We’d like to inform you of an important change coming to the way golf handicaps and memberships are managed across Australia.
Golf Australia is undertaking its most significant digital transformation to date, with the retirement of the GOLF Link system and the launch of a new platform called Golf Australia Connect, going live on Thursday, 2 October 2025.
What This Means for You:
- GOLF Link will be retired after Sunday, 28 September 2025. During the short offline period, no competitions or social rounds can be processed.
- Your current GOLF Link number will become your permanent Golf ID, which will remain unchanged even if you change clubs.
- Plastic GOLF Link cards will no longer be issued or replaced. Instead, members will receive a digital membership card via the new Golf Australia Official App, which will display your handicap, club affiliation, and membership category.
- A new website, GOLF.com.au, will replace golf.org.au and serve as the central hub for handicaps, bookings, news, and more.
What You Need to Do:
- Ensure your contact details are up to date with the club so you receive instructions on downloading the new app and accessing your digital card.
- If you play social rounds during the offline period, please retain your scorecards for submission once the new system is live.
- Stay tuned for further updates and training materials to help you navigate the new platform.
Golf Australia Connect is designed to streamline your golfing experience, improve access to services, and enhance how clubs and members interact with the game. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the club or visit Golf Australia’s support page.
What’s happening?
The transition from the 25-year-old GOLF Link system to Golf Australia CONNECT is about to begin.
Sept 28
- 10pm AEST – GOLF Link permanently shuts down.
- The Golf Australia CONNECT VMS platform will be closed from 9pm AEST until October 2 to allow for essential works.
- All your members’ handicap history and scoring records will start transferring across to the new platform.
Sept 29– Oct 1 (offline period):
- Handicap services offline – no score submissions.
- Current GA Handicap App and golf.org.au handicap lookup remain view-only.
- Handicaps will be recalculated to align with World Handicap System changes.
Oct 1:
- Major transition day for both websites and handicap services.
- Expect interrupted access as systems are cut over.
- Handicap lookups and related services may be temporarily unavailable.
- You may be redirected between multiple old and new sites as GOLF.com.au comes online throughout the day.
- We recommend avoiding the use of websites and handicap services today, and checking back once the new system goes live on 2 October.
Oct 2:
- New Golf Australia App available to download in your app store.
- New golfer portal live at GOLF.com.au.
- Members’ recalculated handicaps available. Most golfers will see a small change, projected to be less than 0.5 strokes on average. Some players may see a bigger adjustment based on their unique scoring history.
October 2-10:
- Clubs start to come online.
- Some clubs may take until around 10 October to complete their transition.
- This is normal and part of the phased migration of more than 1,900 clubs – including integration with third-party apps and platforms used by clubs.
