You have to have a GSA number to enter this year s Junior Order of Merit, to be defended by Rob Browning (Maxstoke). This year the JoM will be bigger and better than ever, and ITS FOR ANY HANDICAP. This year you will see Girls listed (they are playing for their own points schedule), you will be able to sort the JoM table by handicaps, and by age - as well as your own club. What this means is that say you are off 16 handicap, you will be able to compare your points score with other Juniors of a similar handicap. Or you will be able to see how you compare with other of your age.

Why do you have to have a GSA number for the JoM. This year, instead of you entering through your Junior Organiser, you will enter through a web site. The entry fee for the 2004 JoM is going to be £4.00, entry fees which are going towards the prizes for the JoM, so you will need to have a parent or guardian with you when you enter so that they can pay the entry fee by credit or debit card.

Just like last year, your name will be displayed on the JoM list and if you click on a name, you will go to that player s points page. You decide what is going to be on your own points page. If you just want your name there, that s all that will appear. You can have your name, your club and your handicap on your player points page, plus a photo (of yourself) and your profile (which you write - it should be about your golf). Ask your parents or a guardian about this. Its an opportunity for the JoM web site to be just like one of the Tour web sites.

You need your GSA number because is protects your access to this player points page. No-one else has access to your GSA number as long as you keep it secure. Its just like your passwords to a computer and to e-mail s. If there are any problems with your player points page, you may removed from the JoM permanently.

Your GSA number says who you are on the web. With it you can update your handicap on a register that will be available to a limited number of Warwickshire Officials. This register will be used as part of selecting teams and for helping decide which players are put forward for coaching opportunities. The EGU (The national organisation for golf in England) has said that its a player s responsibility to update their handicap as soon as is possible and using the GSA register will help with this.

Because a web site will be able to know who you are, this year you will be able to enter a number of Warwickshire competitions online - you will be able to pay for your entry there and then (you need a parent or guardian again). Entry confirmation will be sent back to you by e-mail, together with a Parental Consent form which you still have to have filled in and with you when you play. You can still enter competitions by the normal means (entry forms, post etc.).

For some Warwickshire competitions there will also be Live Scoring, just like the Tour web sites. Your relatives and friends will be able to watch as each scorecard is handed in and put on the web site. Each time a score is entered, the leader board will update until the last players have finished and the winners decided. A few minutes afterwards, for any player with a GSA number the results will be sent back to their home club. You do not have to have a GSA number to have your score appear on the Live Scoring system.

How do you get a GSA number and what do you need?

Your GSA number will not cost you anything.

You need to be able to access this web site

and YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR OWN E-MAIL ADDRESS

(You can have an e-mail address even if you don t have a computer through Hotmail or similar, or if you use a friends computer, most of the Internet Service Providers give a number of e-mail addresses free for every account. If you have or use Hotmail, it will be password protected and you will be able to access it from any computer. If you use a friends computer, print off your confirmation e-mail and then delete it to keep your info safe).

Click on where it says Get GSA Number or similar on this site.

Fill in the boxes for info and select a password (which you need to keep a note of).

Submit your details (use the button)

You will automatically be sent a confirmation e-mail

You now have to have your GSA number verified by your home club. All the details of the GSA system have been sent to your club and they will decide how this is done. Its nothing complicated. They may decide that your Junior Organiser can verify your GSA number - this is up to your Club. As soon as they have verified it, you will receive an e-mail confirmation of this and you can start using it.

You do not have to ever apply for your GSA number again. If you move club, it will be reverified when you move.