01/25/10 - USGA Obtains Injunction against ISaAC Scoring Systems

The U.S. District Court has issued a permanent injunction against ISaAC Scoring Systems, LLC, protecting USGA trademarks. 

01/01/10 - 2010 OGA/USGA Handicap Index Revision Schedule

The OGA officially released the 2010 USGA Handicap Index Revision Schedule for clubs in Oregon and SW Washington.  This year there will be a least two revisions every month during the season, providing three more revisions than last year.

11/09/09 - Posting Scores When Traveling to Sunbelt States During the Off-Season

Although local scores are not valid to your official handicap after December 1, you are under obligation per the USGA Handicap System, the OGA and your club to post rounds played in year-round golf associations if you travel throughout the winter.

11/09/09 - Should You Post Scores As Course Conditions Decline?

If golf course conditions decline, most of the time you would not automatically want to turn to the use of "Winter Rules" / Preferred Lies.  The Rules of Golf covers these situations.  Most important, if an individual golfer invokes some sort of Preferred Lie when we are in season he/she still must post their score.

04/13/09 - Why should I post my scores?  You’re not!

Now that many of our golfing friends have returnedg from their winter homes in sunbelt areas such as Southern California or Arizona, handicap committees are double checking to see whether their members have been living up to their responsibility in posting all their scores.

03/09/09 - The USGA is coming to town! 01/13/09 - Welcome to the New OGA Handicapping Blog

Welcome to Preferred Lies, the new OGA Handicapping Blog.  Why would we use the term "Preferred Lies" when it is actually contrary to anything we support?

01/12/09 - OGA Receives GHIN Customer Service Award

The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) was awarded the 2008 GHIN® (Golf Handicap Information Network) Service Award at the conclusion of the recently held GHIN Users Meeting. The annual award is presented to a golf association based on club survey and feedback, along with input from the GHIN staff.

12/29/08 - Are the Days of the Sandbagger Over?

Often, the sandbagger is someone who has not taken the time to understand the Rules of Golf or the Rules of Handicapping as well as join the Oregon Golf Association in order to obtain an authorized and correctly calculated handicap index.  Of course, we all know those knowingly greedy golfers who demands more strokes than they deserve, taking the fun out of the game for the rest of us.

10/13/08 - Fairness offers all golfers a Championship Experience

Fairness is the goal of the USGA Handicap system.  Its success, however, relies on the honesty and integrity of individual golfers starting with full reporting of scores.

10/13/09 - Why are Course and Slope Ratings Different for Men & Women? PART II

There’s a lot more than yardage when it comes to calculating a course’s USGA Course and Slope Ratings.

09/30/09 - Why are Course and Slope Ratings Different for Men & Women?

Several times in the last two weeks, I’ve been asked why, even from the same set of tees and yardage, the numbers are different for men & women.  I assumed most golfers knew the answer, but ...

06/03/09 - Don’t let the course rating fool you!

We recently visited Crestview Golf Club in Waldport, Ore. a 9-hole course that was totally redesigned by Dan Hixson.

04/13/09 - There’s nothing stopping you from playing any set of tees.

Every golfer should ideally play from the set of tees that best suits their ability.  There should be no reason for a senior or beginning man to be uncomfortable playing from forward tees, just as a long-ball scratch-level female hitter such as Michelle Wie might want to play from the tips.   All you need to know is how to post your score!

04/08/09 - WSGA RELEASES WINE VALLEY RATINGS

Designed by Northwest native Dan Hixson, Wine Valley GC is co-owned by longtime Northwest PGA Professional John Thorsnes and Jim Pliska (who also owns Emerald Valley GC in Creswell, Ore.). The full 18-hole championship layout is scheduled to open to the public by May 1st.

03/06/09 - My First Calibration Seminar

Every year the USGA puts on a Calibration Seminar for all State & Regional Golf Associations that are responsible for administering the USGA Course Rating System™ in their respective territories.  It is a requirement of our license with the USGA that we attend at least one Calibration Seminar during the quadrennial period of our license.

01/22/09 - You have now entered… The Transition Zone.

The new OGA Course Rating Blog has been named “The Transition Zone” for several reasons.  First, this department is undergoing numerous changes; hence, we are in a transitional stage. Second, Transition Zone is one of the more interesting but difficult concepts to grasp in the USGA Course Rating System™ manual.