NORTHERN OHIO GOLF ASSOCIATION

The Beginning
Founded in 1917 as the Cleveland District Golf Association to establish interclub competition for the original eight clubs, the Northern Ohio Golf Association has grown greatly to serve both its member clubs and the remainder of the golf industry in northern Ohio.

As of 2003, the Northern Ohio Golf Association was comprised of 51 member clubs represented by approximately 14,000 club members. An association for private club members, the Northern Ohio Golf Association is a regional designee of the United States Golf Association and serves public golfers in a variety of ways.

NOGA Services

In accordance with the original goals, the core mission of the Northern Ohio Golf Association is to conduct top-quality championships for its members. However, many services have been added through the association’s history to better serve all golfers.

NOGA Services:
- NOGA Fairways magazine
- www.noga.org
- NOGA Member Club Seminar
- Rules Education
- Handicapping/Course Rating Education
- USGA/GHIN Handicap System
- USGA Course Rating System
- USGA Turf Advisory Service
- USGA Rules of Golf
- Amateur Status Reinstatement
- USGA Green Section
- USGA Championship Qualifying

NOGA Charities and Foundation
In addition to the general NOGA Services, the Northern Ohio Golf Association is dedicated to the charitable side of golf. The Northern Ohio Caddie Foundation was created in 1940 to support the welfare of caddies through scholarships and training programs. Since its inception, the programs offered through the foundation have been improved, added and changed.

The Caddie Foundation changed names to the Northern Ohio Golf Association Charities and Foundation in 2000 to better describe the purpose of the foundation. To follow the mission of the Northern Ohio Golf Association, NOGA Charities and Foundation is becoming a leader in philanthropy by offering one of the nation’s finest programs for golfers with disabilities. In addition, NOGA Charities conducts a junior golf program that is second to none.

In conducting these programs, NOGA Charities and Foundation continues to improve the game of golf by using it as a tool for improving the lives of others and teaching young people the life lessons golf affords.

NOGA’s Mission Statement
- To promote the best interest and true spirit of the Game of Golf.
- To foster close and friendly cooperation in matters of common interest between the member clubs.
- To stimulate interest and competition by holding interclub matches and tournaments.
- To maintain a golf handicap system.
- To gather and disseminate information concerning the efficient conduct and operation of golf courses and club houses.
- To advance the causes of international relations between the people of the United States and peoples and cultures of other nations through sports and other activities of common interest…

And especially,
- To cooperate with the USGA in promoting and preserving the traditions and integrity of the Game of Golf.