United States Golf Association

Programs: Usga championships, including broadcasts - the usga conducts the united states open, united states women's open and united states senior open championships, which are open to amateur and professional golfers from around the world. The usga also conducts annually ten national amateur golf championships. In 2017, nearly 40,000 people competed in these usga championships. Additionally, more than 450,000 people attended these usga championships as spectators. By exposing the public to these usga championships through various spectator packages, national and international television and radio broadcasts, and digital and social media platforms the usga promotes worldwide interest in the game of golf and inspires participation in the game. The usga also leverages these same platforms to disseminate educational materials and information regarding environmental and economic sustainability, stem education, diversity and inclusion, history, and other relevant topics. The usga also sponsors teams for several international amateur golf championships, providing opportunities for amateur american athletes to compete in global events.

usga agronomists provide course consulting services to golf facilities throughout the united states and abroad for the purpose of advancing environmental and economic best management practices. The usga green section also provides speakers, on-line publications and on-line conferences to educate interested parties about environmental and agronomic issues affecting the game of golf, as well as the broader community. The usga provides grants to colleges and universities to finance turfgrass and environmental research to benefit golf courses and the environment. In 2017, the usga conducted the usga golf innovation symposium to gather scientists, golf course operators and golf experts to discuss solutions to reducing golf's use of water, management of nutrient use and reducing maintenance costs for golf courses, the majority of which are public.

ghin (golf handicap and information network) - ghin is a handicap computation service that encourages golfers of differing abilities to compete against one another in a fair and equitable manner. This service began in 1981 with the metropolitan golf association (new york) as the first user; ghin currently provides services to 83 golf associations domestically and internationally, and provides billable handicaps to over 2. 2 million golfers.

each year the usga provides a variety of programs that benefit everyone who plays the game. The usga writes and interprets the rules of golf, and provides seminars, training materials, videos and publications to educate golfers about the rules. The usga administers the rules of amateur status in the usa and mexico. The usga monitors equipment standards to ensure that skill rather than technology represents the essence of the game. The usga maintains handicap and course rating systems to enable golfers of varying skill to compete fairly and equitably. The usga supports grassroots golf programs for juniors, as well as programs for golfers with disabilities. The usga provides education and information through public service announcements, championship webcasts, digital and social media platforms, publications, meetings and seminars. The usga supports local, state and regional golf associations in their local efforts to grow and support a healthy future for local golf courses. The usga maintains a museum dedicated to the game's history that serves as caretaker and steward of extensive historical collections.