Individual Events
Stroke
This type of competition is the one most commonly played by professional golfers around the world. The Stroke event is the true test of a golfer’s ability and is played regularly at club level.
Although the game is tough on the player, the method of scoring is simple. The number of strokes taken at each hole is entered on the card and the card totalled for each nine holes, and for the full eighteen holes.
The player’s full handicap is deducted and both scratch (gross) and net scores are shown on the card. Most clubs have events which highlight both scratch and net winners. In both cases, the player with the lowest score is the winner.
Stableford
The Stableford competition is probably the most common event played at club level. The system takes its name from Dr Stableford of the Liverpool Golf Club, and was introduced in 1931. It involves scoring points based on results at each hole.
Using the index for each hole, players firstly make a mental allocation of their full handicap over eighteen holes. For example, a player on a handicap of 18 will add one shot to the par value for each hole to determine his or her own par for the hole. Thus a hole rated as a par 4 becomes a par 5 for the player.
The points scoring method is then calculated by allocating two points for a par, one point for one over, three points for one under, four points for two under, and so on.
Players who exceed their own par by two strokes score no points for the hole and, since they cannot improve on that result, they should then pick up their ball and hope to score points on the next hole.
At the end of a round, all points scored are added for each nine holes and totalled for eighteen holes. The player with the most points is the winner.
The Stableford competition has two major advantages. First, it speeds up the game since there is no point continuing to play a hole once your own par is exceeded by two strokes. Second, it means you can have one or two bad holes, but compensate for them during the balance of your round.
It is not essential and only customary when marking the scorecard, for the marker to indicate or calculate the stableford points scored by a player. However it is necessary that the number of strokes taken must always be shown for holes where points are scored.
Par
To understand this event, players need to know the method of allocating full handicap strokes to each hole, as explained for the Stableford competition.
Once players mentally determine their own par for each hole, the Par competition challenges them to beat their own par. If players better their par they score a ’+’ (plus) for the hole. If players equal their own par, they are said to have halved or squared the hole which is scored with a ’0’. If par is not achieved, a ’-’ (minus) sign is recorded.
At the end of each nine holes, and at the end of the round, the score is calculated by deducting the number of minuses from the number of pluses. Halved holes marked with a ’0’ are considered to be even or square and are not taken into account when determining the result. The only exception is when all holes are ’0’ even, then the result will be ’0’ even.
An even number of pluses and minuses cancel each other out and the result is then even or ’0’ and referred to as "square".
The player with the highest result is the winner.
When scoring the card, note that the stroke score must always be shown for holes where the player has halved or beaten par.
The individual Par competition is a fast game to play and allows clubs to cater for large fields at times when there are minimum daylight hours. It is customary practice for players to pick up their ball once they are beaten by par.
Flag Competition
This event is an interesting and fun version of basic Stroke Play.
The course is played as for a Stroke round. Players are deemed to have finished their round when they have completed a number of strokes equal to the par of the course (as shown on the score card), plus their stroke handicap.
The first player to start in the competition carries a flag (mounted on a stick) and plants it on the spot where his or her ball lies at the finish of the round. The player must mark his or her name on the flag. If the ball is in the rough, the flag should be planted on the edge of the fair way, no nearer the hole. Subsequent players who have not finished their round when they reach the flag, should pick it up and carry it with them until their own round is completed. The flag is then replanted and their name marked on it.
Normally the competition is won by the player who carries the flag the longest distance from the first tee after completing eighteen holes. On the possible occasion when no player betters his handicap, the competition is won by the player who plants the flag nearest the hole on the last green.
If player, A. Lewis shown on the scorecard is a man, he is entitled to hit off on the first tee and plant the flag where his shot finishes. If A. Lewis is a woman, she hits off from the first tee and plays a total of 4 strokes before planting the flag.
A Flag competition is scored in the same way as a Stroke round but scoring ceases once the player has used his or her stroke entitlement. If a player continues beyond the eighteenth green, it is not necessary to record that part of the second round played.
