Golf Association of Philadelphia

What Golf Association of Philadelphia does

GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia), founded in 1897, is the oldest state or regional golf association in the United States and operates as a non-profit membership association serving more than 110,000 golfers across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and parts of Maryland through a network of 350+ Member Clubs. The association's core offering is the GAP Membership program — Individual Membership at $55/yr, Youth on Course at $25/yr for juniors ages 6-18, and club-level memberships priced by individual Member Clubs — bundled with an official USGA Handicap Index (updated in under 24 hours) and access to nearly 200 annual event days spanning the flagship BMW GAP Team Matches (multi-division interclub competition across AA/A/B/C/D/E), GAP Member Play Days, championship events for amateur, women's, senior, junior, and adaptive categories, and the newly launched USNDP Team Pennsylvania and Team Delaware development pathways for ages 13-18.

Operationally, GAP is built on third-party technology rather than proprietary systems: USGA's GHIN Mobile App for handicap posting, stat tracking, GPS, and the new GHIN Challenges asynchronous net-competition format; Golf Genius for tournament registration and live scoring; Shopify for the GAP 1897 Shop merchandise storefront; HubSpot for email and marketing automation; and MyDigitalPublication and BlueToad for the quarterly GAP Magazine. The association itself focuses on member services, regional tournament execution, content production (GAP Magazine, The Index monthly newsletter, GAPTV video, GAP Magazine archives back to 2007), and the GAP Travel Collection in partnership with All Access concierge.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring individual and club-level membership dues, BMW title sponsorship of flagship competitions, GAP Magazine advertising, GAP Travel commissions, tournament and Member Play Day entry fees, and merchandise sales. The association has expanded its footprint through two completed mergers — the Anthracite Golf Association in 2018 and the Delaware State Golf Association effective January 3, 2022 — and now operates from a Broomall, Pennsylvania headquarters with approximately 25 named staff across Administration, Member Services, Championships, Communications, Marketing, Finance, and the affiliated J. Wood Platt scholarship program.

Name

Golf Association of Philadelphia

Legal name

The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Website

https://gapgolf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GAP is the oldest U.S. state/regional golf association (founded 1897), a non-profit serving 110,000+ golfers across 350+ member clubs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and parts of Maryland via USGA handicapping, tournaments, publications, and travel programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Golf Association Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Golf Equipment, Apparel & Pro Shop Retail (CRAMABAG)

Keywords

• Regional golf association
• Golf handicap services
• Amateur golf tournaments
• Golf club membership
• USGA handicap administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Broomall

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Memberships: Annual recurring membership at $55/yr for individual golfers not affiliated with a member club, providing access to Handicap Index, competitive events, magazine subscriptions, and member benefits.
2. Youth on Course Memberships: Annual junior membership ($25/yr, with $20 referenced in FAQs) for golfers ages 6-18, providing access to play at participating facilities for $5 or less per round.
3. Club Memberships: Recurring club-level memberships where each of the 350+ Member Clubs sets its own price and members receive both GAP and club benefits. GAP receives a portion through this B2B2C arrangement.
4. Magazine Advertising: Advertising revenue from GAP Magazine, a quarterly publication distributed free to all GAP members. Managed by Director of Operations Martin D. Emeno, Jr. with a 2026 media kit.
5. GAP Travel Program: Curated golf travel experiences in partnership with All Access (Concierge), offering once-in-a-lifetime trips to destinations like Ireland, Colonial Williamsburg, Riviera Maya, Florida's Palm Coast, and Nova Scotia.
6. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise sales through the GAP 1897 Shop (Shopify storefront at gapgolf-92ea.myshopify.com), offering GAP-logo branded products to members and fans.
7. Tournament and Event Fees: Entry fees and green fees for nearly 200 annual event days including championships, Member Play Days, BMW GAP Team Matches, and qualifying events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is a non-profit regional golf association that administers USGA handicap services, organizes amateur golf tournaments and championships, and delivers member benefits across 350+ member clubs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and parts of Maryland. Its core offerings include GAP Membership (Individual $55/yr and Club-tier), Youth on Course junior membership ($25/yr), the GHIN Mobile App for handicap tracking, BMW GAP Team Matches and Member Play Days competition programming, GAP Magazine quarterly publication, GAP Travel concierge service, USGA course and slope rating services, and adaptive golf programs.

