2025 Yearbook

14 HANDICAPPING & COURSE RATING A Year of Growth and Community As 2025 draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on what a truly remarkable year it’s been for golf in Iowa. From membership milestones to new club additions and continued progress in course rating, the growth and enthusiasm we’ve seen across the state have been inspiring. None of this would be possible without the dedication of our member clubs, volunteers, and the entire Iowa golf community. Your support, commitment, and love for the game continue to keep golf thriving in our state. Membership Growth Continues to Soar On the membership side, the Iowa Golf Association continues to grow stronger each year. Since 2020, individual memberships have increased by nearly 50%, reaching just shy of 33,000 members this year. This is a tremendous accomplishment that is worth celebrating. The passion for golf in Iowa seems to have never been greater, and it’s clear that all the collected efforts to grow the game are working. It is exciting to report that the IGA added 16 new member clubs this year, including two in Illinois; Saukie Golf Course and Highland Springs Golf Course in Rock Island County. Of the new additions 13 are 9-hole courses, with seven located in the northwest region of the state. Since 2020, the IGA member club family has grown from 198 to 248! This has been a clear indicator of the game’s momentum and the strength of our golf community. Online Members – USGA/Iowa GC Additionally, our IGA Online Membership Service continues to grow. There are now over 1,700 members that have joined the IGA online making that a 36% increase from last year. This program allows golfers to affiliate with a local club when signing up, providing a simple and convenient way to get a handicap and become an IGA member. Course Rating From a course rating standpoint, it was another busy and productive season. The IGA rating teams performed 37 Course Ratings, in addition to 13 partial or adjusted ratings. Many visits this year MATT ARENHOLZ, COMMITTEE CHAIR Nate McCoy leads a Course Rating training session