Rules source: Stableford is a form of stroke play governed by Rule 21.1 of the Rules of Golf; the handicap allowances are from Appendix C of the Rules of Handicapping (World Handicap System).
Stableford points calculator
MatchPlay keeps the points in the group chat.
MatchPlay is being built to take the format and the handicaps in the group chat, confirm who gets strokes where, score every hole as the group plays and post the result the moment the card is confirmed.
Stableford points table
Rule 21.1 scores every hole by comparing the player's score with a fixed target score for the hole set by the Committee, which is par unless the Committee says otherwise. In a handicap competition the handicap strokes on that hole come off the gross score first, so the comparison is net score against par. The points are:
| Net score on the hole | Points |
|---|---|
| Four under the fixed score (net condor) | 6 |
| Three under (net albatross) | 5 |
| Two under (net eagle) | 4 |
| One under (net birdie) | 3 |
| Level with the fixed score (net par) | 2 |
| One over (net bogey) | 1 |
| Two or more over, or no score | 0 |
The same table in gross strokes, for a player with no stroke on the hole:
| Gross score | On a par 3 | On a par 4 | On a par 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points |
| 3 | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points |
| 4 | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points |
| 5 | 0 | 1 point | 2 points |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 point |
| 7 or more, or picked up | 0 | 0 | 0 |
With a stroke on the hole, shift every row down one: a 5 on a par 4 becomes a net 4 and scores 2 points, a 6 becomes a net 5 and scores 1. With two strokes, shift it down two. That shift is the whole of Stableford handicapping, and it is why the stroke index matters: it decides which holes get the shift.
Handicap strokes in Stableford
Three steps turn a Course Handicap into points on a hole.
- Playing Handicap. Multiply the Course Handicap by the allowance for the format and round to the nearest whole number (0.5 rounds up). Appendix C recommends 95% for individual Stableford and 85% for four-ball Stableford. Course Handicaps of 8, 12, 18 and 24 at 95% give 7.6 → 8, 11.4 → 11, 17.1 → 17 and 22.8 → 23; at 85% they give 7, 10, 15 and 20.
- Where the strokes fall. A player receives one stroke on each hole whose stroke index is less than or equal to the Playing Handicap. Above 18, they receive a stroke on every hole and a second stroke on the holes with stroke index 1 up to the excess: a Playing Handicap of 23 is one stroke everywhere and a second on stroke index 1 to 5.
- Net score, then points. Gross score minus the strokes on that hole, compared with par using the table above.
Unlike match play, nobody plays off scratch: every player keeps their own Playing Handicap, because each player's points are measured against par rather than against an opponent. The match play handicap calculator covers the match-play rule (lowest Playing Handicap off zero, the others receive the difference).
| Format | Recommended allowance | How it is applied |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Stableford | 95% | Each player keeps their own Playing Handicap |
| Individual stroke play | 95% | As above; 100% may be used for fields under 30 |
| Individual par / bogey | 95% | Each player keeps their own Playing Handicap |
| Four-ball Stableford | 85% | Each player keeps their own; the side takes the higher points on each hole |
| Four-ball stroke play | 85% | Each player keeps their own; the side takes the lower net score |
| Four-ball par / bogey | 90% | Each player keeps their own Playing Handicap |
| Four-ball match play | 90% | Lowest Playing Handicap off scratch, the others receive the difference |
| Singles match play | 100% | Higher player receives the full difference |
Allowances source: Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C gives the 95% individual stroke-play figure, the 100% option for fields under 30 and the 85% four-ball figure in its prose and worked examples; the full allowance table, including the Stableford and par/bogey rows, is reproduced in text by National Club Golfer. They are recommendations: the Committee sets the allowance in the Terms of the Competition.
A worked 18-hole Stableford card
Four players in an individual Stableford at 95%: Alex (Course Handicap 8, Playing Handicap 8), Ben (12 → 11), Chris (18 → 17) and Dana (24 → 23). The card is a par 72 with the stroke index shown. Each cell gives the gross score, with the points for the hole beneath it; a dot marks a stroke hole and two dots a two-stroke hole. Dana picked up on the 9th after finding the water twice, so that hole scores 0.
