“We weren’t expecting anything. There was no advance warning,” noted Edie Bell, the CWGA’s manager of course rating and handicap administration.

But a pleasant surprise awaited Bell, CWGA finance and club services manager Ginger Washco and CWGA tournament and junior golf operations manager Kelley Mawhinney, who were attending the meeting.

Three awards were presented for best GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network) service — for large, medium, and small associations — and the CWGA earned the 2013 national honor for “Best GHIN Service for a Medium Association.” The New Jersey State Golf Association won in the large-association category, while the Kansas Women’s Golf Association claimed the small-association honor.

While the award was a nice feather in the cap for the CWGA, perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, this is the second time in the last five years that the association has earned the national honor, and the third time since 1995. That’s saying something, considering GHIN.com lists 79 state and regional golf associations. In the CWGA’s medium-size category, there are 22 golf associations.

(Bell, Washco and Mawhinney are pictured above, with the award.)

“I think it’s a great credit to the staff,” CWGA executive director Robin Jervey said, referring to Bell, Washco, Mawhinney and Kim Schwartz, the association’s membership programs and marketing manager. “We work hard to provide good customer service. I’m very proud of them. This is the third time we’ve won this award during my time with the CWGA, so it’s nice to see we’re continuing the good work.”

The honor is given based on the results of surveys GHIN mails to all clubs using GHIN services. Judging by the replies, state and regional golf associations (men’s or women’s) around the country are rated based on the GHIN service and support they provide to their members and clubs.

In all, 37 CWGA member clubs responded to the survey, according to the USGA’s Fran Nee, assistant director of GHIN Association Services.

“We don’t get a lot of (immediate) feedback, other than the occasional, ‘Thanks for helping,'” Bell said. “We feel good that this acknowledges that our customers are getting the GHIN support they need from the staff at the CWGA.”

Among the things the GHIN service offers customers are a handicap program, a tournament pairing program, an eRevision newsletter, a GHIN mobile app, and much more. The CWGA — and CGA — offer support on many levels, including through conducting multiple handicap seminars each year.

The CWGA previously won the national GHIN service award in 1995 and 2009.