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The lowest score in golf wins, right? Not so fast, my friend.
There is actually a format in which you can win by posting the highest score, and it can be a lot of fun.
We’re talking about golf's Stableford scoring system, which works by awarding points on each hole based on the player’s performance. The more points you earn, the better you do. At the end of a tournament, for example, the player with the most points, or highest score, wins.
Sound weird? It's actually the preferred game of choice for many golfers and clubs in the United Kingdom. Stableford also has a long history on the PGA TOUR. Every July, the Barracuda Championship crowns a champion using Stableford.
How are points awarded?
While the object of Stableford is to post the highest score possible, you're still trying to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes. That’s how you score points.
In a tournament, a committee generally determines the point values in Stableford. Here’s an example of what might be considered standard: A double eagle would be worth 5 points; an eagle, 4; birdie, 3; par, 2; bogey, 1; double bogey, 0.
The beauty of Stableford is that it encourages aggressive play since the penalty for holes where a golfer might take excessive strokes to complete the hole is relatively limited. Many times, if you're going to make a double or worse, you can simply pick up to keep play moving. In some modified formats, though, a double bogey or worse can result in a deduction of points.
Handicaps can factor into the scoring
Just like regular stroke play, Stableford events can be handicapped as well. What that means is that golfers of different levels can compete in a Stableford event on an equal basis since their handicaps will be figured into each hole.
For example, if a player is determined to have a handicap stroke index of 10 for a particular course and is getting 100 percent of the 10 handicap, playing the hole in four strokes on a par 4 that’s rated as the no. the 8 handicap hole would be recorded as a net birdie 3 because one stroke would be subtracted. Under a standard Stableford scoring system, that golfer would be awarded 3 points for a net birdie, while a scratch golfer who made a gross par on the hole would only get 2 points.
High-profile Stableford events
While Stableford is not the usual format for tournament golf, it does crop up from time to time.
One of the most popular tournaments to use Stableford is the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament featuring actors, musicians, and current and former professional athletes. It is played at Edgewood Tahoe on Lake Tahoe every July. NBC, Peacock and GOLF Channel televise the event.
The American Century Championship uses a modified Stableford. In this case, players receive a point for a par, three for a birdie and six for an eagle. Two points are deducted for double bogey or worse. Nearly half the field of the 2024 American Century finished with 0 or negative points.
In 2024, former tennis tour professional Mardy Fish won with 83 points to edge out former NHL hockey player Joe Pavelski, who finished with 79. Hall of Fame Annika Sorenstam, arguably the greatest female golfer of all time, finished third with 58 points. It was Fish's second time winning the ACC. Former major league pitcher Rick Rhoden owns the most American Century Championship victories with eight between 1991 and 2009. Former NHL player Dan Quinn won five between 1992 and 2012.
The International on the PGA TOUR used modified Stableford scoring for 21 seasons through 2006 at Castle Pines Golf Club near Denver, Colo. The Barracuda Championship - currently held at Old Greenwood in Truckee, Calif, every August - brought Stableford back into the professional ranks in 2012 after more than a decade of using the traditional stroke-play format.
History of Stableford golf
Stableford scoring can be traced back to the late 19th century, when a golfer (you guessed it) named Dr. Frank Barney Gorton Stableford, started to experiment with a method of scoring that was less demoralizing if you had a few bad holes. The frustration of traditional stroke play was especially evident playing in bad weather, where conditions made it difficult to reach greens in regulation. Unlike traditional scoring methods, Stableford scoring basically ignores your bad holes, and you can even get credit for making bogeys.
At the time, Stableford, the person, was a member at Glamorganshire Golf Club in Wales, but the new method didn’t catch on right away. It wasn’t until 1932, when Stableford was a member at Wallasey Golf Club in England, that the first Stableford competition was held on May 16. In 1969, Wallasey Golf Club debuted the Frank Stableford Open Amateur Memorial Trophy, an event that is still played today.
While Stableford scoring isn’t very common in professional events, it is a moderately popular format in tournaments and casual play. It’s a great way for golfers to shake up their usual routine if they like to play a game among their group or several groups.
Getting some help with Stableford scoring
Keeping track of Stableford scoring in a casual game can be a bit cumbersome. On the scorecard, you’ll probably want to record how many strokes each player takes on each hole, then underneath that, record the amount of points they are awarded. If you’re playing with handicaps, you’ll probably want to put dots on each hole on the scorecard to signify where players are getting strokes.
The good news is, however, that there are apps that can keep track of scoring, whether it's stroke play, match play or Stableford. For example, the GolfNow Compete app can score both Stableford and modified Stableford as well as factor in handicaps.
In many ways, Stableford can be more fun to play for average golfers competing against their friends. Bad holes get tossed aside, and magical moments like aces and eagles, are spectacularly rewarded. Give it a try. You might come to find stroke play boring by comparison.
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