How to use the golf scorecard and stableford calculator
- Choose Scorecard and Stableford or Handicap differential.
- For a scorecard, enter par, your score and the stroke index for each hole. Leave the score blank for holes you did not play.
- Enter your course handicap (a whole number from 0 to 54) for net Stableford points, or clear it for gross points.
- For a differential, enter the adjusted gross score, the course rating, the slope rating and any playing conditions adjustment.
Formula
Score to par = total strokes - total par of the holes played
Strokes received on a hole = whole 18s in the course handicap + 1 if the stroke index is within the remainder
Stableford points = 2 + par - net score on a hole, never below 0
Score differential = (113 / slope rating) x (adjusted gross score - course rating - playing conditions adjustment), to one decimal
Stableford points are 0 for a net double bogey or worse, 1 for a net bogey, 2 for a net par, 3 for a net birdie and so on.
A round of 79 on a par 72 course
The sample card totals 79 strokes on a par of 72, which is 7 over par (+7): 40 on the front nine and 39 on the back. With no handicap, gross Stableford is 29 points. With a course handicap of 18, a player gets one stroke on every hole, the net score is 61 and the points are 47.
For a score differential, an adjusted gross score of 85 on a course rated 71.2 with a slope of 130 gives (113 / 130) x (85 - 71.2) = 11.9954, which rounds to 12.0.
Stableford in short
Stableford rewards good holes and does not punish bad ones too hard, because each hole scores points and a very bad hole is worth zero rather than a big negative number. It is often used in club competitions with a handicap, where strokes are given on the hardest holes, indicated by the lowest stroke index numbers.
Use the course handicap given for the tees you played. Competitions may apply a percent allowance, which this tool does not. For other scoring tools, see the bowling score calculator and the score keeper.
About the differential
A score differential adjusts a round for how hard the course played using its rating and slope. It is one input to a handicap index, which your handicap authority works out from several scores under its own rules, so this tool stops at the single differential.
A rating, a slope and an adjusted score are all printed or published for you. The tool checks that the numbers are in sensible ranges, but it cannot check that they match your course.
Assumptions and limits
- Par, scores and stroke indexes in the sample are an example round.
- Handicap strokes are for a course handicap of 0 to 54. Plus handicaps are not handled.
- Hole score limits and net double bogey adjustments for a handicap are not applied for you.
- The differential is one score only. A handicap index follows your handicap authority's rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate Stableford points?
On each hole, take two plus par minus your net score, and use zero if that is negative. A net par is 2 points and a net birdie is 3.
What does stroke index mean?
It ranks the holes from 1, the hardest, to 18, the easiest. A golfer receives handicap strokes first on the holes with the lowest numbers.
How is a golf score differential calculated?
Subtract the course rating and any playing conditions adjustment from the adjusted gross score, multiply by 113 and divide by the slope rating. Round to one decimal.
What if I did not play all 18 holes?
Leave the score blank on holes you skipped. The totals, score to par and points then cover only the holes played.