FWGA Member Handbook

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Table of Contents
Welcome to FWGA!
FWGA Communications
Member Planet
Event Calendar
Casual Play
Casual Play Schedule
How to get added to the Casual Play Groups
How to Use Punchbowl
General Responsibilities: Playing
General Responsibilities: Hosting
Clinics		 Index and Handicap Guidelines
Establishing Your Handicap Index
Course Handicap
Net Double Bogey
Social Events 
General Meeting
Holiday Brunch
FWGA Tournaments
Types of Tournaments
Tournament Registration
Tournament Play
Welcome to Fore Women Golf Association (FWGA)!
Fore Women Golf Association (FWGA) was formed in February 1996 at the Fore Women Golf Shop in San Ramon. After four years the shop closed, and FWGA continued. In 2021 FWGA celebrated its 25th anniversary. 

Our guiding principle at Fore Women Golf Association is to provide opportunities for women to play golf with other women and to have fun while engaging in quality experiences. We offer both educational and social opportunities in addition to great golf. You may choose to join our many casual play groups, play tournaments, and participate in a clinic. You have joined a diverse group of women who enjoy all aspects of golf and play at all levels, ranging from beginner to experienced. There is something for everyone!

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FWGA is an associate club of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA), we are not affiliated with any particular golf course. We typically offer five or more opportunities to play at a wide range of courses during most weeks of the year.

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FWGA is an all-volunteer organization. Through our many talented volunteers we are able to offer diverse activities. Please consider volunteering in an area that interests you. It is a great way to meet other members.

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We look forward to seeing you on the course and, again… WELCOME TO FWGA!
FWGA Communications
Communications from FWGA are emailed to each member. FWGA will communicate using Member Planet, Punchbowl, and MailChimp.

mailchimpicondownload FWGA communicates with its members using an email marketing platform called Mailchimp. When a new article is added to the FWGA Blog, Mailchimp emails a copy of the article to all the members.
Sign Up Genius is used to organize Casual Play Hostess sign ups.
FWGA also communicates using Member Planet. Member Planet is a member management software program used by all NCGA clubs.
Casual Play invitations are emailed using Punchbowl. Punchbowl is an RSVP online party invitation program.

Please do not unsubscribe from these services as you will be cut off from all communications from FWGA.
Member Planet
Member Planet is a service provided by the NCGA for member clubs.  MemberPlanet is an easy-to-use membership management software that helps groups and organizations of any size communicate, manage members, and process payments.  Members will join and renew their FWGA/NCGA membership through Member Planet. It is important that all members are able to access their Member Planet accounts with a workable password. Please view the video at right if you need help to set or reset your password.

Member Planet also offers credit card processing at a reduced rate for member clubs. FWGA uses the MP credit card service to process renewals, registration for social events and tournaments.
Event Calendar
Link: FWGA Event Calendar

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The Event Calendar includes all FWGA Tournaments, Casual Play, and Social Events.
Casual Play Schedule
Click for CASUAL PLAYpage
Click for Casual Play HOSTESS SCHEDULE page.

The calendar is the Casual Play Hostess schedule for the year. If you forget your hostess date, check the Casual Play Hostess Calendar. New members are not required to host the first year of membership.

Click for FWGA Event Calendar.

The Event Calendar lists all the FWGA casual play days, Clinics, FWGA Tournaments and FWGA social events.
How to Get Added to the Casual Play Groups
After new members complete the New Member Questionnaire online. It is automatically routed to the Casual Play Chair. She will add the new members to the chosen casual play groups on Punchbowl. If a member wishes to be added to a group, they can also contact the Casual Play Coordinators listed at the bottom of the Casual Play Schedule page on the website.
How to Use Punchbowl

Click to View “Punchbowl Account Set Up” Video

Click to View “How To Use Punchbowl” Video

FWGA uses an online program called Punchbowl to manage the casual play invitations. Punchbowl is a party invitation program. Each casual play group has their own Punchbowl group with their own list of invitees. After the hostess volunteer schedules a tee time, she informs the casual play group coordinator who then sets up the event on Punchbowl. Punchbowl will then send out invitations to their group list. As invitations are received by members, they either RSVP In or Out. The Punchbowl program will send out reminders for those that have not rsvp’d as the event date approaches and will also send out a different reminder to those that have rsvp’d In.
General Responsibilities: Playing
Once you have signed up to play, your general responsibilities are the usual:
General Responsibilities: Hosting
Each member is required to be the “hostess” for 2 casual play events for each of their active casual play groups. New members are not required to host their first year of membership. See the Hosting Duties page on the ForeWomenGolf.org website for a detailed description of the hosting duties.
Clinics
FWGA offers 8 to 10 skills clinics each year for our members. The clinics are at various golf courses in the area and are taught by the golf course professionals. FWGA members will receive a Punchbowl invitation to the clinics. Each clinic is limited to 8 to 12 attendees. A small fee of $20 to $25 is paid directly to the golf course professional.Please see the FWGA CLINICS page for a listing of the FWGA clinics for the year.
Establishing Your Handicap Index
A new golfer must post at least 3 18-hole rounds (2 9-hole rounds will be combined for 1 18-hole round) of golf for the GHIN program to calculate a handicap index. As soon as you post the minimum number of rounds, your new index will be calculated on the upcoming change date. The handicap index is the number of strokes above par. The index enables golfers of different abilities to compete with each other on a level playing field.