Product overview

GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia) operates a unified association platform (gapgolf.org) rather than a discrete SaaS product — its offerings form an integrated member-services ecosystem anchored by GAP Membership (the core tier) and comprising several modules: flagship competitions including BMW GAP Team Matches and GAP Member Play Days; the GHIN Mobile App for handicap posting; GAP Handicapping Service administering the USGA World Handicap System; publication GAP Magazine (quarterly); GAP Travel (curated golf trips via All Access); the GAP 1897 Shop (Shopify-powered e-commerce); regional affiliate programming through AGA, DSGA, and GAP Central Series; demographic-specific programs (Youth on Course, GAP Junior Programming, GAP Women's Golf, GAP Senior Events, GAP Adaptive Championship); and USNDP state teams (Team Pennsylvania, Team Delaware). Junior, women's, senior, and adaptive tournaments are managed as distinct sub-products that share the underlying registration/scoring infrastructure (Golf Genius), while the GHIN Mobile App serves as the unified digital touchpoint for handicap tracking and GHIN Challenges. Together these products collectively support GAP's mission "to preserve, protect and promote" golf across more than 340 member clubs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and parts of Maryland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GAP Magazine: Quarterly publication (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter issues) covering GAP news, features, and the regional golf scene; published since at least 2007.
• GAP Travel
• GAP Adaptive
• BMW GAP Team Matches
• GHIN Challenges

Products and services

• GAP Membership Annual recurring membership program for amateur golfers in the GAP region. Individual Membership is priced at $55/yr and Club Memberships are set by each of 350+ Member Clubs. Provides USGA Handicap Index, tournament eligibility, GAP Magazine subscription, The Index monthly newsletter, Golf Digest subscription, GHIN Mobile App access, GHIN Challenges, GAP Travel benefits, and Member Play Days.
• Youth on Course (YOC) Membership Junior membership program for golfers ages 6-18 priced at $25/yr (with $20 referenced in some FAQs). Provides Active Handicap Index and access to play at any Youth on Course participating facility for $5 or less per round. Includes the annual 100-Hole Hike fundraiser.
• BMW GAP Team Matches Title-sponsored interclub team match-play competition (BMW USA) with five divisions (AA, A, B, C, D, E) and multiple sections across the GAP region. Teams compete from April through May with playoffs in early May. Open to GAP Member Club teams with comprehensive scouting reports, weekly standings, and multi-year historical archives (2008-2026).
• GAP Member Play Days Casual one-day net-format events held at top regional courses for GAP members of all skill levels. Registration handled through Golf Genius portals. Provides accessible competitive play separate from championships and is part of the nearly 200 annual event days.
• GHIN Mobile App (GAP-distributed) Mobile application (iOS and Android) distributed by GAP via USGA's GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network) platform. Members can post scores, track statistics, view official Handicap Index, see most recent/revision scores, use the Interactive Course Handicap Calculator, play with partners, calculate Playing Handicaps, use full GPS for thousands of courses worldwide, and access Green Reading maps via in-app upgrade.
• GHIN Challenges Net competitions held at featured public GAP Member Clubs. Players post scores during a Challenge period; rankings use Total Net Score (Adjusted Gross Score minus Course Handicap minus Total Par) based on the Top 3 rounds. Top 5 finishers share pro shop credit (first place receives $150). Free for active GAP members.
• GAP Travel Curated golf travel program powered in partnership with All Access travel concierge. Offers GAP members custom, one-of-a-kind golf trips to premier destinations including Southwest Ireland (2027 Ryder Cup venue), Colonial Williamsburg, Riviera Maya, Florida's Palm Coast, Cabot Cape Breton, and Sea Island.
• GAP Magazine Quarterly award-winning publication (four issues per year) covering GAP news, the regional golf scene, in-depth features, and tips. Free to all GAP Members and accessible digitally via MyDigitalPublication and BlueToad platforms. Archive dating back to 2007.
• GAP Handicapping Service USGA World Handicap System administration service for the GAP region. Includes handicap computation with updated Handicap Index delivered in less than 24 hours, monthly GAP Index custom handicap report newsletter, and USGA course/slope rating services for member courses. GAP is the authorized local administrator.
• GAP 1897 Shop Online retail store (powered by Shopify) selling GAP-branded merchandise including apparel and accessories. Operated at gapgolf-92ea.myshopify.com.
• GAP Junior Programming Junior golf development programming including Junior Boys' Championship, Junior Girls' Championship, Christman Cup, Jock MacKenzie Memorial, Parent/Child tournaments, Lawler Junior Tour, and Junior Team Championship. Includes Junior Player of the Year standings.
• GAP Adaptive Championship Adaptive golf program including the GAP Adaptive Championship and approximately 20 No Limit Clinics annually throughout the region. Supports Rule 25 (Modifications for Players with Disabilities) of the 2023 Rules of Golf.
• Team Pennsylvania (USNDP) Pennsylvania state junior golf team (ages 13-18) launched in 2026 as a pathway to the USGA U.S. National Development Program (USNDP). 12 boys and 12 girls named in late 2026 based on competitive performance. Joint program with GAP, Pennsylvania Golf Association, Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, Philadelphia PGA Section, and Tri-State PGA.
• Team Delaware (USNDP) Delaware state junior golf team (ages 13-18) launched in 2026 as a pathway to the USGA U.S. National Development Program (USNDP). 2 boys and 2 girls named in late 2026. Supported by GAP/DSGA and the Philadelphia PGA Section.

