive 9-hole GHIN numbers and that should eliminate share email profiles. Look for emails to be updated on or before before January 1st.  So bottom line don't worry about the old inactive 9-hole GHIN#s.  Just ensure you have an updated email address for your current GHIN#.
 
Part 2:
As part of the implementation of the new WHS, access to GHIN services through NCGA are tied to a unique individual by GHIN # and email address, or otherwise stated one email address per GHIN#.  This is due to the new NCGA/GHIN software platform that is a secured site requiring individual authentication; E.I.: your individual email and password. So, if you share and email address with a spouse, or another individual, one or other will have to create an email in order to access the online NCGA/GHIN services such as on your home computer or the GHIN smart phone app.  If you don’t update your GHIN # with a unique individual email address you won’t be able to post online but you certainly post at your club’s GHIN kiosk.  This is important if you want to keep up with and get the benefit of the requested daily postings of scores.
 
But wait there's more!  I also wanted to share some of the very thoughtful questions I've received from a few of you and to share the best guidance I can based upon my conversations with NCGA.
 
Q:  I have a junior/minor golfer who is attached to my email, do I have to get a separate email for them?
A:  Yes, unfortunately you will otherwise the junior/minor will be deleted from the GHIN profile and will only be able to post their club kiosk. 
 
Q:  A member of my club has a shared GHIN email with a spouse who has passed and it's very important to them to not change the email address they shared.  How can          she do this?
A:  This is a sensitive and completely understandable concern.  Have the club handicap chair or pro assist the member by notifying NCGA that the member's spouse has        passed and request to have the spouse's GHIN deleted from the GHIN profile.  The club can not perform this function at the local level only NCGA can.  This will                   allow the member to keep the existing email associated to their GHIN#.  
 
Q:  I have another 18-hole GHIN # from another place and time that shows up on GHIN profile, will this old inactive 18-hole GHIN# be deleted as well?
A:  No, this is a separate issue than the inactive 9-hole GHIN#.  For the time being you will have to create an email address, or use an old seldom used email address you       still have, for that GHIN# even though it's inactive in order to keep your current GHIN # profile from being deleted.  There is a process for correcting this situation, you       can contact me individually for more information if this applies to you.
 
Lastly, remember:
 

1. No Posting Conversion Period 1/1/20-1/5/20.  From January 1 through January 5, 2020, you will not be able to post any scores.  On January 6, you will get your new WHS Index and you can post scores for any rounds between 1/1 and 1/5/20.  If you belong to 2 or more clubs, the system may ask you designate one club as your “Home Club”. 
2. Get the myNCGA App for your phone.  The myNCGA (or GHIN) App will be updated before January 1st to work under the new World System.  Install or update the App before you enter scores in January. Since the new rules encourages you to post your scores by midnight on the date played, and you will need to know your Index on any given day, the myNCGA App is essential and convenient. 

 
I hope this information has been helpful, as always please do not hesitate to call or email me with any questions you may have.  We are all learning and going through this together.  I'll be posting some other useful resources for you to pass along to your club after Christmas.
 
Wishing  you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year.
 
Lauren Dummer
WNHGA Handicap Director