Become a Team Captain

Start a team. Set the lineup. Chase the title.

Every NTMGL team starts with one golfer who decides to round up a crew. As captain you build the roster, set the batting order, and match your players up against the other team, hole by hole, point by point.

Spring Season starts Feb 6, 2027 Rosters of 4–12 players Playing or non-playing captains

Step one: create your account

Captains register their team from their player account. It's free to create one and you'll be ready when team registration opens.

Create Your Free Account

Already a member? Log in

What does a captain do?

Think baseball manager more than club secretary. The job comes down to four things.

Build the roster

Recruit 4 to 12 golfers: friends, coworkers, your regular foursome. Need more? Pick up free agents in the league draft and off the waiver wire.

Set the lineup

Each week you decide who plays and in what order. Your #1 faces their #1, your #2 faces their #2, and so on. That's where the strategy lives.

Keep the team ready

Track who's available each week, make sure at least 4 players show up, and keep everyone in the loop on tee times and courses.

Represent the team

You're the team's point of contact with the commissioner and other captains. You approve roster moves and make sure your players know the rules.

You don't have to play to captain. Teams may appoint a non-playing captain who handles the lineup and admin. See Rules §3.

How to start a team

  1. 1

    Create your player account

    Free, and it's where everything lives: your team, schedule, scores, and handicap.

  2. 2

    Register your team when registration opens

    Use Become a Captain on your dashboard (or the button on this page) to choose a team name, division, team colors, and home course. You're made captain automatically.

  3. 3

    Pay the team fee

    The captain is responsible for the team fee, which shows up on your Fees page. How you split it with your players is up to you.

  4. 4

    Recruit your players

    Send your personal invite link (on your dashboard) to the golfers you want. Each player creates their own account and pays their own player fee . You earn referral credit for every one who joins.

  5. 5

    Fill out the roster in the draft

    Short of players? Free agents who sign up solo go into the league draft. New teams' draft positions are set by random draw after registration closes. Golfers looking for a team can also send their availability straight to captains in their division.

  6. 6

    Set your default lineup and tee it up

    Rank your roster once on the Captain Dashboard. That order is used every week unless you set a specific lineup for a match. Then play.

A captain's week

  • Early in the week: check availability
    Players mark whether they can play. You see the whole roster at a glance.
  • By the day before: submit your lineup
    Lineups are due the day before the first tee time. The home team submits first, then the visitors.
  • Match day: show up and play
    Players arrive 30 minutes before their tee time and tee off in lineup order. Scores go into the app hole by hole.
  • After the round: confirm results
    Both players verify each scorecard, points roll up to the team total, and standings update automatically.

Your captain toolkit

Everything runs from the Captain Dashboard on ntmgl.com and the mobile app:

  • Roster management and team profile (name, colors, home course)
  • Weekly player availability
  • Default lineup order plus per-match lineups
  • Live draft board and waiver wire
  • Player release requests (you approve or deny)
  • Team and player stats, results, and standings
  • Tee time, reminder, and result notifications by email, text, and push

Lineup strategy 101

Every hole counts

Each hole won earns points for the team, and every hole is played out even after a match is decided. A player who's down early can still swing the team total.

Handicaps level the field

Strokes are given on the hardest holes based on the difference between players' handicaps, so a high handicapper is never a guaranteed loss.

Use the order

The home team turns in its lineup first, then the visitors. Stack the top, save a closer, or chase a matchup. It's your call.

Costs & captain perks

Fees

Fees for the next team season are posted when registration opens. You'll see the exact amounts here and on your Fees page.

Captain referral credit

Earn $10 in league credit for every golfer who joins through your invite link and pays their player fee.

Regular players can earn up to 3 per season. Captains can earn up to 7, up to $70 a season, and it can go toward your team fee, league fees, or Pro Shop gear.

Pick your division

Divisions are organized by age so competition stays fair. Each team enters one division that fits its roster.

Open Division
Ages 18+

Open to all ages

Veteran Division
Ages 35+

For players age 35 and over

Senior Division
Ages 50+

For players age 50 and over

Legends Division
Ages 60+

For players age 60 and over

Captain FAQ

Rosters run from 4 to 12 players, and at least 4 must play each week. Carrying 6 to 8 gives you cover when travel, work, or family weekends pull players away.

No. Every match is played with handicap strokes, so players of any skill level can compete and win. Captaining is about organizing and strategy, and you don't even have to play.

Yes. Register the team, bring who you can, and fill the rest of the roster from the league draft. Golfers without a team can also send their availability to captains in their division, so you'll hear from players looking for a spot.

An official Handicap Index is preferred, and players can connect their GHIN account in their profile. Players without one start at a 0 index, and every league round they post builds their NTMGL Handicap Index.

Check availability early and reach out to the commissioner as soon as you know. Postponements need agreement from both captains and commissioner approval; otherwise you can request a forfeit from the Captain Dashboard.

A player who wants to leave sends a release request that you approve or deny. Released players become free agents, or go on waivers during the season where other captains can claim them. Players must play at least 2 regular-season matches to be eligible for the playoffs.

The dress code calls for collared shirts with your team name or logo, so plan on matching polos. Check the Pro Shop for team gear.

Yes, but you'll need a release from your current captain first. Request it from your Player Dashboard; once it's approved you can register your new team.

The full details are in the Official Rulebook and the User Manual.

Ready to captain?

Golf with a roster. Golf with a dugout. Golf with stakes.

Create Your Free Account Talk to the Commissioner