Stroke allocator
MatchPlay places every stroke automatically.
MatchPlay is being built to take the agreed strokes and the course's actual card, then show the net score hole by hole as the round is played.
The allocation formula
For a nonnegative stroke total N over an approved h-hole indexing basis (1 to 18, or a verified 1 to 9), every hole receives floor(N ÷ h) strokes, plus one more on any hole whose stroke index is less than or equal to N mod h (the remainder). For strokes given back (a negative total), the same magnitude is distributed, but the extra stroke-given-back falls on the hardest holes (the highest stroke index) rather than the easiest, since a plus-handicap player is conceding shots, not receiving them on the hardest holes first.
A nine-hole match needs the course's verified nine-hole stroke indexes and an authorised nine-hole procedure — this tool will not silently divide an eighteen-hole allocation in half.
Worked examples
18 holes, stroke index running 1 to 18 in hole order, 20 strokes received (sum checks to 20):
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strokes | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
On stroke index 2, a gross 6 becomes net 4 after subtracting 2 strokes.
A real, non-sequential card: 9 strokes over the stroke play handicap calculator's example card
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroke index | 7 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 10 |
| Strokes | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – |
With this card, 9 strokes fall on every hole with stroke index 1 to 9 — the holes that carry a stroke are not in left-to-right order on the card, because the stroke index itself is not sequential by hole.
Giving strokes back: a −2 plus handicap
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strokes | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | -1 | -1 |
A player giving back 2 strokes loses one each on stroke index 17 and 18 — the two hardest holes on this card — not the easiest.
Related tools
Work out the Playing Handicap and strokes received for a format first with the match play handicap calculator, then use this allocator to see exactly which holes carry the stroke. Pick a format with the game picker, balance teams with the team generator, and settle any side bet with the settlement calculator.
Common questions
Do hole numbers and stroke indexes mean the same thing?
No. Stroke index determines where handicap strokes apply; it is printed on the scorecard and is usually not in simple hole order. Use the indexes printed on your course's card, not the hole numbers.
Can a player receive more than one stroke on a hole?
Yes. On an 18-hole allocation, 20 received strokes give one stroke on every hole and a second stroke on the two holes with stroke index 1 and 2. Higher allowances repeat that pattern: 37 strokes give three on stroke index 1 and two everywhere else.
Can the tool convert an eighteen-hole handicap directly into a nine-hole one?
Not automatically. A nine-hole result needs the course's actual nine-hole stroke indexes and an authorised nine-hole procedure, not an automatic halving of the eighteen-hole number. This tool accepts a verified nine-hole stroke total and a verified nine-hole index sequence as separate, explicit inputs.
What does a negative number of strokes mean?
Strokes given back, not a displayed plus handicap. A player giving back 2 strokes has them taken off the two hardest holes (the highest stroke index) rather than the easiest — the allocator handles the sign correctly rather than just clamping to zero.
What's the software limit on strokes?
The tool accepts any signed integer from -108 to 108, which is a generous UI safety limit, not an official WHS maximum Course or Playing Handicap.