How2Lab Logo
tech guide & how tos..


Stableford Scoring Explained: The Beginner’s Secret to Stress-Free Golf


If you have ever watched a golf tournament on TV, you’re likely used to Stroke Play — where every single shot is added up, and the lowest score wins. But for beginners, one bad hole can result in a "10", effectively ending your chances of a good round.

Enter Stableford. Invented by Dr. Frank Barney Gorton Stableford in 1898, this format was designed to stop golfers from giving up after a couple of bad holes. In Stableford, you earn points based on your score at each hole. The goal? The highest points scorer wins.

How the Scoring Works

Instead of counting total strokes, you are awarded points based on how your score compares to "Par". Here is the standard points breakdown:

Strokes Taken (Relative to Par)Points Awarded
2 or more over Par (Double Bogey or worse) 0 Points
1 over Par (Bogey) 1 Point
Even Par 2 Points
1 under Par (Birdie) 3 Points
2 under Par (Eagle) 4 Points

Why Beginners Love Stableford

  • The "Blow-up" Protection: If you're having a nightmare hole, the worst you can get is zero points. Once you can no longer score a point, you can simply pick up your ball and move to the next hole.
  • Speeds Up Play: Because you don't have to finish every hole if you're struggling, the game moves much faster.
  • Stay in the Game: One amazing Birdie on the 14th hole can make up for a terrible 3rd hole.

Stableford and Your Handicap

In most amateur tournaments, you will play "Net Stableford". This means your handicap is used to give you extra strokes on certain holes.

Example: If your handicap gives you an extra stroke on a Par 4, and you take 5 shots, your "Net Score" is actually a Par. Instead of 1 point (Bogey), you get 2 points!

Quick Tip for Your First Round

Focus on getting 2 points per hole. If you finish an 18-hole round with 36 points (2 points x 18 holes), you have played exactly to your handicap—a great achievement for any golfer!


Share:
Buy Domain & Hosting from a trusted company
Web Services Worldwide
About the Author
Rajeev Kumar
CEO, Computer Solutions
Jamshedpur, India

Rajeev Kumar is the primary author of How2Lab. He is a B.Tech. from IIT Kanpur with several years of experience in IT education and Software development. He has taught a wide spectrum of people including fresh young talents, students of premier engineering colleges & management institutes, and IT professionals.

Rajeev has founded Computer Solutions & Web Services Worldwide. He has hands-on experience of building variety of websites and business applications, that include - SaaS based erp & e-commerce systems, and cloud deployed operations management software for health-care, manufacturing and other industries.


Refer a friendSitemapDisclaimerPrivacy
Copyright © How2Lab.com. All rights reserved.