Free tool

Stableford Points Calculator

Enter your course handicap and your score. It works out the shots you receive on each hole from the stroke index, and turns them into points.

Not your Handicap Index. If you are not sure of the difference, the course handicap calculator works it out from slope and rating.

HoleParSIShotsGrossNetPoints
11--
21--
31--
41--
51--
61--
71--
81--
91--
101--
111--
121--
131--
141--
151--
161--
171--
181--

Front 9

0

Back 9

0

Total points

0

Enter your gross score on each hole to see the points.

The Points Table

Every hole is scored against your net result, not your gross. Take your gross score, subtract the shots you receive on that hole, and compare what is left to par.

Net result on the holePoints
Net double bogey or worse0
Net bogey (one over)1
Net par2
Net birdie (one under)3
Net eagle (two under)4
Net albatross (three under)5

36 points over 18 holes means you played exactly to your handicap.

Working Out Your Shots

This is the part people get wrong. Your shots are not spread evenly round the course, they are allocated by stroke index, the 1 to 18 ranking printed on the scorecard where 1 is the hardest hole.

Course handicap 12

One shot on the holes ranked stroke index 1 through 12. Nothing on 13 through 18. A net par on a stroke index 3 hole means a gross bogey is still worth 2 points.

Course handicap 24

Everyone gets one shot on every hole, and a second shot on the six hardest: stroke index 1 through 6. So on stroke index 2, a gross 7 on a par 4 is a net 5, which is a net bogey and worth 1 point.

Why Clubs Run Stableford

Two reasons, and both are about the same thing. In medal play a triple bogey follows you round for the rest of the afternoon. In Stableford it is worth zero points and so is a 12, so the moment you cannot score you pick up and walk on.

That keeps the field moving and it keeps the round enjoyable for anyone who is not having their best day. It is the reason the Saturday sweep at most clubs is a Stableford. For how it compares to the alternatives, see match play vs stroke play and the full guide to Stableford scoring.

Points Counted for You, on the Course

Golf Scorecard keeps the card while you play and works out gross and net as you go. Free to download on iOS.

Download on the App Store

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Stableford score?
36 points. That is the number that means you played exactly to your handicap, because net par on all 18 holes is 2 points a hole. Anything over 36 and you played better than your handicap, which in a club competition is usually enough to be in the running. Most club golfers land somewhere between 30 and 36.
How do I know how many shots I get on each hole?
It comes from the stroke index printed on the scorecard, numbered 1 to 18 with 1 being the hardest hole. If your course handicap is 12 you receive a shot on the holes with stroke index 1 to 12. If it is 24 you receive two shots on stroke index 1 to 6 and one shot everywhere else. The calculator does this for you once you enter the stroke indexes.
Why does Stableford use net double bogey as zero?
So one disaster hole does not wreck your round, and so play keeps moving. Once you cannot score a point you pick the ball up and walk to the next tee. That is why most clubs run their weekend competitions as Stableford rather than medal: it is faster and it is far less demoralising.
Is Stableford the same as Modified Stableford?
No. Modified Stableford, the format used at the Barracuda Championship on the PGA Tour, uses a much more aggressive scale that includes negative points for bogeys and worse, and rewards eagles heavily. This calculator uses the standard club version, which is the one you will play on a Saturday.
Does the calculator use my Handicap Index or my Course Handicap?
Course Handicap, which is the number of shots you actually receive on the course you are playing today. If you only have your Handicap Index, run it through the course handicap calculator first with the slope and course rating from the card.

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