Course record or otherwise!

[3offTheTee]

Guy at our place shot a 63 Gross off the White tees in a Stableford Competition

Does this count as a course record. No score adjustment.

Is there a rule stating otherwise?Does it have to be a Medal?

 

[BiMGuy]

Guy at our place shot a 63 Gross off the White tees in a Stableford Competition

Does this count as a course record. No score adjustment.

Is there a rule stating otherwise?i.e It ha Sri be a Medal

I’d say so if every hole was completed.

 

[wjemather]

Guy at our place shot a 63 Gross off the White tees in a Stableford Competition

Does this count as a course record. No score adjustment.

Is there a rule stating otherwise?Does it have to be a Medal?

Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the club. There are no rules regarding the validity of scores for course records. As such, there isn't a requirement for the round to be in a competition at all, however it used to be (maybe still is) generally accepted that only regular stroke play (medal) competitions (i.e. not bogey/par or Stableford) would qualify.

 

[Slab]

Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the club. There are no rules regarding the validity of scores for course records. As such, there isn't a requirement for the round to be in a competition at all, however it used to be (maybe still is) generally accepted that only regular stroke play (medal) competitions (i.e. not bogey/par or Stableford) would qualify.

Just for devilment... in a stableford comp at a club described by the bold, do you think a hole in one would qualify as such or is it just a 4 pointer hole (assuming no stroke)

 

[evemccc]

Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the club. There are no rules regarding the validity of scores for course records. As such, there isn't a requirement for the round to be in a competition at all, however it used to be (maybe still is) generally accepted that only regular stroke play (medal) competitions (i.e. not bogey/par or Stableford) would qualify.

That’s my understanding (not that I need to worry about it for my own golf..?)

 

[3offTheTee]

Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the club. There are no rules regarding the validity of scores for course records. As such, there isn't a requirement for the round to be in a competition at all, however it used to be (maybe still is) generally accepted that only regular stroke play (medal) competitions (i.e. not bogey/par or Stableford) would qualify.

I have looked back and Rosecott posted the attached last year

We had this debate in committee last year when a new best gross score was made in a stableford competition. I sought advice from the R&A and got the following reply:

Thank you for your email regarding a query on the Rules of Golf.

In answer to your question, the term “course record” is not defined in the Rules of Golf. However it is generally accepted that a record score should be recognised as the official “course record” only if made in an individual stroke play competition (excluding bogey, par or Stableford competitions) with the holes and tee-markers in their proper medal or championship positions (measured course).

In addition, it is recommended that a course record should not be recognised as the official “course record” if a Local Rule permitting preferred lies is/was in operation however this is at the discretion of the Committee.

I hope this information is of some assistance.


Kind regards,



Conor Finlay
Rules Manager

The committee had a lengthy discussion and decided that the gross score achieved in a stableford competition would stand as a course record.

 

[IanMcC]

Something similar happened a couple of years ago at my course. A chap shot a 63 in a Stableford comp. I wrote to Wales Golf, and they replied that it was up to the individual club, but she knew of many other courses in Wales that had similar course records in Stableford comps, so we allowed it.

 

[rulefan]

It is at the discretion of the Club. Full stop.

 

[Colin L]

I just don't get the exclusion of a Stableford competition. A player in a Stableford goes round a course in the same number of strokes as a player in a medal but his/her score is somehow inferior?

 

[rulefan]

I just don't get the exclusion of a Stableford competition. A player in a Stableford goes round a course in the same number of strokes as a player in a medal but his/her score is somehow inferior?

If they have a blow up hole and don't complete it what would their gross score be?

 

[rulie]

If they have a blow up hole and don't complete it what would their gross score be?

Wouldn't likely be a gross score course record with a blow-up hole.

 

[Colin L]

If they have a blow up hole and don't complete it what would their gross score be?

The same score as a player in a medal who blows up at a hole and doesn't complete it. Both are equally out of contention for a course record.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If they have a blow up hole and don't complete it what would their gross score be?

