Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Stableford when the committee has clearly set a points table and fixed target, usually par, and you want an individual stroke-play result that rewards total points. Choose Stableford par only when the organiser defines the phrase in writing, especially whether it means ordinary Stableford or Par/Bogey.
Stableford in brief
Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target on each hole.
Stableford par in brief
An ambiguous label usually intended to mean Stableford scored against par, not a separate official format.
Table
| Comparison | Stableford | Stableford par |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target on each hole. | An ambiguous label usually intended to mean Stableford scored against par, not a separate official format. |
| Players | Minimum 1; ideal for an individual field of 3 or more competitors. A committee can also run Stableford for a side, but this record describes individual Stableford. | Minimum 1; ideal as an individual field of 2 or more. It can also be played by a side, but ‘Stableford par’ needs the Committee or group to define the format before play. |
| Scoring unit | Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target. | Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead. |
| Handicap method | For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition. | For an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms. |
| Money settles how | There is no inherent money settlement. If players agree a side stake, settle at the end of the round by the agreed total-points result or an agreed value per point; write the amount and ties rule before play. | No inherent money settlement. If players agree a stake, settle it using the pre-agreed basis, such as total points or a per-point amount; write that house rule down before starting. |
| Pace | Often faster than ordinary stroke play, because Rule 21.1 allows a player to stop a hole when the score will produce zero points; this is a qualified tendency, not a measured time claim. | Often faster than ordinary stroke play when played as Stableford, because a player may stop a hole once the result will be zero points; this is a rules-based pace feature, not a measured time claim. |
| Best for | Groups wanting a forgiving points competition where one poor hole need not determine the result, and fields that prefer comparing totals rather than settling hole-by-hole. | Groups wanting a forgiving points-based individual competition and a clear handicap framework, provided they state whether ‘par’ means Stableford’s usual target of par or the separate Par/Bogey form. |
| Weakness | The points total can hide the underlying stroke difference, and the result depends on the Committee clearly setting the fixed target, handicap allowance and any tie or stake terms. | The name is not sufficiently precise: Stableford and Par/Bogey use different scoring systems, so players can disagree about points, hole results, handicaps or settlement unless the terms are written first. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. With par 4 as the target on three holes, scores 4, 5 and 3 give Alex 6 ordinary Stableford points; scores 5, 4 and 4 give Ben 5. On a par-4 hole, a score of 4 earns 2 points in ordinary Stableford or a tied-hole result in Par/Bogey. Confirm which meaning the label intends.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 21.1 (Stableford) and Rule 21.3 (Par/Bogey); Rule 3; WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Stableford and Stableford par score differently?
For Stableford: Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target. For Stableford par: Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead.
How do handicaps apply in Stableford vs Stableford par?
Stableford: For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition. Stableford par: For an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms.
When should I choose Stableford instead of Stableford par?
Choose Stableford when the committee has clearly set a points table and fixed target, usually par, and you want an individual stroke-play result that rewards total points. Choose Stableford par only when the organiser defines the phrase in writing, especially whether it means ordinary Stableford or Par/Bogey.