Please go to the Handicap Index page on the ForeWomenGolf.org website for a description of how to establish a handicap index.
Course Handicap
Golfer’s never play with their raw or unadjusted handicap index. It is a starting point. The unadjusted handicap index is based on a slope rating of 113. If you play a course with a slope rating higher than 113, you get strokes added to your raw index and lower than 113, strokes are taken away. The easiest way to calculate the course handicap is to use the NCGA App. Using the app, enter the golf course slope rating using the slider to get the course handicap.So in this example, with a handicap index of 40.4 playing at a course with a slope rating of 124, the course handicap is 44.
Net Double Bogey

Golfer’s are required to post only the Adjusted Gross Score on GHIN. The handicap index is a representation of a golfer’s potential scoring ability. This potential can be wiped out with just one disastrous hole or round of golf. To compensate for this, we have the Net Double Bogey Adjustment. Net Double Bogey dictates the maximum number of strokes we can post for any given hole. Net Double Bogey protects us from that disastrous hole and a disastrous round distorting our handicap index and our potential scoring ability.

For more details about how to calculate the adjusted gross score for posting, please see the Posting Guideliens page on the ForeWomenGolf.org website.
Social Events
FWGA hosts 2 Social Events each year.

The General Meeting in March kicks off the new year.

  • Members enjoy a catered brunch
  • Board members introduce themselves and give a short presentation.
  • A Guest Speaker is scheduled to present golf related information.
  • Members can pick up their FWGA Address Books and Tournament Schedules.
  • Members volunteer to coordinate the upcoming tournaments.
  • Members sign up to host casual play event dates.
  • Members can purchase golf clothing and accessories.
  • Pick up the new USGA Rules of Golf Handbook.

The Holiday Brunch in December marks the end of a great year.

  • Members enjoy a catered Brunch.
  • Watch a presentation of year end awards, Most Improved Golfer, Volunteer of the Year, Birdie Champion, and Club & Player’s Champions
  • Members can pick up the Tournament Schedule for the upcoming year.
  • Members volunteer to coordinate the upcoming tournaments.
  • Members sign up to host casual play event dates.
  • Members can purchase golf clothing and accessories.
  • Members enjoy a golf fashion show.
FWGA Tournaments
FWGA Tournaments are open to all members. There is no qualifying. Playing in Casual Play groups while observing the Rules of Golf, Etiquette and Pace of Play rules will prepare members to play under Tournament conditions. The Tournament Coordinator decides the Tournament Game Format. See the Tournament Game Formats page on the ForeWomenGolf.org website for a description of some of the most popular FWGA game formats.
Types of Tournaments
  • Local Tournaments take place at courses within easy driving distance of the majority of our members in the East Bay.
  • An Invitational Tournament is one in which members may invite their spouse, significant other, or a friend to participate. Some of these tournaments take place at a course far enough away to make an overnight stay desirable, and are referred to as “Away” Tournaments. Guests at these tournaments are not considered a GUEST for membership purposes, and, thus, may play in other Invitational or Away Tournaments during the year or any following year without having to become a member.
Tournament Registration
See the FWGA Tournament Schedule for tournament dates, locations and registrations deadline dates. On that page, Members can click the SIGN UP link to register. The registration deadline date sometimes can’t be extended because golf courses set deadlines for player numbers and prepayment of fees. If you wish to sign up after the deadline has passed, contact the Tournament Director to be put on a waiting list for cancellations. If for some reason you can’t play, please call the Tournament Director to allow those on a waiting list the opportunity to play. Your entry fee will be forfeited if you do not play and a replacement is not found.
Tournament Play

  • Check in at the tournament registration desk during the published check-in window of time. Registration closes 45 minutes prior to the final tee time to enable the registration volunteers the opportunity to warm up and be prepared to play at their scheduled tee times.
  • When you sign in, you will receive a tee sheet describing the format for the tournament, including information on closest to the hole competitions, other contests, tee times and pairings. One scorecard is issued per cart.
  • The Tournament Director determines whether winter rules of golf or other local rules are in effect on the day of the tournament. You will be told of their ruling when you check in.
  • Tournament participants must pick up at 10 strokes but will continue to be eligible for prizes.
  • Verified and signed scorecards should be turned in to the scorers as soon as you have completed your round of golf. In case of a tie in scores, the method of “matching score cards” will be used.
  • Players do not post their own score for tournaments. The Tournament Director will post each players adjusted score to GHIN.