How stableford scoring works
Stableford is a points-based golf format designed to keep every hole playable — a blow-up hole can't tank your round, because the worst you can score on any hole is zero points. It's the default format for society days, club medals, and most weekend fourballs.
Points table
- Albatross or better — 5 pts
- Eagle — 4 pts
- Birdie — 3 pts
- Par — 2 pts
- Bogey — 1 pt
- Double bogey or worse — 0 pts
Handicap strokes
Holes are ranked by stroke index (SI 1 hardest, SI 18 easiest). If your course handicap is 12, the 12 hardest holes (SI 1–12) each get one stroke off. A course handicap of 24 means SI 1–18 get one stroke, and SI 1–6 get a second.
Want the long version — with worked examples, where strokes drop, and the bits people get wrong? Read our plain-English guide to stableford.
Want this calculated automatically — across matchplay, stableford, skins, nine-point and scramble — and shared live with your group? Explore Yardages features or read the full scoring guide.