Golf Scoring Explained: How To Keep Score Golf Now!

How To Keep Score Golf
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Golf Scoring Explained: How To Keep Score Golf Now!

How do you keep score in golf? You count every time you hit the ball on each hole. You add up all the hits for all the holes. The person with the lowest total number of hits wins. You write these hits down on a special card called a Golf score card. It’s like keeping track of points in other games, but you count hits instead.

Grasping the Goal: Fewer Hits Win

Golf is simple in one big way: you want to hit the ball as little as you can. Each hit counts as one stroke. If you hit the ball four times to get it in the hole, that’s four strokes for that hole. You play 18 holes, or sometimes 9. You add up your strokes for every hole. Your total is your score for the game. The player with the lowest total score is the winner. This way of scoring is called Stroke play scoring. It is the most common way to score golf.

Your Helper: The Golf Score Card

Every time you play golf, you get a Golf score card. This card helps you keep track of your hits. It has spaces for each hole, usually 1 through 18. For each hole, the card shows:

The number of the hole (like Hole 1, Hole 2).
The Par for the hole (we’ll talk about Par soon).
The length of the hole (how far it is from where you start to the hole).
A place to write down how many strokes (hits) you took on that hole.
Spaces for different players’ scores.

You or someone else in your group will write down the strokes for each player on the card after finishing each hole. It’s important to check the scores after nine holes and again at the end of the game. This makes sure the scores are right.

Here is how a small part of a score card might look:

Hole Number	Par	Your Score	Friend’s Score
1	4	5	4
2	5	6	5
3	3	3	4
…	…	…	…
Total

After playing all 18 holes, you add up the numbers in the ‘Your Score’ column. That is your total score.

Interpreting Scores: Par Birdie Bogey Definitions

Golf uses special words to describe your score on a single hole based on its Par. Par is the number of strokes a good player should take to finish the hole. Each hole has a set Par, usually 3, 4, or 5.

Par: If you take exactly the number of strokes set for the hole’s Par, you scored Par. For example, if a hole is a Par 4 and you take 4 strokes, you made a Par. This is a good score.
Birdie: If you take one stroke less than Par, you made a Birdie. On a Par 4 hole, taking 3 strokes is a Birdie. This is a very good score.
Eagle: If you take two strokes less than Par, you made an Eagle. On a Par 5 hole, taking 3 strokes is an Eagle. On a Par 4 hole, taking 2 strokes is an Eagle (this is rare!). This is an excellent score.
Double Eagle (or Albatross): If you take three strokes less than Par, you made a Double Eagle. This only happens on Par 5 holes if you take 2 strokes. This is extremely rare!
Bogey: If you take one stroke more than Par, you made a Bogey. On a Par 4 hole, taking 5 strokes is a Bogey. This score is okay, but not as good as Par or better.
Double Bogey: If you take two strokes more than Par, you made a Double Bogey. On a Par 4 hole, taking 6 strokes is a Double Bogey. This is not a great score.
Triple Bogey: If you take three strokes more than Par, you made a Triple Bogey. On a Par 4 hole, taking 7 strokes is a Triple Bogey.
Other Scores: You can have higher scores too, like Quadruple Bogey (four over Par), and so on.
Hole-in-One: Hitting the ball into the hole in just one stroke. This can only happen on a Par 3 hole (resulting in an Eagle) or sometimes on short Par 4s (resulting in a Double Eagle), though it’s almost always on a Par 3. It’s very exciting!

Knowing these words helps you talk about your game. “I made a Birdie on Hole 5!” means you did really well on that hole.

Different Ways to Compete: Stroke Play Scoring vs. Match Play Scoring

Golf has different ways to play a game. The most common is Stroke play scoring, where you count every hit and the lowest total wins. But there is another main way called Match play scoring.

Grasping Stroke Play Scoring

In Stroke play scoring, every single hit matters from the first hole to the last. You add up all your hits. This is your score for the round. The player who has the lowest total score at the end of all the holes (usually 18) wins. Most big golf tournaments, like the Masters or the Open Championship, use stroke play.

