Golf
How Stableford points and net scores are worked out
Your course handicap is spread across the holes by stroke index: a handicap of 12 gets one stroke on the holes indexed 1 to 12. Subtract the strokes received from your gross score to get the net score, then score points against par — net par is 2, net birdie 3, net bogey 1, net double bogey or worse 0.
The three steps, in order
Stableford looks complicated because three different calculations are usually explained at once. They are strictly sequential, and each one only needs the answer from the one before:
- How many strokes do I get on this hole? From your course handicap and the hole's stroke index.
- What is my net score on this hole? Gross strokes minus strokes received.
- How many points is that worth? Net score compared with par.
Nothing in step three needs your handicap, and nothing in step one needs your score. Taking them in order removes most of the confusion.
What stroke index is
Every hole on a scorecard carries a stroke index from 1 to 18. It is a difficulty ranking, not a difficulty score: stroke index 1 is the hardest hole on the course and 18 is the easiest, with each number used exactly once.
It is not the same as par, and this is where people go wrong. A long par 3 can carry a lower stroke index than a short par 5. The index ranks how much harder a hole plays for a higher handicapper than a lower one — where a shot is most needed — rather than how many shots it takes.
Allocating the handicap hole by hole
The rule is one line: you receive a stroke on every hole whose stroke index is less than or equal to your course handicap.
So a handicap of 12 gets a stroke on the holes indexed 1 to 12, and nothing on 13 to 18. A handicap of 5 gets a stroke on indexes 1 to 5 only. A handicap of 18 gets exactly one stroke on every hole.
| Course handicap | SI 1–6 | SI 7–12 | SI 13–18 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 on SI 1–5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 24 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
Handicaps over 18
Above 18 the allocation simply goes round again. Everyone gets one stroke on every hole, and the remainder is distributed from stroke index 1 upward.
A handicap of 24 is 18 + 6: one stroke on all eighteen holes, plus a second stroke on the six holes indexed 1 to 6. A handicap of 30 is 18 + 12, so two strokes on indexes 1 to 12 and one on the rest. The arithmetic is the same at any handicap: divide by 18 for the strokes everyone gets, and the remainder tells you how far down the index the extra one reaches.
Net score, then points
Subtract the strokes received on that hole from your gross score. That is your net score, and the points follow from comparing it with par.
| Net score relative to par | Name | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 3 under | Net albatross | 5 |
| 2 under | Net eagle | 4 |
| 1 under | Net birdie | 3 |
| Level | Net par | 2 |
| 1 over | Net bogey | 1 |
| 2 over or worse | — | 0 |
Two points for a net par is the anchor worth memorising. Playing to your handicap on every hole produces 36 points over eighteen holes, which is why 36 is the number everyone in a Stableford competition is measuring themselves against.
A worked nine holes
A 12-handicapper, so a stroke on every hole indexed 1 to 12.
| Hole | Par | SI | Gross | Strokes | Net | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| 4 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 6 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 7 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 8 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 36 | — | 45 | 6 | 39 | 16 |
Hole 5 is the one to look at. A seven on a par 4 with no stroke received is worth nothing — and it costs nothing beyond that. In strokeplay those three extra shots follow you all the way to the clubhouse; in Stableford the hole scores zero and the next tee starts clean.
Hole 2 is the other lesson: a bogey on a hole where you get no stroke is still one point. Holes with a high stroke index are where points quietly disappear, because there is no stroke to cushion a mistake.
Why Stableford exists at all
It was devised to keep players in a competition they would otherwise have left, and the design does two things that strokeplay does not.
One bad hole cannot ruin a round. The worst any hole can score is zero, so a disaster costs you the two points you might have had, not eight strokes.
You can pick up. Once you cannot score a point on a hole, the hole is over and there is nothing to be gained by finishing it. That is why Stableford rounds move faster, and why it is the usual format for club competitions with a wide spread of handicaps.
A note on what this page is not. Handicapping is governed by the World Handicap System and administered by your club and national association. Course handicap depends on the tees you play and the course and slope ratings, and competition conditions can apply an allowance — commonly 95% in individual Stableford. Take your course handicap from your club rather than from any web page, including this one.
Frequently asked questions
How are Stableford points calculated?
Take your gross score on the hole, subtract the handicap strokes you receive there, and compare the net score with par. Net par is 2 points, net birdie 3, net eagle 4, net bogey 1, and net double bogey or worse scores 0.
What is stroke index in golf?
A ranking of the holes from 1 to 18 by how much harder they play for a higher handicapper, with 1 the hardest. It decides where your handicap strokes are given. It is not the same as par: a long par 3 can have a lower index than a short par 5.
Which holes do I get a shot on?
Every hole whose stroke index is less than or equal to your course handicap. A handicap of 12 gets a stroke on the holes indexed 1 to 12 and nothing on 13 to 18.
How do handicaps over 18 work?
The allocation goes round twice. A handicap of 24 is 18 plus 6: one stroke on every hole, and a second stroke on the six holes indexed 1 to 6. Divide by 18 for the strokes given everywhere, and the remainder shows how far down the index the extra stroke reaches.
What is a good Stableford score?
Thirty-six points over eighteen holes means you played to your handicap, since net par scores two points on every hole. Anything above 36 is better than your handicap suggests, and club competitions are usually won in the high thirties or low forties.
Why do I score zero on some holes?
Because a net double bogey or worse scores nothing. Once you cannot beat net bogey on a hole, there are no points left to win, which is exactly why you are allowed to pick up and move on.
Can I pick up in a Stableford competition?
Yes, once no points are achievable on that hole, and it is the normal thing to do. It is a large part of why Stableford rounds are quicker than strokeplay and why the format suits a field with a wide range of handicaps.
Is my course handicap the same as my handicap index?
No. The handicap index is portable; the course handicap is worked out from it using the tees you are playing and the course and slope ratings, and a competition allowance may then apply. Take the course handicap from your club rather than calculating it from a web page.