When applying for membership, a member of our team will ascertain whether you hold an active handicap at another golf club. If the answer to this was yes, and you have provided us with your Golf Ireland number, we will have imported your scoring history onto your St. Margaret’s Golf Ireland account. Nothing further is required from you.

If you are a member of a second club, you must nominate a home club. This is where you play most of your competitive golf. You must inform the team of this, so we can ensure your handicap is administered correctly.

When applying for a new handicap index at St. Margaret’s, it is important to note the following:

• 3 x 18 holes or 6 x 9 hole rounds (or combination of both) of golf must be played at St. Margaret’s Golf Club. Each hole must be played 3 times. Please record every stroke on every hole played.
• You must play off the Blue Stone Marker as this is the Measured Course (Not the movable Blue Markers). For ladies, this is the red stones.
• Your cards must be marked and signed by a person with a Golf Ireland handicap and their Golf Ireland number must be displayed on the cards.
• When playing for a handicap during winter rules, placing only on the fairway within six inches only is allowed. No placing in the rough is permitted.
• We ask that you hold all three cards and submit them all together. A fully completed handicap application form must also be submitted.
• Handicaps will normally be issued within 5 days provided all documentation is in order.

Checking your handicap index online is easy. Simply visit golfireland.ie/ If you are a first time user you will need to register by following the instructions on the website. Once you have completed the registration, you will have access to your up to date handicap index and playing record.

We also recommend downloading the Golf Ireland App from the Apple or Google Play Stores.

As the holder of a Golf Ireland handicap index, you have an obligation to ensure that your handicap index is maintained correctly and is always kept up to date.

• You are only permitted to have one Exact Handicap index which must be allotted and adjusted by your Home Club.
• Once you select your Home Club, you must inform each away club of your chosen Home Club and supply each away club with your Home Club Golf Ireland Number.
• You must report to your Home Club the names of all other Away Clubs and report to the Away Club any alterations to your Playing Handicap made by your Home Club.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that when competing at any club that you are playing off the correct and most up to date handicap index.

If you have any questions or queries about your Handicap Index, please contact the Handicap Committee by email at handicaps@stmargaretsgolf.com. Every effort is made to ensure that information displayed across the various mediums throughout the club is accurate and up to date, in case of dispute the committee’s decision will be final.