Earn points per hole instead of counting total strokes. One bad hole costs you 0 points — not your whole round.
Every hole is scored in points based on how you did vs par. Add up all 18 holes — more points is better.
| Hole result | Points |
|---|---|
| Albatross (3 under) | 5 |
| Eagle (2 under) | 4 |
| Birdie (1 under) | 3 |
| Par | 2 |
| Bogey (1 over) | 1 |
| Double bogey or worse | 0 |
This player has a 10 handicap, so they receive one extra stroke on the 10 hardest holes (by stroke index).
| Hole | Par | Gross | H'cap stroke | Net par | Pts | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 5 | ✓ | 5 | 2 | bogey = net par → 2 pts |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | birdie → 3 pts |
| 3 | 5 | 6 | — | 5 | 1 | bogey → 1 pt |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | — | 4 | 0 | quadruple bogey → 0 pts (pick up) |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | ✓ | 5 | 3 | par = net birdie → 3 pts |
Total for these 5 holes: 9 points. In a full round this player might score 32–38 points depending on their day.
In classic Stableford, every hole is worth points based on your score vs par: double bogey or worse = 0 pts, bogey = 1, par = 2, birdie = 3, eagle = 4, albatross = 5. Memorise this table before you tee off.
Adjust each hole's par by your handicap strokes (allocated by stroke index). If you get a stroke on a hole, your effective par for that hole is one higher — meaning a bogey counts as a net par and earns 2 points instead of 1.
Write down your gross score, then convert to points on the spot. A double bogey is 0 points — pick up and move on. Stableford rewards focus after a bad hole instead of punishing you further.
Add up all 18 hole points. Par play earns 36 points. A score above 36 means you played better than your handicap; below 36 means worse. Competitions usually set par at 36 and award prizes for points above that.
In Stableford you cannot score below 0, so once you hit double bogey, pick up and save energy for the next hole. This shifts optimal strategy toward aggression: going for birdies and eagles is worth more in relative terms than in stroke play, because disasters are capped at 0 points.
Modified Stableford (used in PGA Tour events like the Barracuda Championship) awards more for eagles and penalises bogeys, making aggressiveness even more rewarding.
| Result | Classic | Modified |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle or better | 4 | +5 |
| Birdie | 3 | +2 |
| Par | 2 | +0 |
| Bogey | 1 | -1 |
| Double bogey+ | 0 | -3 |
In Modified Stableford, bogeys actively hurt your score, so conservative play is even more penalised than in the classic format.
Stableford is the most common club-competition format in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and much of Europe. It is governed by R&A Rule 21.1. Many clubs run weekly Stableford competitions in addition to medal (stroke play) rounds. It is rarely used in professional stroke-play tournaments, but the Modified Stableford version features in several PGA Tour and DP World Tour events.
Stableford is a points-based scoring format where each hole awards points based on your score vs par: 0 for double bogey or worse, 1 for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie, 4 for eagle. The player with the most points after 18 holes wins. It is R&A Rule 21.1.
Par is worth 2 points. A birdie is 3 points, an eagle is 4 points, a bogey is 1 point, and a double bogey or worse is 0 points. A par round earns 36 points total across 18 holes.
Higher is better. You are accumulating points, not strokes, so more points = better play. This is the opposite of traditional stroke play where a lower number wins.
36 points equals par play. Casual club rounds typically see scores of 30-38 points. Anything above 36 means you played better than your net handicap. Scores of 40+ are considered excellent; elite amateurs and pros frequently shoot in the low-to-mid 40s.
Modified Stableford (used in some PGA Tour events like the Barracuda Championship) uses a different point table that rewards birdies and eagles more aggressively: eagle = +5, birdie = +2, par = 0, bogey = −1, double bogey or worse = −3. The negative scores for bogeys make aggressive play even more rewarding.
Yes. You apply your full course handicap, distributed across holes by stroke index. Each stroke you receive on a hole raises your effective par by one, so a bogey on a stroke-index hole becomes a net par and earns 2 points rather than 1.
Stableford speeds up play (pick up once you hit double bogey), is more fun for high-handicappers (one bad hole doesn't ruin the card), and rewards aggressive play. It is widely used in club competitions across the UK, Europe, and Australia.
In classic Stableford, the minimum per hole is 0 — you cannot go negative on a hole. In Modified Stableford (with negative point values for bogeys and doubles), you can accumulate a negative total score.