Stableford
Earn points per hole against par. Most points wins, and blow-up holes hurt less.
2 or more players
Stableford scores by points instead of strokes. You earn points on each hole based on your score relative to par, and the highest total wins. Because the worst you can do is zero on a hole, one disaster doesn't wreck your round, which makes it forgiving and fast.
The classic table awards 1 point for a bogey, 2 for par, 3 for a birdie, 4 for an eagle, and 0 for double bogey or worse. Net Stableford applies handicap strokes so any level can play.
How to play Stableford
- 1Learn the points table
Classic Stableford: double bogey or worse = 0, bogey = 1, par = 2, birdie = 3, eagle = 4, albatross = 5.
- 2Score each hole for points
Take your score on the hole, compare it to par, and record the points. You can pick up once you can no longer score on a hole.
- 3Apply handicaps for net
In net Stableford you get handicap strokes on the hardest holes, then score points off your net result, so higher handicaps stay competitive.
- 4Most points wins
Add up your points for the round. Highest total wins the bet; ties usually split.
A few holes of classic Stableford
- Par on a hole: 2 points.
- Birdie: 3 points.
- Bogey: 1 point.
- Double bogey or worse: 0 points, and you can pick up and move on.
Common variations
Rewards aggression and punishes big numbers: a common table is eagle +5, birdie +2, par 0, bogey -1, double bogey or worse -3. It's used at some pro events.
Net Stableford uses handicap strokes so mixed groups compete fairly; gross rewards the best raw scoring.
Add up partners' points, or count the best one or two point scores per hole as a team.
Frequently asked questions
How does Stableford scoring work?
You earn points per hole based on your score versus par. Classic scoring is bogey 1, par 2, birdie 3, eagle 4, and 0 for double bogey or worse. Highest total points wins.
What is Modified Stableford?
A variant that rewards aggressive play and penalizes high scores, for example eagle +5, birdie +2, par 0, bogey -1, double bogey or worse -3. It's used at events like the Barracuda Championship.
Why do golfers like Stableford?
A single bad hole costs you at most a couple of points instead of a pile of strokes, and you can pick up once a hole is lost, so it's forgiving and keeps play moving.
Skip the 18th-green math
Three Putt scores Stableford for you and shows exactly who owes who. Everyone can score from their own phone, or one person can handle it. Nothing to download.
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