Every strange number and letter combination on a golf scorecard — decoded in plain English. Covers scoring abbreviations, rule codes, and handicap terms.
| Abbreviation | Full name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| GRS | Gross Score | Total strokes played, no handicap deduction |
| NET | Net Score | Gross minus Course Handicap strokes received |
| HCP / HDCP | Handicap | Your Course Handicap for this round |
| SI | Stroke Index | Hole difficulty rank 1 (hardest) to 18 (easiest) |
| CR | Course Rating | Expected score for a scratch golfer (e.g. 71.4) |
| SR / SLO | Slope Rating | Difficulty for bogey golfers vs scratch (avg=113) |
| ESC | Equitable Stroke Control | Max score per hole for handicap posting (Net Double Bogey under WHS) |
| NR | No Return | Did not complete or record the round |
| WD | Withdrawal | Player withdrew before finishing |
| DQ | Disqualified | Removed from competition for rule violation |
| RET | Retired | Player retired from the round for non-disciplinary reason |
| RTD | Retired / Retired under duress | Variant of RET on official scorecards |
| OOB | Out of Bounds | Ball is outside the boundary markers (white stakes) |
| GUR | Ground Under Repair | Marked area for free relief under Rule 16.1 |
| PGA | Professional Golfers' Association | Governing body for professional tour in USA |
| R&A | The Royal and Ancient | Golf's global rules body (co-author with USGA) |
| USGA | US Golf Association | US rules body, co-author of WHS + Rules of Golf |
| WHS | World Handicap System | Unified global handicap system since 2020 |
| GHIN | Golf Handicap Info Network | USGA's official handicap tracking service |
| MLS / MPS | Most Likely Score | Score posted when a hole is not completed (WHS) |
Every rated scorecard has two numbers for each set of tees: the Course Rating (e.g. 71.4) and the Slope Rating (e.g. 126). The rating is the expected score for a scratch golfer; the slope measures difficulty for a bogey golfer. You need both to calculate your score differential and Course Handicap.
The SI column (sometimes labeled "Hdcp" or "HI" for Handicap Index) ranks each hole 1-18 by difficulty, where hole ranked SI-1 is the hardest and gets a stroke first. If your Course Handicap is 12, you receive a stroke on the 12 hardest holes — the ones ranked SI-1 through SI-12.
The Gross score (GRS) is the total number of strokes you actually took, without any handicap adjustment. This is what goes in the main score boxes. Record one number per hole, and add them up to get your Gross total for the front 9, back 9, and 18 holes.
Net score = Gross − Course Handicap. If you shot 91 Gross and your Course Handicap is 16, your Net score is 75. Net scores are used in most club competitions so that golfers of different abilities can compete fairly. Some competitions use stroke-play net; others use hole-by-hole net.
When posting a score to your handicap record, you must cap each hole at your ESC maximum — the most you can record per hole based on your Course Handicap. This prevents one bad hole from wrecking your handicap. Check the WHS ESC table: e.g. 10-19 handicap → max 7 per hole. Mark the raw score on your card but post the adjusted score.
The Par row shows the "expected" score for each hole for a scratch golfer — typically 3, 4, or 5. The Par total for 18 holes is usually 70-73, with 72 being most common. The Par row is printed; your job is to match it (or beat it). The Stroke Index row directly below it tells you which holes are hardest.
Some scorecards also have separate Par rows for men and women, since women's tees often have shorter Par-4s and Par-5s reclassified based on distance.
HCP or HDCP stands for Handicap — specifically your Course Handicap for that round. It is the number of strokes you receive or give based on your Handicap Index and the course's slope rating. Some scorecards print it as "HCP" at the bottom where you enter your Course Handicap before the round.
SI stands for Stroke Index. It ranks all 18 holes from 1 (hardest) to 18 (easiest) for handicap purposes. If your Course Handicap is 10, you receive one extra stroke on the 10 holes ranked SI-1 through SI-10. The SI column tells you exactly which holes those are.
Gross score is the total number of strokes you actually played — no adjustments. Net score is your Gross minus your Course Handicap strokes for that round. Gross shows how you played; Net shows how you performed relative to your own ability and is used in most handicap competitions.
NR stands for No Return — you did not complete the round or did not record a score on a hole. In stroke play competitions, NR usually means you are disqualified from that hole or round. For handicap purposes, an NR round may need a "most likely score" adjustment before posting.
WD stands for Withdrawal — the player withdrew from the competition before completing the round. This is different from NR (which can occur mid-round). WD is recorded next to the player's name in the results, and the round typically does not count for handicap purposes.
DQ stands for Disqualified. A player may be disqualified for serious rule violations such as signing an incorrect scorecard, using non-conforming equipment, or playing the wrong ball without correcting the error. DQ is the most severe penalty in golf — the player is removed from the competition entirely.
Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the maximum score you can post on any single hole for handicap purposes. Under the World Handicap System, the cap is "Net Double Bogey" — par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive on that hole. For example, if par is 4 and you get a stroke on that hole (SI-1 to SI-[your HCP]), your cap is 4 + 2 + 1 = 7. ESC prevents one blowup hole from unfairly inflating your handicap.
Par is the expected number of strokes for a scratch golfer to complete a hole, based on its distance and design. Par-3 holes are typically under 260 yards (men) or 210 yards (women). Par-4 holes are 240-490 yards (men). Par-5 holes are 450+ yards (men). These guidelines are set by the USGA and R&A but can be adjusted by the course architect for difficulty and design intent.