▁they ▁were ▁club ▁members . ▁When ▁the ▁US GA ▁announced ▁the ▁dem ise ▁of ▁the ▁Pub lin x , ▁it ▁specifically ▁stated ▁that ▁" the ▁A PL ▁[ Am ateur ▁Public ▁Link s ] ▁and ▁W AP L ▁[ W omen ' s ▁Am ateur ▁Public ▁Link s ] ▁champion ships ▁no ▁longer ▁serve ▁their ▁original ▁mission ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁access ibility ▁public - course ▁golf ers ▁today ▁enjoy ▁in ▁US GA ▁champion ships ." ▁ ▁El ig ibility ▁was ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur . ▁G olf ers ▁must ▁follow ▁the ▁US GA ' s ▁gu idel ines ▁for ▁amateur ▁status , ▁which , ▁in ▁general , ▁exclude ▁anyone ▁who ▁has ▁ever ▁played ▁or ▁taught ▁golf ▁for ▁money . ▁The ▁Public ▁Link s , ▁like ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur , ▁had ▁no ▁age ▁limit . ▁However , ▁there ▁were ▁two ▁key ▁differences ▁in ▁the ▁el ig ibility ▁criteria ▁for ▁the ▁Public ▁Link s : ▁Ent ries ▁were ▁accepted ▁from ▁golf ers ▁with ▁a ▁US GA ▁men ' s ▁hand ic ap ▁of ▁ 4 . 4 ▁or ▁lower , ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁ 2 . 4 ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur . ▁Ent ries ▁were ▁not ▁accepted ▁from ▁players ▁who ▁have ▁playing ▁privileges ▁at ▁golf ▁clubs ▁not ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁public , ▁and ▁such ▁golf ers ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁comp ete ▁if ▁they ▁received ▁such ▁privileges ▁between ▁their ▁entry ▁and ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the