09/01/2026
**Attention All Members**
The 2026/27 VGA Players Handbook for our new season is now available for review on our VGA website:
https://online.fliphtml5.com/qynmf/2027_VGA_Tour_Players_Manual_Final/
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR THE 2026-2027 SEASON
1. Military Service Eligibility Verification*
Membership in the Veteran Golfers Association (VGA) is limited to Veterans whose most recent discharge from military service was characterized as:
Honorable; or General Under Honorable Conditions.
Individuals whose most recent discharge was characterized as anything other than Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions are not eligible for VGA membership, participation, or benefits.
Membership eligibility is determined solely by the standards established by the VGA and not by any determination of Veteran status, benefits eligibility, or character of service made by any other governmental or non-governmental agency.
*This clause has always been a requirement for VGA membership eligibility. However, this year we tightened the language in our player’s handbook to be more descriptive and specific.
2. Definition of a Veteran for VGA Membership:
For purposes of membership and participation in the Veteran Golfers Association (VGA), a Veteran is defined as an individual who served in the United States Armed Forces Military and who separated from such service under conditions acceptable to VGA membership standards.
To be considered a veteran for VGA membership purposes, an individual must have completed one of the following:
• Six months and one day of active military service; or
• The full period for which they were ordered or obligated to serve on active duty; or
• A qualifying period of military service that concluded with an Honorable Discharge or General Discharge Under Honorable
Conditions and was terminated due to a service-connected injury, illness, disability, hardship separation, force reduction, or other circumstance deemed acceptable by the VGA.
For members of the National Guard and Reserve Components, qualifying service may include periods of federal active-duty service, mobilization, deployment, or other military service recognized by the VGA as meeting the intent of this requirement.
3. Member in Good Standing
All VGA members must be good members in standing to maintain their membership with the VGA.
A VGA Member in Good Standing is a member who maintains an active and current Veteran Golfers Association membership and remains eligible to participate in VGA programs, events, and competitions.
4. Competitive Integrity and Anti-Collusion Policy
The Veteran Golfers Association (VGA) is committed to maintaining fair competition, preserving the integrity of its tournaments, and ensuring that all qualification pathways and championship events are conducted in a manner that is honest, equitable, and consistent with the spirit of competition.
Any attempt by a member, team, state organization, or group of members to manipulate, circumvent, exploit, or undermine VGA competitive systems is strictly prohibited.
Prohibited Conduct
Members shall not engage in any conduct intended to improperly influence competitive outcomes, qualification processes, rankings, team selections, tournament eligibility, championship participation, or any other VGA-administered competitive program.
5. Exceptional Score Rule. (Visible on dashboards Sept. 9th)
• An exceptional score is when the difference between a player’s current handicap and the player’s round differential is 7.0 or greater.
• If a player has an exceptional score for a post-season round, beginning with the 2026 post season, that player’s handicap will be adjusted and capped to the differential from that round for the next 18 months unless that player’s handicap drops below that value.
6. VGA Cap Base (Visible on dashboards Sept. 9th)
• If a player does NOT have an exceptional score during the postseason, the VGA Cap Base is the player’s lowest round differential from the last 18 months.
• A player’s VGA Handicap Index will not exceed the cap base by 4.0 unless there is a change in the player’s cap base.
• If a player has an exceptional score during the postseason, the VGA Cap Base is the player’s differential from that exceptional score minus 4.0.
Examples:
If Member A has a low differential of 11.7, their cap base will be set at 11.7 if player does NOT have a postseason exceptional score. If Member A's Handicap Index were to rise to 17.5, the cap base would be exceeded, and their handicap index would be adjusted to the maximum value of 15.7 (11.7 cap base + 4.0).
If Member B has a low differential of 11.7 from an exceptional score during postseason, their cap base will be 7.7 (11.7 – 4.0).
7. Post Season Event Requirement
To qualify for post season events, a player must play in four regular events during the current VGA Season and have an established VGA handicap index.
Best of luck to all of our members this season! 🫡🇺🇸🏌️♂️🇺🇸🏌️♀️
