How the points work
Compare your strokes on a hole (including penalties) against that hole's fixed target, usually par plus any handicap strokes you get there.
| Result vs. target | Points |
|---|---|
| Two or more over | 0 |
| One over | 1 |
| Equal to target | 2 |
| One under | 3 |
| Two under | 4 |
| Three under | 5 |
Add up your points across 18 holes. Highest total wins. That's the entire system, no more math than that.
Why groups like it
Once you can't score points on a hole, there's no reason to finish it out, pick up and move on. That speeds up pace of play on its own. It also means one blow-up hole doesn't ruin your card the way it would in stroke play.
Running a Stableford tournament without the headache
Pick Individual, then Stableford, when you create your event in LeaderboardLive. Points calculate automatically as scores are entered hole by hole, no manual math for anyone, and the board ranks the field by points.
FAQ
Is Stableford only for casual rounds?
No, it's an official USGA scoring format used in member events and pro-ams too.
What target score do most groups use?
Net par: par plus any handicap strokes you get on the hole. LeaderboardLive scores it that way, and its Gross view scores against plain par.
Sources
- USGA Rule 21: Other Forms of Individual Stroke Play and Match Play
- Golf Digest: How to Play Stableford
- MyGolfSpy: Stableford Scoring System