Membership FAQs

Membership FAQ’s for GAM.org

You are not required to join a GAM member club to become a GAM member.  If you join a private GAM member club, most club membership fees include a GAM membership.  If you join GAM, but have no club affiliation, you will need to chose a “Home Club” from the list of GAM member clubs provided to you.  The role of the Home Club is to address handicapping questions and to make adjustments to posted scores, when necessary.  As a measure to help golfers receive the oversight needed to have and maintain a USGA Handicap Index, the USGA and World Handicap System (WHS) requires that all golfers are affiliated with a home club or course.

The purpose of a Handicap Index is to enable golfers of differing abilities, genders and nationalities to take their handicap to any course in the world and compete with others on a fair basis. Many tournaments and casual events require golfers to have a Handicap Index.

When necessary, contact the Golf Association of Michigan to change your home club.  If you are joining a private club or changing private clubs, contact the administrator at the club you are joining.  They must add you to their GAM or GHIN roster as a member of their club.

Your GAM Membership Card can be found behind the front cover of your Michigan Links Magazine. Members receive an annual copy of the magazine between April and August, depending on when you join or renew your membership.  The membership card is to presented to participating courses in our Swing & Save program for discounts they offer.  For a list of participating courses and their discounts, click the Swing & Save link under the Member benefits menu on our website.

Your score history will remain associated with your GHIN number.  Once your GHIN number is activated with any USGA state golf association, your most recent score history will be available and you will be able to post authorized scores.

If you have not created a username and password for the NEW GAM website (1/5/23) you will have to select “Setup Username and Password” upon trying to login to your dashboard. Once you select this option the system will prompt you to enter your GHIN # and you will then receive an email asking you to create your username and password. Once created, head back to the login page to sign in.

If you have already created your NEW username and password for your member dashboard as of (1/5/23), please select “Forgot Username or Password”. You will then receive an email asking you to create a new password for your login credentials. Once created, head back to the login page to sign in.

Your USGA GHIN # is associated with your GAM membership. You will be able to login using the credentials associated with your GHIN Digital Profile as long as your Handicap Index is active.

On the membership dashboard page select “Sign in with GHIN” and enter in your GHIN # or email address associated with your GHIN # and the password associated with your GHIN Digital Profile.

Members can locate their GHIN # by accessing their GHIN account on the USGA GHIN Mobile App or GHIN.com. Your GHIN # will be located underneath your name in the top left corner of the homepage.

Members can also locate their GHIN # by viewing the USGA/GAM Handicap Revision Newsletter that is sent to members on the 1st and 15th of each month. Your GHIN # will be visible in the top left corner of the newsletter below your name.