What is a Golfer Digital Profile and why are we introducing it?
The golfer digital profile is an enhanced authentication method for ghin.com and the GHIN Mobile App that will better secure golfer data and privacy. In 2020, the login for ghin.com and the GHIN Mobile App was Last Name and GHIN Number, with the introduction of digital profile on Monday, January 11th; the login will be email address or GHIN Number and a password that the golfer has created. This will not only better secure golfer data, but will also enable more self-service for the golfer as they will be able to initiate a reset password email and update some of their profile information once logged in (e.g. email address, mailing address, phone number).
Requirements for a Golfer to create a Digital Profile
The golfer will need to be active, over the age of 13, a member of a club whose front-end provider is GHIN and have an email address in their GHIN profile in order to create a digital profile. Each digital profile will be tied to a unique email address in their GHIN profile within the USGA Admin Portal. For golfers who share an email address, the first golfer to initiate the digital profile creation process will "claim" that email address, requiring the other golfer to have their Club or local Association update their email address within the USGA Admin Portal.
Note: Unfortunately, there is not a way in which a golfer can add their own email address to their GHIN Profile, so a Club or Association Admin will need to add it for them within the USGA Admin Portal.
Creating a Digital Profile
There are 3 ways in which the digital profile creation process can be initiated:
- Bulk Email
- A bulk email will be sent to a golfer with link to create a password as well as accept the Privacy Policy and TOS.
- This email will be delivered at launch or a specific date determined by the golfer's Association
- Note: Not all Associations opted-in to having the bulk email sent at launch or at all to their golfers; please confirm with your Association if and when the bulk email is scheduled to be sent to your golfers.
- Organically Verify Information on ghin.com & GHIN Mobile App
- Golfers will be able to begin the digital profile creation process on ghin.com or the GHIN Mobile App by verifying their account by supplying either:
- GHIN Number and email address
- GHIN Number and last name
- Email Address and last name
- If information the golfer entered matches the information in the golfer’s profile within the USGA Admin Portal, an email will be sent to the golfer’s email address on file with link to create a password as well as accept the Privacy Policy and TOS
- Golfers will be able to begin the digital profile creation process on ghin.com or the GHIN Mobile App by verifying their account by supplying either:
- Club or Association Admin
- Within the “Golfer Profile” area of the USGA Admin Portal, there will be a button to “Send Invitation to Create a Digital Profile” for the golfer
- When a Club or Association Admin clicks this button, an email will be sent to the golfer’s email address on file with link to create a password as well as accept the Privacy Policy and TOS
- Within the “Golfer Profile” area of the USGA Admin Portal, there will be a button to “Send Invitation to Create a Digital Profile” for the golfer
Golfer Login
The golfer will be able to log in to ghin.com or the GHIN Mobile App with their email address or GHIN Number and the password that they have created (minimum of 6 characters).
If the golfer forgets their login information (i.e. password), they will be able to either provide their email address or GHIN Number to kick-off a reset password email. Additionally, an Association or Club Admin will be able to send a “Reset Password” email via the USGA Admin Portal.
Guardian Management/Change Golfer
If a logged in golfer is a guardian of a minor (managed within the Admin Portal) then they can view and select a “Change Golfer” link within the GHIN Mobile App (located within the "More" menu) and ghin.com (located when clicking the golfer's name in the top-right corner on the webpage). Here, the guardian will see all minor accounts registered under them. A guardian can select a minor account and change the golfer to view and access the GHIN Mobile App or ghin.com as that minor golfer.
To comply with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act); children under 13 will also no longer be able to access the Score Posting Kiosk and must have a Guardian tied to their account to have a score posted for them on ghin.com or the GHIN Mobile App.
Profile Management
A logged in golfer will be able to view/edit their Profile information:
- GHIN Number (not editable)
- Name (not editable)
- GHIN Memberships (not editable)
- Email Address (editable)
- Address (editable)
- Phone Number (editable)
Launch Timeline & Key Dates
- Monday January, 11th
- Digital Profile required to access ghin.com
- GHIN Mobile App updated with new authentication method; however, will not impact logged in users or users that do not update App
- “Change Golfer” is live; Minors cannot access Kiosk
- Tuesday January, 19th
- Digital Profile required to login; users not logged in via digital profile will be logged out upon updating their App
- Profile Management available within GHIN Mobile App & ghin.com