What ClubForge can import
ClubForge can read a text-based USGA/GHIN roster PDF that your club has received and is authorized to use for its club administration. You can upload the PDF directly from Import Roster; you do not need to convert it to CSV first.
A scanned image of a printed roster is not supported. If ClubForge cannot reliably recognize the report, it stops the import rather than guessing at member data.
Import the PDF
- From the main Administration menu, select Import Roster.
- Select the USGA/GHIN roster PDF.
- Wait for ClubForge to recognize the report and extract the member rows.
- Review the recognized fields and any reported issues.
- Continue to the normal roster preview and confirm the proposed changes before importing.
Built-in safety checks
The PDF reader uses the report's structure and member data to verify that rows have been recognized consistently. It checks for required member information, duplicate Player IDs, and—in reports that declare a total golfer count—whether the number of confidently recognized members matches that total.
If those checks fail, ClubForge rejects the PDF and leaves the roster unchanged. This is intentional: a failed import is safer than silently importing a partial or misread roster.
If the PDF is not recognized
First confirm that the file is the original text-based roster report rather than a scan or photograph. If it is a valid text-based report but ClubForge still cannot recognize the layout, do not manually force the import. The report format may differ from the layouts ClubForge currently supports.
Email support@clubforgegolf.com and describe the import error. Please attach the PDF that ClubForge could not recognize so the report layout can be investigated and, when practical, support for that layout can be added.
While the PDF layout is being reviewed, you can still import the roster by using the ClubForge Excel template or another supported Excel/CSV roster file.
Obtaining a GHIN/USGA roster PDF
Use a roster PDF obtained through your club's authorized GHIN/USGA access. Because the reports and permissions available to a club can vary, ClubForge does not prescribe a specific GHIN navigation path for obtaining the report. If you are unsure how to obtain your club's roster PDF, check with the person who administers GHIN access for your club or with GHIN/USGA support.
Roster authority still applies
A GHIN/USGA PDF does not change your organization's roster-authority setting. If the organization uses a complete external roster, the PDF is treated as the authoritative active roster and omitted members may be proposed for inactivation. If ClubForge maintains the roster, the PDF adds or updates the listed members without inactivating members who are absent.