Every stroke counts: If you have a bad hole and take 10 strokes, those 10 strokes still get added to your total.
Consistency is key: Doing well on every hole helps your final score. One very bad hole can hurt your chances to win, even if you play well on other holes.
Lowest total wins: The person who finished the 18 holes with the fewest hits wins the game.
Official golf rules scoring apply very strictly in stroke play. You must follow all the rules exactly, or you might get penalty strokes added to your score.

Grasping Match Play Scoring

Match play scoring is different. You don’t add up your total strokes for the whole game. Instead, you compete against another player (or team) hole by hole.

Winning a hole: On each hole, the player who takes fewer strokes wins that hole.
Tied hole: If both players take the same number of strokes on a hole, the hole is tied, or ‘halved’. Neither player wins the hole.
Winning the match: The game is over when one player is ahead by more holes than there are holes left to play. For example, if you are playing 18 holes and you are ahead by 3 holes after playing 15 holes, you win. There are only 3 holes left, so your opponent cannot catch up.
Match score: The score in match play is shown by how many holes one player is ‘up’ and how many holes are left. For example, “3 and 2” means one player is 3 holes ahead with 2 holes left to play, so they won the match. “All square” means the match is tied.
Bad holes don’t ruin everything: If you have a very bad hole and take many strokes, you probably just lose that one hole. It doesn’t add a big number to your total score for the whole game like in stroke play. This means you can recover from a bad hole more easily in match play.

Both stroke play and match play are official ways to play golf according to the Official golf rules scoring.

Playing Fair: The Golf Handicap Index

Golf has a great system to let players of different skill levels play together fairly. This system uses something called a Golf handicap index. Your handicap index is a number that shows how well you usually play. A lower handicap means you are a better player. A higher handicap means you might be newer or not play as well.

How it works: You get a handicap index by playing rounds of golf and posting your scores. A formula uses your scores to figure out your average score compared to the difficulty of the courses you play.
Making games fair: When you play a game with others, your handicap index is used to get a ‘Course Handicap’. This is the number of strokes you get during that specific game based on the course’s difficulty.
Using handicap strokes: In a game, a player with a higher handicap gets to subtract strokes from their score on certain holes. This makes their score lower and helps them compete with players who usually shoot lower scores.

This leads us to two ways to look at scores: Gross score vs net score.

Gross Score vs Net Score

Gross Score: This is your raw score. It’s the total number of strokes you actually took to play the round. If you added up all your hits and got 95, your gross score is 95.
Net Score: This is your score after you subtract your handicap strokes. It shows how well you played compared to your own skill level.

Calculating Net Score:

First, you need your Course Handicap for the day. The Golf score card often has a table to help you find this based on your handicap index and the tees you are playing from. Let’s say your Course Handicap is 18. This means you get to subtract 18 strokes from your gross score.

If your gross score was 95 and your Course Handicap is 18:
Net Score = Gross Score – Course Handicap
Net Score = 95 – 18 = 77

So, even though you shot 95, your net score is 77.

When players with different handicaps play together, they often compare net scores to see who played better relative to their own skill. This is how a player who shoots 95 can beat a player who shoots 80 in a handicapped game, if the 95-shooter had a high enough handicap.

Handicaps and net scores are a big part of making golf fun and fair for everyone.

Another Way to Score: The Stableford Points System

While stroke play is about the lowest score and match play is about winning holes, the Stableford points system is about getting points. In Stableford, you earn points based on your score on each hole compared to its par, after adjusting for your handicap. The player with the most points wins.

Why use Stableford?

Faster play: If you have a really bad hole, you can just pick up your ball once you can no longer score points (usually after reaching a certain number of strokes over par). You don’t have to finish the hole, which saves time.
Less punishment for one bad hole: A very high score on one hole only costs you the points for that hole. It doesn’t add a huge number to your total score that might be impossible to recover from, as it could in stroke play.

How Stableford Points Work (Example):

Points are usually given like this, relative to Par and adjusted by your handicap strokes for that hole:

More than 1 over par (or pick up): 0 points
1 over par (Bogey): 1 point
Par: 2 points
1 under par (Birdie): 3 points
2 under par (Eagle): 4 points
3 under par (Double Eagle): 5 points

Let’s say you get one handicap stroke on a Par 4 hole. This means your ‘personal par’ for that hole is 5 (Par 4 + 1 stroke).
* If you take 5 strokes, that is your par (even though it’s a Bogey for someone with no handicap stroke). You get 2 points.
* If you take 4 strokes, that is 1 under your personal par (like a Birdie for you). You get 3 points.
* If you take 6 strokes, that is 1 over your personal par (like a Bogey for you). You get 1 point.

You add up the points you earn on each hole. The total number of points at the end of the round is your Stableford score.

Stableford is a fun way to play and can often lead to faster rounds and less frustration from one or two bad holes.

Comprehending the Rules: Official Golf Rules Scoring

Keeping score correctly means following the Official golf rules scoring. These rules are set by the R&A and the USGA. They cover everything in golf. For scoring, the rules explain:

How to count strokes (every hit, including practice swings that move the ball!).
What happens if you break a rule (you usually get penalty strokes added to your score).
How to record scores on the card.
How to make sure the score card is correct at the end.

Some common things that add penalty strokes are:

Hitting the ball out of bounds (outside the playing area, marked by white stakes or lines). You add one penalty stroke and must play another ball from where you hit the first one.
Losing your ball (not finding it within three minutes). You add one penalty stroke and must play another ball from where you hit the first one.
Hitting the ball into a penalty area (like a red or yellow staked area, often water). You usually add one penalty stroke and have options for where to play the next shot.
Touching the sand in a bunker before hitting the ball.
Hitting the wrong ball.
Getting help you are not allowed to have.

Knowing the basic rules helps you score correctly and fairly. When in doubt, ask someone who knows the rules or look them up.

Being Respectful: Scorekeeping Etiquette Golf

How you keep score is part of being a good golfer. Scorekeeping etiquette golf means following polite and fair practices:

Who Marks the Card: In friendly games, one person in the group usually keeps the score for everyone else. This player is called the marker. In serious games or tournaments, you usually swap cards with another player and keep their score, and they keep yours. You are responsible for the card you are marking.
Checking Scores: After each hole, say your score out loud to the marker. The marker should write it down. At the end of the front nine (hole 9) and the back nine (hole 18), check the score card with the marker or the person whose score you kept. Make sure all the numbers are right.
Honesty: Golf is a game of honesty. Always count every stroke, even the bad ones. Don’t try to lower your score by not counting hits or penalties. Your score reflects your play, and being honest is key to the spirit of the game.
Sign the Card: In many games, especially tournaments, you must sign your score card and your marker must sign it too. This confirms that you agree the score is correct. Once you sign and hand in your card in a competition, it’s usually final.
Don’t Distract: Don’t talk about scores or mark the card when others are about to hit their shot. Wait until everyone has finished playing the hole.
Be Clear: Speak clearly when saying your score so there is no mistake.

Good scorekeeping etiquette helps keep the game fair, respectful, and fun for everyone playing.

Fathoming Your Score: What it Means

Your score in golf is more than just a number. It tells a story about your round.

Scores Close to Par: If you shoot a score close to the total Par for the course (e.g., a course with Par 72 and you shoot 75), you played very well.
Higher Scores: If you shoot higher numbers, it means you are still learning or had a tough day. This is okay! Everyone starts somewhere. Golf takes practice.
Tracking Progress: Keeping track of your scores over time helps you see how you are improving. You can look back and see that your scores are getting lower, which is very rewarding.

Comparing your score to Par is a common way to talk about how you did. If the course Par is 72 and you shot 90, you are ’18 over Par’ (90 – 72 = 18). If you shot 70, you are ‘2 under Par’ (70 – 72 = -2).

Detailed Look at the Golf Score Card

Let’s look closer at the Golf score card. It’s a simple but very important tool.

Front and Back: Score cards often have spaces for 9 holes on one side and the other 9 holes on the other. There is usually a place for the ‘Front 9 Total’, ‘Back 9 Total’, and ‘Total for 18 Holes’.
Handicap Row: There is often a row labeled ‘Handicap’ or ‘HCP’. This row has numbers from 1 to 18. These numbers show the difficulty of each hole on the course. The hole labeled ‘1’ in this row is the hardest hole, ‘2’ is the second hardest, and so on, up to ’18’ which is the easiest.
- Why is this important? When you use your Course Handicap to get strokes (in handicapped stroke play, match play, or Stableford), you apply those strokes based on the hole’s handicap number. If your Course Handicap is 18, you get one extra stroke on every hole (because there are 18 holes, numbered 1 to 18 for difficulty). If your Course Handicap is 9, you get one extra stroke on the 9 hardest holes (those marked 1 through 9 in the Handicap row). This helps make the game fair by giving strokes on the holes where they are needed most.
Tee Box Colors: Courses usually have different starting points (tee boxes) for players of different skill levels or ages. These are often marked with different colors (like red, yellow, white, blue, black). The score card will show the Par and yardage for each hole from each color of tee box. Make sure you are writing your score in the row for the tees you are playing from.
Date and Names: There are spaces for the date and the names of the players in your group.

Keeping the score card neat and correct is part of playing golf right.

Official Golf Rules Scoring in Detail

The Official golf rules scoring can be complex, but some key parts are good for every player to know regarding scoring:

Counting Every Stroke: Rule 3.1a says you must count every stroke taken to hit a ball. This includes miss hits where you meant to hit the ball but swung and missed (these are called ‘air balls’ or ‘whiffs’). If you swing and miss trying to hit the ball, that’s one stroke!
Practice Swings: A practice swing is only a stroke if you intended to hit the ball and missed. If you were just warming up your swing near the ball and didn’t mean to hit it, and accidentally nudged it, that’s usually a penalty, not a stroke. But if you meant to hit it and didn’t, it’s a stroke.
Penalties are Strokes: Most penalties add one or two strokes to your score for that hole. These penalty strokes are added to the strokes you took hitting the ball. For example, if you took 4 swings to get near the hole, and then hit your ball out of bounds (1 penalty stroke), and then took 2 more swings to get the ball in the hole, your score for the hole is 4 (swings) + 1 (penalty) + 2 (swings) = 7 strokes.
Wrong Score: In stroke play, if you sign your score card with a score lower than you actually took, you are disqualified from the competition. If you sign for a score higher than you took, that higher score stands. This is why checking your score card carefully is very important.
Playing From the Wrong Place: If you hit a shot from a place you are not allowed to (like outside the tee box on your first shot, or from the wrong drop spot after a penalty) and don’t fix it before hitting from the next teeing area, you can be disqualified in stroke play. In match play, you often just lose the hole.

Understanding these rules helps prevent mistakes that could cost you strokes or even the game. The full rule book is long, but learning the common rules helps a lot.

Using Gross Score vs Net Score in Games

We talked about Gross score vs net score. How are they used in real games?

Gross Score Competitions: Many serious tournaments, especially for professional or highly skilled amateur players, use only gross scores. The player who hits the fewest shots wins, period.
Net Score Competitions: Most club events, friendly games, and games with players of different abilities use net scores. This allows everyone a chance to compete.
- Example: A group of four friends plays. Player A has a Course Handicap of 5. Player B has a Course Handicap of 15. Player C has a Course Handicap of 22. Player D has a Course Handicap of 0.
- They all play 18 holes.
- Player A shoots a gross score of 80. Net Score: 80 – 5 = 75.
- Player B shoots a gross score of 90. Net Score: 90 – 15 = 75.
- Player C shoots a gross score of 100. Net Score: 100 – 22 = 78.
- Player D shoots a gross score of 78. Net Score: 78 – 0 = 78.
- In a net score game, Player A and Player B tie for first place with 75. Player C and Player D tie for third place with 78. This shows how net scores help level the playing field.
Comparing Yourself: Even if you aren’t playing a competition, tracking your net score can show you if you are playing better for you. If your net score is getting lower over time, your handicap is helping you improve your game relative to your skill level.

Both gross and net scores are useful ways to measure performance in golf.

More on Scorekeeping Etiquette Golf

Good manners on the golf course include how you handle scoring.

Confirming Scores: Don’t just guess someone’s score. After they finish the hole, ask “Score?” and they will say how many strokes they took. Repeat it back to make sure you heard correctly. “Okay, John, that’s a 5 for you.”
Privacy: A player’s score is their business. Don’t announce someone’s bad score loudly for everyone to hear. Keep it between the player and the marker.
Checking the Card Together: At the end of the round, sit down with the person whose score you kept (or the marker who kept yours) and go through the score card hole by hole. “Okay, Hole 1 was a 4, Hole 2 was a 5…” This is the best way to catch mistakes before the card is signed.
Questions: If there is a question about a rule or a score during the round, try to sort it out before going to the next tee. If you can’t, you can sometimes play two balls on the hole (one counting your score the way you think is right, and one counting it the way someone else thinks is right) and ask a rules expert later. But this is more for serious games. In friendly games, usually the group agrees on what to do.
Signing: When you sign your score card in a competition, it means you agree that the scores written down for each hole are correct. Be sure before you sign!

Following good Scorekeeping etiquette golf makes the game more pleasant for everyone in your group.

Summary of Scoring Types

Let’s quickly go over the main scoring types again:

Stroke Play: Count total strokes over 18 holes. Lowest total wins. Every stroke counts.
Match Play: Compete hole by hole. Win the match by being ahead by more holes than are left. One bad hole isn’t as damaging as in stroke play.
Stableford: Earn points based on your score relative to par (adjusted for handicap). Highest points total wins. Helps speed up play as you can pick up on a bad hole.

Most golf you see on TV or play in your local club will use one of these main ways of scoring. And remember, knowing your Par birdie bogey definitions helps you understand how you did on each hole.

How to Get Better at Scoring

Getting better at scoring means getting better at golf!

Practice: Hitting more fairways, more greens, and making more putts will lower your stroke count.
Learn the Rules: Knowing the Official golf rules scoring helps you avoid penalty strokes. Sometimes a penalty is better than trying a risky shot that could cost you even more strokes.
Understand the Course: Knowing the Par for each hole and where the harder holes are (from the Handicap row on the Golf score card) can help you think about how to play each hole.
Track Your Stats: Some golfers track things like how many fairways they hit or how many putts they take. This can show you what parts of your game need practice to lower your scores.

Good scoring comes from good play, but also from knowing the rules and keeping track carefully.

Golf Handicap Index: Your Personal Score Standard

Your Golf handicap index is managed by golf associations (like the USGA in the US or CONGU in the UK). It’s updated regularly based on the scores you post from rounds you play.

Posting Scores: To get a handicap, you need to play a number of rounds and submit your score cards. These must be from courses that are rated (have a Course Rating and Slope Rating, which measure difficulty).
Maintaining Handicap: You need to keep playing and posting scores to keep your handicap current.
Fairness: The handicap system is designed to be as fair as possible, making it fun for golfers of all levels to compete in the same game.

Think of your handicap index as your own personal target score. It tells you what you typically shoot compared to a scratch golfer (a player with a zero handicap, who shoots around par).

Simple Steps to Keep Score on the Course

Write Names: Put the names of the players in your group on the Golf score card.
Note Tees: Write down what color tees everyone is playing from.
Write Scores Hole by Hole: After everyone finishes a hole, count their strokes (include any penalty strokes). Write that number down under their name for that hole. Do this for every player after every hole.
Check Scores: After 9 holes, add up the scores for the first nine. Check these totals with the players. After 18 holes, add up the scores for the back nine and the total for the whole round. Check these totals carefully with the players.
Use Net Scores (if playing with handicap): If you are playing a handicapped game, subtract each player’s Course Handicap from their gross score to find their Net score. Compare net scores to see who wins.
Sign and Turn In (if needed): If you are in a competition, sign your card and make sure the marker signs it. Turn it in where you are supposed to.

That’s the basic process for keeping score in golf. It’s simple counting, but important to get right.

More About Penalties and Official Golf Rules Scoring

Penalties can feel unfair, but they are part of the game. They ensure everyone plays by the same rules. The number of penalty strokes depends on the rule broken.

One Penalty Stroke: Often for things like hitting into a penalty area (and taking relief), taking relief incorrectly from an abnormal course condition (like standing water), or hitting your ball out of bounds or losing it.
Two Penalty Strokes: Often for more serious rule breaks in stroke play, like playing from the wrong place when you were supposed to re-hit a shot, or hitting the wrong ball.
General Penalty: In the official rules, the standard penalty for most rule breaches is the ‘General Penalty’, which is two penalty strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.
Disqualification: For very serious rule breaks, like signing a card with a score lower than you took, or cheating.

When you record a penalty on the Golf score card, you just add the penalty strokes to the number of strokes you took on the hole. If you took 5 hits to get to the green, and then hit your ball into water (1 penalty stroke) and took 2 more hits to finish, your score is 5 + 1 + 2 = 8.

Learning the common penalties is part of learning Official golf rules scoring.

Different Tee Boxes, Different Scores

The color of the tee box you start from on each hole changes the length of the hole. Playing from shorter tees means the hole is easier and the Par might even be different on some courses. This is why the Golf score card shows different yardages and sometimes different pars for each set of tees. Always make sure you record your score for the tees you played. The Course Rating and Slope Rating (used to calculate your Course Handicap) are also different for each set of tees. This helps keep handicaps fair no matter which tees you play.

Final Thoughts on Keeping Score

Keeping score in golf is more than just writing numbers. It’s about tracking your progress, understanding the game, playing fairly, and showing respect for the rules and your playing partners. Whether you are playing Stroke play scoring counting every hit, or Match play scoring battling hole by hole, or using the Stableford points system, the Golf score card is your tool. Knowing your Par birdie bogey definitions and how your Golf handicap index affects your Gross score vs net score helps you enjoy the game more. Always remember good Scorekeeping etiquette golf and follow the Official golf rules scoring. Now you know how to keep score golf! Go practice and have fun!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

h4 What happens if I make a mistake on the score card?

If you make a mistake on your Golf score card before you sign it and turn it in (in a competition), you can correct it. Make sure the marker agrees with the change. If you are just playing a friendly game, you can correct it as long as everyone agrees. In stroke play competitions, signing for a lower score is a disqualification, signing for a higher score means that higher score stands. So check carefully!

h4 Do I have to keep my own score?

Usually, someone in your group will be designated to keep your score on the Golf score card. In competitions, you often swap cards with a playing partner and keep their score. You are responsible for making sure the score recorded for you is correct before you sign the card.

h4 What is the ‘Slope’ on a score card?

The ‘Slope Rating’ on a Golf score card is part of the handicap system. It tells you how much harder a course is for a higher-handicap player compared to a low-handicap player. It’s used along with the Course Rating and your handicap index to figure out your Course Handicap for that specific set of tees and course.

h4 Is Stableford points system easier than stroke play?

The Stableford points system can feel less punishing than stroke play for a beginner or someone who has a few very bad holes. Since you can pick up your ball if you can’t score points on a hole, it can be faster. It’s a different way to measure performance, focusing on how well you do relative to par on each hole for points, rather than just adding up all your hits.

h4 How do I get a Golf handicap index?

To get an official Golf handicap index, you typically need to join a golf club or a national golf association program. You will play a certain number of rounds (often 5 or 6 initially) on rated courses and submit your scores following the rules of the handicap system in your area. Your scores are then used to calculate your index.

h4 What is the difference between a penalty stroke and a regular stroke?

There is no difference in how they are counted on the Golf score card. Both add one to your score for the hole. A regular stroke is when you hit the ball. A penalty stroke is added to your score because you broke a rule, without hitting the ball (like for hitting out of bounds) or in addition to hitting the ball (like for hitting a wrong ball).

h4 Why is Scorekeeping etiquette golf important?

It shows respect for the game, the rules, and the other players. Being honest, checking scores carefully, and not distracting others are all part of maintaining the integrity and enjoyment of golf. It helps prevent arguments and makes sure everyone is competing fairly based on their actual play.