| Hole | Par | SI | Alex (8) | Ben (11) | Chris (17) | Dana (23) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 7 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 6•1 |
| 2 | 4 | 13 | 42 | 51 | 5•2 | 5•2 |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 3•3 | 3•3 | 4•2 | 4••3 |
| 4 | 5 | 15 | 61 | 61 | 6•2 | 7•1 |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 6••2 |
| 6 | 4 | 11 | 42 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 5•2 |
| 7 | 3 | 3 | 3•3 | 4•2 | 3•3 | 4••3 |
| 8 | 4 | 17 | 51 | 42 | 5•2 | 5•2 |
| 9 | 5 | 9 | 52 | 6•2 | 6•2 | —•0 |
| Out | 36 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 16 | |
| 10 | 4 | 8 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 6•1 |
| 11 | 3 | 14 | 32 | 41 | 4•2 | 4•2 |
| 12 | 4 | 2 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 6••2 |
| 13 | 5 | 16 | 52 | 61 | 6•2 | 8•0 |
| 14 | 4 | 6 | 4•3 | 5•2 | 5•2 | 6•1 |
| 15 | 4 | 12 | 51 | 42 | 5•2 | 5•2 |
| 16 | 3 | 4 | 3•3 | 3•3 | 4•2 | 4••3 |
| 17 | 4 | 18 | 42 | 51 | 51 | 6•1 |
| 18 | 5 | 10 | 61 | 5•3 | 5•3 | 7•1 |
| In | 36 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 13 | |
| Total | 72 | 36 | 34 | 37 | 29 |
| Player | Course Hcp | Playing Hcp (95%) | Gross | Out | In | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | 8 | 8 | 80 | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| Ben | 12 | 11 | 85 | 17 | 17 | 34 |
| Chris | 18 | 17 | 88 | 19 | 18 | 37 |
| Dana | 24 | 23 | 94 + pick-up | 16 | 13 | 29 |
Chris wins with 37 points off a gross 88, one better than handicap, while Alex's 80 is exactly net par and scores 36, the "played to handicap" figure. Dana's 8 on the 13th scores 0, exactly what a 7 or a 12 would have scored, which is the point of the format: a bad hole can cost at most the 2 points a net par was worth. Her pick-up on the 9th also scores 0 and the round continues; in stroke play it would have meant no score at all.
The same card as four-ball better-ball Stableford at 85%. Alex and Ben against Chris and Dana, Playing Handicaps 7, 10, 15, 20. Each player's points are re-scored on the lower allowance and the side takes the higher of its two partners' points on every hole. Side A (Alex and Ben) scores 19 out and 21 in for 40; side B (Chris and Dana) scores 20 and 17 for 37. Individually at 85% the four score Alex 35, Ben 33, Chris 35, Dana 26. Press "Load the worked example" above and switch the format to see both versions in the tool.
What a Stableford score means
- 36 points over 18 holes is net par on every hole: you played exactly to your Playing Handicap. Over nine holes the figure is 18.
- Above 36 is better than your handicap by that many net strokes, roughly. Chris's 37 above is a net 71. Scores of 40 or more win most club competitions and trigger a handicap reduction.
- Below 36 is worse than your handicap, but a bad hole is capped: the most any hole can cost is the 2 points a net par would have earned. A net 9 and a net 6 on a par 4 both score 0, which is why Stableford rounds are quicker (pick up once you cannot score) and why a 30-point round still gets handed in.
- The 95% allowance means most players give up a stroke or two against their Course Handicap before the round starts, so a 36 at 95% is slightly better than a 36 at full handicap.
Picking up, the scorecard and the Rules
- Not holing out. Rule 21.1b: a player who does not hole out under the Rules for any reason gets zero points for the hole. Once you cannot score a point, picking up costs nothing more.
- What goes on the card. Rule 21.1b(2): when you hole out and score points, the card must show the actual score. When you hole out for zero, or do not hole out, the card must show either no score or any score that results in zero points, so a 9 or a dash on the 9th in the example above are both correct.
- Penalties. Rule 21.1c: breaches that would mean disqualification in ordinary stroke play, such as failing to hole out under Rule 3.3c, failing to correct playing from outside the teeing area, a wrong ball, a serious wrong place or the wrong order, instead give zero points for that hole. After any penalty strokes the hole's score cannot go below zero points.
- A ball deflected on purpose. Rule 21.1d: if your ball in motion needs to be holed to score one point and someone deliberately stops it when it had no reasonable chance of going in, there is no penalty to them and you score zero for the hole.
- End of the round. Rule 21.1e: your round ends when you hole out on the last hole, or when you choose not to hole out on it or already cannot score more than zero there.
- The fixed score. Rule 21.1a: the Committee sets the target score for each hole. It is par at almost every club, but a Committee can set a different figure, and your points are measured against whatever it sets.
Stableford was devised by Dr Frank Stableford to stop golfers tearing up their card after one or two bad holes; it was first used in competition at Wallasey Golf Club in 1932 and is now the standard club competition format in Britain, Ireland and Australia. (Source: Wikipedia, Stableford.)
Modified Stableford is the professional variant used at the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship: albatross +8, eagle +5, birdie +2, par 0, bogey −1, double bogey or worse −3. It rewards an eagle more than it punishes a double, so totals can be negative. The calculator uses the club table from Rule 21.1, not the modified one.
Stableford as a betting game
Points make Stableford easy to bet on because every player has a number at the end of the round, not just the winner.