Quantifiable outcome

• Handicap Index updates in less than 24 hours
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• BMW (BMW USA)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBMW is the title sponsor of GAP's flagship BMW GAP Team Matches competition, the BMW Philadelphia Amateur, and the BMW GAP Women's Championship. BMW advertises prominently on gapgolf.org homepage with dedicated ad creative for BMW i7 sedan and BMW X3. BMW branding is woven through GAP's marquee events and digital presence.
• United States Golf Association (USGA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP delivers USGA services locally including handicapping under the World Handicap System, course and slope ratings, and national championship qualifying. GAP also runs the USNDP Team Pennsylvania and Team Delaware programs on behalf of USGA for ages 13-18.
• GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationGHIN Mobile App is integrated into GAP membership providing score posting, stat tracking, GPS, handicap tracking, and Course Handicap Calculator. GAP members get access via the app on iOS and Android.
• Golf DigestcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAll GAP members receive a free subscription to Golf Digest as part of their membership, providing high-value content benefits to members.
• All Access (Travel Concierge)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGAP Travel partnership with All Access offers members exclusive once-in-a-lifetime golf trips to iconic destinations (Ireland, Riviera Maya, Florida's Palm Coast, Nova Scotia, Sea Island, Colonial Williamsburg). Custom trip concierge service.
• Youth on CoursecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP partners with Youth on Course to enable juniors ages 6-18 to play at participating facilities for $5 or less per round. GAP earned Youth on Course's Hammonds Award. Program integrated with GAP membership.
• Pennsylvania Golf AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint effort with GAP, Pennsylvania Golf Association, Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, Philadelphia PGA Section, and Tri-State PGA to develop Team Pennsylvania state junior golf team (ages 13-18) feeding into the USNDP.
• Western Pennsylvania Golf AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner with GAP and Pennsylvania Golf Association for the Team Pennsylvania USNDP state junior team program.
• Philadelphia PGA SectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Team Pennsylvania and Team Delaware USNDP junior golf programs in partnership with GAP, Pennsylvania Golf Association, Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, and Tri-State PGA.
• Tri-State PGAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for Team Pennsylvania USNDP junior golf team program with GAP and other Pennsylvania golf organizations.
• Delaware State Golf Association (DSGA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSGA merged with GAP effective Jan. 3, 2022, increasing GAP's membership to more than 110,000 golfers. The two organizations share tournament schedules and Team Delaware USNDP junior program, supported by GAP/DSGA and Philadelphia PGA Section.
• Anthracite Golf Association (AGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGA merged with GAP in 2018; founded in 1951 to foster golf in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Integrated into GAP's tournament schedule with Coal Scuttle events, Lawler Junior Tour, and dedicated AGA programming.
• J. Wood Platt Charitable Trust / Platt Scholar ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP operates the J. Wood Platt scholarship program with shared CEO Mark Peterson, separate COO Tina Gregor, and Director of Communications and Events Vanessa Augello; located at the same Broomall headquarters.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Southern California Golf Association: Large Southern California regional golf association delivering GHIN handicapping, amateur championships, and member benefits. Operates the same regional-association playbook as GAP but in a different (West Coast) territory.
• Florida State Golf Association: Large Florida state golf association administering handicapping, amateur championships, and USGA qualifiers. Directly comparable in product offering and operating model to GAP, but serves a different (Florida) territory with a different participation profile.
• Massachusetts Golf Association: New England state golf association running GHIN handicapping, USGA qualifiers, and amateur championships. Same regional-association model as GAP but operating in a different geography (Massachusetts).

Others

• Golf Genius Software: Tournament management and live-scoring software platform used by GAP across its events (Junior Boys' Championship, Delaware Amateur, GHIN Challenges). An enabling technology peer rather than a direct competitor, but central to GAP's event-operations infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• United States Golf Association (USGA): National governing body for golf in the U.S. and the parent system that GAP delivers handicapping and national-championship qualifying for locally. Both administer handicap services, conduct course ratings, and run national championship pathways, but USGA operates at national scale while GAP is regional.

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Golf Association: Pennsylvania state golf association that co-developed the Team Pennsylvania USNDP junior program with GAP. Both operate amateur golf tournaments, member services, and handicapping across overlapping Pennsylvania territory, making them direct regional peers.
• Delaware State Golf Association (DSGA): Former Delaware state golf association that merged with GAP effective January 3, 2022; before the merger it was a directly comparable regional golf association running handicapping, member events, and junior programs in Delaware.
• Western Pennsylvania Golf Association: Western Pennsylvania regional golf association co-developing the Team Pennsylvania USNDP program with GAP. Operates GHIN-based handicapping and amateur competitions in a directly comparable regional association structure.
• Maryland State Golf Association: Maryland state golf association serving amateur golfers with GHIN handicapping, member tournaments, and USGA qualifying — overlapping with GAP's 'parts of Maryland' territory and offering a directly comparable regional golf association model.
• New Jersey State Golf Association: New Jersey state golf association providing member services, GHIN handicapping, and amateur tournaments across the same New Jersey territory where GAP also operates. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and product offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GAofPhilly
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gaofphilly
• Facebookfacebook.com/gaofphilly
• Instagraminstagram.com/gaofphilly
• TikToktiktok.com/@gaofphilly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Golf Association of Philadelphia