• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Stableford scoring help

Paulsearle1405

Medal Winner
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Messages
46
Visit site
Hi, firstly this is my 1st post so please go easy on me

I have been playing for just over a year now pretty much every week my handicap is 24 and today I played my first stableford game with friends. Unfortunately no one seemed to know how to work out the points.

For example one hole was a par 4 with stroke index 3. So was told I affectively had 2 shots. Anyway I managed to birdie the hole so thought I was 3 under but was given 3 points is this right?

Apologies if I don't make a lot of sense but any help would be great
 
bogey = 1 point
Par = 2 points
Birdie = 3 points
Eagle = 4 Points
Albatross / hole in one = 5 points

you play of 24 so you get 1 shot on every hole but 2 shots on stroke index 1 to 6

You work the points out on NET not Gross so as you got a birdie on stroke index 3 you you minus 2 shots as per you H/C which = a NET hole in 1 for 5 points.

Its sound confusing but you will get it easily after a few holes.
 
Hi Paul, Welcome to the GM Forum.

Here's a quick guide to stableford.

  • It's all based on your nett score, which is your actual (gross) score minus the number of shots that your handicap says you should receive on that hole.
  • You use the stroke index to determine how many shots you get on any particular hole. If you were off 18, you'd get one shot on each hole. A one handicapper would get a shot on SI1 but nothing else. As you're off 24, you get 2 shots on SI 1-6 and then one shot on the rest.
  • If your nett score is a bogey (i.e. +1, or "one over"), you score one point.
  • Anything that is worse than a nett bogey you score zero - so a 15 is no worse than a 9 (although it's good etiquette to pick up your ball when you can't score rather than hack your way to 15!).
  • If your nett score is a par, you score 2 and then the points increase as your nett score decreases (i.e. -1 = 3pts, -2 = 4pts etc).

Your example was a par 4 with SI3. As you're playing off 24, you get two shots on SI3 so a six would be a nett par (i.e. strokes taken minus handicap allowed (6-2)). You took only three shots which, is a nett one (well done BTW!). That's three under par so you score five points!! Fantastic.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Shep
 
Top