Anyone with a verifiable USGA handicap can sign up for the tournament. Because it is a net competition (and the game’s most rigorously enforced), everyone has an equal chance to win.
Imagine yourself competing with more than 3,000 fellow golfers of all handicap levels. You’re assigned to a flight with players who have a golf handicap similar to yours. After four days and 72 holes, you win your flight. The night of your fourth round, excitement builds as you gather with friends to check out the pairings for the championship round.
On the fifth day of the event, you head to the championship round. It finally begins to sink in that you’ll be competing against a field composed of all the flight winners — and that they have every level of USGA handicap. Your excitement builds as you realize you’ll be competing on the same fairways walked by Tom Watson and other golf legends when they played the Senior PGA Tour Championship. You recall that PGA TOUR champion Dustin Johnson fine-tuned his game here. You head to the tee where you meet your group’s rules official, shake hands with your playing partners, and try to calm the butterflies.
Throughout the round, family and old friends follow you down each fairway, cheering you on. They’re joined by new friends from your flight, and those you’ve recently met at the 19th hole. Armed with your handicap, you play your best, then turn in your scorecard and anxiously await the rest of the field to come in. Although you’ve been monitoring the leader board and know you have a chance to win, you’re stunned when you hear your name called after all the players have finished the championship golf round.
Walking to the awards area, you see the huge trophy awaiting you. During the formal presentation, you hear the master of ceremonies declare you the World Amateur Champion. The cameras flash and the golf media gather round to interview you. Your dream could come true at the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship.