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Stroke play games

Stableford

You score points on each hole against par, and the most points wins.

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How it works

  1. Every hole scores points from your net score against par: two for a par, three for a birdie, one for a bogey.

  2. Anything worse than a bogey scores none, so one bad hole never ruins the card.

  3. The highest total wins. Players with the same points on every hole share the place. Otherwise the tie is broken hole by hole, from the hardest hole to the easiest, and the higher points win. The host can choose the last holes, a shared place or a playoff instead.

Good to know

  • Better holes: on the standard table, four points for an eagle, five for an albatross, six for four under.
  • If the host chooses the last holes, in a shotgun start the last nine means holes 10 to 18, whatever order you played them in.
  • On a nine-hole round, the nine holes played are compared hardest first, and the last-holes choice uses the last 6, 3 and 1.
  • In a tie, a hole with no score counts the points it scored in the total.

A worked round

Net Stableford on the standard points.

The momentJordan made 9 on the par 5 13th and still won. It scored no points, only two fewer than a par, and his five birdies did the rest. Counting strokes, Sam's 70 would have beaten Jordan's 71.

1stJordan B.39 pointsNet 71
2ndSam P.38 pointsNet 70
3rdKasper M.34 pointsNet 74
4thIke D.32 pointsNet 76
Hole123456789101112131415161718Points
Par443543454443544345
Jordan39
Sam38
Kasper34
Ike32
Hole123456789
Par443543454
Jordan
Sam
Kasper
Ike
Hole101112131415161718Points
Par443544345
Jordan39
Sam38
Kasper34
Ike32
HoleParJordanSamKasperIke
14
24
33
45
54
63
74
85
94
104
114
123
135
144
154
163
174
185
Points39383432

Net scores, each player's handicap strokes already off. A circle marks a birdie and a square a bogey. The small number under each score is its points: 2 for a par, 3 for a birdie, 1 for a bogey and none for anything worse. The highest total wins.

Handicaps

Players get 95% of their handicap. The host can change the percentage when setting up.

Why that number? Each format has its own usual handicap allowance, set so a 20 and a 5 both have a fair shot.

House variations

Other ways to play it.

  • Modified Stableford: eight for an albatross, five for an eagle, two for a birdie, none for a par, minus one for a bogey and minus three for worse. Choose it under More options on the Game step.
  • Your own points table: set the points for each score under More options on the Game step.
  • Gross Stableford: no handicap strokes, for a scratch game. Choose it under More options on the Game step.

Play Stableford with your group.

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