- Points difference. Each pair settles the gap in points times a stake. On the worked card at $1 a point, Chris collects $1 from Alex, $3 from Ben and $8 from Dana; Alex collects $2 from Ben and $7 from Dana; Ben collects $5 from Dana.
- Stableford skins. The player with the most points outright on a hole wins the skin, ties carry forward. On the worked card the first three holes are all tied on points (three players score 3 on the 3rd), so Chris's 2 points on the 4th, the only net par on the hole, wins a skin worth four holes; the next nine holes carry and Alex's 3 on the 14th is worth ten. The skins calculator settles it once you know the hole winners.
- A Stableford Nassau. Front nine, back nine and total, each a bet on points rather than holes. Use the Out, In and Total rows.
- Better ball. Two sides of two on the better-ball points, which the calculator scores with the better-ball option ticked; see the better ball guide. Compare the other golf betting games for a four-ball.
Agree these before the first tee
- The allowance. 95% is the recommendation for individual Stableford and 85% for four-ball, but a society day may play full handicap. The calculator has all three.
- Course Handicap, not Handicap Index. Convert each index for the tees being played before you start.
- The stroke index. Use the card's stroke index. If the club publishes a different index for Stableford or match play, use the one for the competition.
- Picking up. Agree that anyone who cannot score picks up and marks a 0, so the group keeps moving.
- Ties. Club competitions use a countback (best back nine, then last six, three and one); a group bet usually halves the money. Decide which.
Related guides
Work out strokes for a match with the match play handicap calculator, read how better ball and four-ball are scored, settle a side game with the skins calculator or the Nassau calculator, and compare the match-play alternative in what is match play. The complete format library covers every game.
Common questions
How does Stableford scoring work?
Each hole is scored in points by comparing your net score (gross score minus any handicap strokes on that hole) with the fixed score for the hole, which is normally par. Under Rule 21.1b you get 1 point for one over, 2 for level, 3 for one under, 4 for two under, 5 for three under and 6 for four under; two or more over, or no score, is 0. The points are added over the round and the highest total wins.
How many Stableford points is a par, a birdie or a bogey?
On a net basis: a net par is 2 points, a net birdie 3, a net eagle 4, a net bogey 1 and a net double bogey or worse 0. On a par 4 with no stroke, a gross 4 scores 2 points, a 3 scores 3 and a 5 scores 1; with one stroke on the hole the same 5 becomes a net 4 and scores 2.
What is a good Stableford score?
A total of 36 points over 18 holes means you played exactly to your Playing Handicap: 2 points a hole, net par every hole. Anything above 36 is better than your handicap; 40 or more usually wins a club competition and will cut your handicap. Scores in the low 30s are a round or two over handicap, which is the most common outcome.
How do handicap strokes work in Stableford?
Multiply your Course Handicap by the allowance (95% for individual Stableford, 85% for four-ball) and round to get your Playing Handicap. You then receive one stroke on each hole whose stroke index is that number or lower, and a second stroke on the lowest stroke-index holes for anything above 18. The stroke is taken off your gross score on that hole before the points are worked out.
What is the handicap allowance for a Stableford competition?
Appendix C of the Rules of Handicapping recommends 95% of Course Handicap for individual Stableford (the same as individual stroke play) and 85% for four-ball Stableford. The Committee may set a different figure in the Terms of the Competition; some clubs use 100% for small fields. The calculator offers all three.
Can you pick up in Stableford?
Yes. Once you cannot score a point on a hole you can pick up, and Rule 21.1b says a player who does not hole out gets zero points for the hole. On the scorecard you enter either no score or any score that results in zero points. On the final hole, choosing not to hole out ends your round (Rule 21.1e).
How is four-ball better-ball Stableford scored?
Each partner works out their own points on the hole from their own net score, and the side takes the higher of the two. The side's points are added over 18 holes. The recommended allowance is 85% of each player's Course Handicap, and every player keeps their own Playing Handicap. Set the calculator to four-ball and tick the better-ball option to score it that way.
What is Modified Stableford?
A professional variant that rewards attacking play more than it punishes a bad hole. The PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship scores an albatross +8, an eagle +5, a birdie +2, a par 0, a bogey −1 and a double bogey or worse −3, so a player can finish with a negative total. Club Stableford never goes below zero on a hole.
Does the calculator work for nine holes?
Yes. Set holes to 9, enter your nine-hole Course Handicap and the stroke index of the nine holes being played, and it scores those holes only. Playing to handicap over nine holes is 18 points.
How do you bet on a Stableford round?
The simplest game is points difference times a stake: a player who finishes on 37 against 34 collects three units. Stableford skins awards a skin on each hole to the player with the most points outright, carrying ties forward, and the skins calculator settles that. Many groups also play a Nassau on Stableford points for the front nine, back nine and total.