But even holing out on every hole…the mindset I have when playing in a Stableford comp is, IMO, quite different to that I have when playing a medal round. Perhaps the advice from the R&A reflects the fact that difference in that medal is undoubtedly (IMO) harder, mentally, than Stableford.

 

[Swango1980]

It makes sense to me that is should stand as a course record. The player went round in 63 shots on a measured course, no preferred lies, end of story.

However, you could put an asterix beside it, like when Liverpool won the Premier League during Covid. That way everyone is happy.

 

[Colin L]

But even holing out on every hole…the mindset I have when playing in a Stableford comp is, IMO, quite different to that I have when playing a medal round. Perhaps the advice from the R&A reflects the fact that difference in that medal is undoubtedly (IMO) harder, mentally, than Stableford.

Certainly, I can't think of any other kind of reasoning to justify excluding stablefords but to my mind (and in the rules of golf) there's only one measure of a stroke play round - the number of strokes taken. If you held a course record with a 64 from a medal round and someone came along in a stableford with a 63, would you think your 64 superior to his 63? And if it were the club rule that the course record could only be set in a medal, would you feel comfortable in holding the record knowing that someone else had, in a competition, gone round in fewer strokes than you?

 

[3offTheTee]

But even holing out on every hole…the mindset I have when playing in a Stableford comp is, IMO, quite different to that I have when playing a medal round. Perhaps the advice from the R&A reflects the fact that difference in that medal is undoubtedly (IMO) harder, mentally, than Stableford.

The guy in question plays off +3. At that standard I think Stableford or Medal is irrelevant. He played the back 9 in 28, 8 under par. Do not think his mindset came into the equation.

 

[Backsticks]

Its a course record, no question. Stableford is only a particular way of compiling a competition score from a card. If he played 18 holes and holed out on all, with no preferential rules in play, then he has shot the lowest score. Thats a record.

 

[rulefan]

If he played 18 holes and holed out on all, with no preferential rules in play, then he has shot the lowest score. Thats a record.

I would have difficulty in arguing with those conditions but if he hasn't holed out in all 18 and/or hasn't recorded his actual gross on each hole - no record

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Certainly, I can't think of any other kind of reasoning to justify excluding stablefords but to my mind (and in the rules of golf) there's only one measure of a stroke play round - the number of strokes taken. If you held a course record with a 64 from a medal round and someone came along in a stableford with a 63, would you think your 64 superior to his 63? And if it were the club rule that the course record could only be set in a medal, would you feel comfortable in holding the record knowing that someone else had, in a competition, gone round in fewer strokes than you?

It’s all I can come up with.

Plus it protects from a course record being set for a Stableford scored round that started normally, with maybe a tap-in pick-up early on, but as the round progressed into an absolute cracker the pick-up was overlooked and a score put down - it was only a 2” tap-in after all…what‘s the big deal…we know what some golfers are like.

 

[nickjdavis]

But even holing out on every hole…the mindset I have when playing in a Stableford comp is, IMO, quite different to that I have when playing a medal round. Perhaps the advice from the R&A reflects the fact that difference in that medal is undoubtedly (IMO) harder, mentally, than Stableford.

Why?

Surely you go out with the intention of completing each hole in as few strokes as possible....irrespective of format?

Further....and to be fair I'm probably going to appear disrespectful here towards handicap golfers....the sort of golfers who are likely to be setting course records for a gross score, are not likely to worry about where they get strokes in a Stableford comp, so probably adopt exactly the same strategy when playing a hole in medal as they do in Stableford.

Note: I posted the above before going back and reading post #16

Plus it protects from a course record being set for a Stableford scored round that started normally, with maybe a tap-in pick-up early on, but as the round progressed into an absolute cracker the pick-up was overlooked - it was only a 2” tap-in after all…what‘s the big deal.

If it wasn't holed then the player hasn't got a gross score for 18 holes irrespective of what happens afterwards in the round.