Minnesota Golf Association
The Minnesota Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1901 that serves more than 110,000 amateur golfers across 380+ Minnesota courses, providing membership, official GHIN handicap indexing, statewide tournaments, and foundation programs for youth, women, and adaptive golf.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1901
- HeadquartersMinnesota City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Minnesota Golf Association does
The Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1901 and headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, that serves as the state's official amateur golf governing body. It provides membership-based services to more than 110,000 golfers across 380+ affiliated Minnesota golf courses, including official GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network) handicap indexing, organized tournaments and championships (State Junior Boys', State Junior Girls', Amateur, Players'), and a quarterly Minnesota Golfer Magazine. Its technology stack is built on third-party integrations rather than proprietary systems: GHIN for handicap tracking and the GolfGenius platform for tournament results, player points, and championship site management, with self-service distribution via the mngolf.org website and mobile app.
The MGA operates a subscription-driven revenue model anchored in annual membership fees (auto-renewing on a 12-month term) supplemented by tournament entry fees, donations to the MGA Foundation, and corporate partnerships. Programs supporting youth, women's, adaptive, and underrepresented community participation are funded through the Foundation, which is increasingly resourced via cause-marketing partnerships such as the June 2026 statewide tie-up with Gray Duck Spirits. Distribution is statewide and primarily self-service, with affiliated golf courses functioning as physical access points for member play and local competition. The organization employs 11-50 staff, is governed by a board of directors, and recently transitioned executive leadership with the appointment of Jon Mays as Executive Director.
Minnesota Golf Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Minnesota Golf Association
- Legal name
- Minnesota Golf Association
- Website
- https://mngolf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1901
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Minnesota Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1901 that serves more than 110,000 amateur golfers across 380+ Minnesota courses, providing membership, official GHIN handicap indexing, statewide tournaments, and foundation programs for youth, women, and adaptive golf.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Minnesota Golf Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Amateur Golf Association Services
- NAICS
- Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Intramural Sports & Recreational Leagues (EDALAIAC)
Keywords
Where Minnesota Golf Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minnesota City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Minnesota Golf Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide access to handicap indexing, competitions, events, Minnesota Golfer magazine, and member benefits. Auto-renewal options available with 12-month terms.
- Donations and Foundation Contributions: The MGA Foundation accepts donations to support youth golf access, scholarships, adaptive golf initiatives, and community development programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard MGA Membership with annual renewal |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Minnesota Golf Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Minnesota Golf Association provides an annual membership that bundles official GHIN handicap indexing, a quarterly Minnesota Golfer magazine, and eligibility to compete in statewide amateur and junior golf championships and USGA qualifying events. It also runs foundation programs for youth access, adaptive golf, caddies, and scholarships, and operates across 380+ affiliated Minnesota golf courses. Tournament operations are powered by GolfGenius, while handicap management runs on the GHIN mobile app and web platform.
Product overview
Minnesota Golf Association operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization offering a unified platform of golf services centered around membership, handicap management, and competitive play. The core product is the MGA Membership, which bundles Handicap Index tracking via GHIN, access to the Minnesota Golfer Magazine, tournament entry, and course directory access. Supporting programs include Youth on Course for junior golfer development, Foundation Programs for community outreach, and Create Your Own Club for member-organized groups. The organization manages over 110,000 members across 380+ Minnesota golf courses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MGA Membership Annual subscription membership providing Handicap Index tracking via GHIN, Minnesota Golfer magazine subscription, tournament eligibility, and access to MGA member benefits across 380+ affiliated Minnesota golf courses. Available to individual amateur golfers in Minnesota.
- Handicap Index Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 110K+ members served across Minnesota golf community
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Minnesota Golf Association
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Minnesota Golf Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
Minnesota Golf Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Gray Duck SpiritscoreStatewide partnership where a portion of spirits sales at participating MGA member clubs will fund the MGA Foundation's programs. Supports youth golf access, scholarship opportunities, adaptive golf initiatives, and community development across Minnesota. Gray Duck Spirits is co-founded by former Minnesota Viking Chad Greenway.
- 2nd SwingminorCorporate partner supporting Minnesota golf
- UNRLminorCorporate partner supporting Minnesota golf
- KPMG Women's PGA ChampionshipminorCorporate partnership supporting major women's golf championship
- GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network)coreOfficial handicap indexing technology partner enabling member handicap tracking through the GHIN system and mobile app
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Minnesota Golf Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- United States Golf Association (USGA): The USGA is the national governing body of U.S. amateur golf and operates the GHIN handicap platform that MGA uses. It is the broader incumbent to which MGA is the Minnesota state affiliate.
Direct peers
- Texas Golf Association: State-level amateur golf association operating with the same GHIN handicap, tournament, and member-services model as the MGA, but covering Texas. Closest direct peer by structure and mission.
- Florida State Golf Association: Another large state amateur golf association providing handicap services, championships, and member programming. Operates the same association model as the MGA in a different state.
- Carolinas Golf Association: Multi-state amateur golf association serving the Carolinas with handicap, tournament, and member services comparable to the MGA's offerings.
- California Golf Association: State amateur golf association providing the same core services as MGA (handicap, championships, member benefits), but scaled to a larger and more diverse state golf market.
- New York State Golf Association: State amateur golf association with comparable member, handicap, and tournament offerings to the MGA; one of the larger and more established state associations on the East Coast.
- Golf Association of Michigan: Another Midwestern state amateur golf association providing GHIN-based handicaps, championships, and member programming directly comparable to the MGA.
- Illinois Golf Association: State-level amateur golf association with the same model of GHIN handicaps, member services, and statewide tournaments, serving Illinois golfers.
Emerging players
- The First Tee: National youth-development nonprofit providing golf access to young people, overlapping with the MGA's Youth on Course and caddie programs. Not a direct competitor but shares mission and youth demographic.
- Youth on Course: National nonprofit providing affordable rounds for youth golfers; MGA runs a regional Youth on Course program. Comparable in mission but operates as a national platform rather than a state association.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Minnesota Golf Association social profiles
Digital presenceMinnesota Golf Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Minnesota Golf Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Minnesota Golf Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Minnesota Golf Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Golf Association
What does Minnesota Golf Association do?
The Minnesota Golf Association provides an annual membership that bundles official GHIN handicap indexing, a quarterly Minnesota Golfer magazine, and eligibility to compete in statewide amateur and junior golf championships and USGA qualifying events. It also runs foundation programs for youth access, adaptive golf, caddies, and scholarships, and operates across 380+ affiliated Minnesota golf courses. Tournament operations are powered by GolfGenius, while handicap management runs on the GHIN mobile app and web platform.
Is Minnesota Golf Association a public or private company?
Minnesota Golf Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Minnesota Golf Association founded?
Minnesota Golf Association was founded in 1901. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Minnesota Golf Association based?
Minnesota Golf Association is headquartered in Minnesota City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Minnesota Golf Association make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Foundation Contributions.
Who are Minnesota Golf Association's main competitors?
United States Golf Association (USGA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Texas Golf Association, Florida State Golf Association, Carolinas Golf Association, California Golf Association, New York State Golf Association, Golf Association of Michigan and Illinois Golf Association. Emerging players are The First Tee and Youth on Course.
Does Minnesota Golf Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Minnesota Golf Association.
What industry is Minnesota Golf Association in?
Minnesota Golf Association's product category is Amateur Golf Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAEAD, Golf Courses & Golf Facilities, with a secondary code of EDALAIAC, Intramural Sports & Recreational Leagues. Its NAICS code is 713910 and its SIC code is 7997.