Match Play
Golf was played under the Match Play system for hundreds of years and many championship and pennant competitions are still played this way. Match Play simply means that the game is played by holes, rather than by calculating the total number of strokes.
A hole is won by the player who holes his or her ball in the least number of strokes. The hole is said to be halved if both players complete the hole in the same score.
The reckoning of holes is kept by the terms `holes up’, ’all square’ and so many holes ’to play’. A player is ’dormie’ when he or she is as many holes up as there are holes remaining to be played. A scorecard may be used, but is not compulsory.
The match is won by the player who is leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining.
In a handicap match, the lower net score wins the hole. The handicapping system in Match Play is based on the difference between the players’ stroke handicaps, so that a player on a handicap of 10 would have to give an 18 marker eight strokes. These strokes would be allocated on the eight holes according to the Match Play index printed on the scorecard.
Where there is more than eighteen strokes difference between handicaps, players receive two strokes per hole where applicable, using the Match Play index.
Match Play has its own set of rules which is incorporated in the Rules of Golf. It is advisable for players to be familiar with these rules, as some of them differ from the rules covering Stroke Play.
Eclectic
This competition is based on the Stroke event and often extends over the whole season. The club decides the duration of the competition but at least two rounds must be played.
The Eclectic score is the lowest score obtained at each hole during the competition. These scores are then totalled for the full eighteen holes and subject to deduction of half the player’s handicap as it stands on the last day of the competition. The player with the lowest score is the winner.
The Eclectic competition is mainly run in conjunction with other club events and most clubs require the submission of a separate Eclectic card.
Team Events
Four-Ball Stableford
The Stableford system is used for this competition. However in Four-ball Stableford two players play as partners although the hole is played by each of them, using their individual full handicaps.
At the completion of the hole, that player recording the highest number of points has his or her score entered on the card. If both partners score equally on the hole, the score of the player who first completed the hole will be recorded. There is no need to record both scores since only the best score is required.
The winner is determined by adding the scores for each nine holes and totalling for eighteen holes. The team with the most points is the winner.
To speed up the game, it is customary practice for players to pick up their ball once it is impossible for them to better their partner’s score.
Four-ball Stableford can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s event. Women use their own tees and scorecard conditions.
It is not essential and only customary when marking the scorecard, for the marker to indicate or calculate the stableford points scored by a player. However it is necessary that the number of strokes taken must always be shown for holes where points are scored.
Aggregate Stableford
An Aggregate Stableford is played as a Team Event in which a team may consist of two, three or four players. Aggregate Stableford is quite different and should not be confused with Four-ball Stableford.
Members of a team playing in an Aggregate Stableford event play as individuals in accordance with "Rule 32 - Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions" of the Rules of Golf, using separate or individual scorecards. "Rule 31 - Four-ball Stroke Play" of the Rules, which provides for the competitors playing as partners, does not apply.
On completion of play, each player is responsible for the correct completion and return of his or her scorecard in exactly the same manner required in any single event. The Committee should arrange to have some means of team identification such as a team number, affixed to scorecards in order to assist in compilation of team scores on completion of play.
Aggregate Stableford can be played as a mixed, men’s, women’s or medley event. Men and women naturally use their own tees and scorecard index.
The winning team is determined by adding the individual scores on each card together.
Four-Ball Par
This competition evolves from the Par event which has already been outlined. (See Par for a detailed explanation of the scoring system used for this type of competition.)
As in Four-ball Stableford, two players play as partners and play the course almost as though it was a Par event using their individual full handicaps. At the completion of each hole, the player with the best score has it recorded on the card. It will be either a ’+’ (plus), ’0’ (half) or a (minus). There is no need to record the scores of both players since only the best score is required.
The result for each nine holes is calculated and then combined to determine the result for the round. The team scoring the highest result is the winner. For the sake of a speedier game, it is customary practice for players to pick up their ball once it is impossible for them to better their partner’s score. The scorecard must always show the stroke score for holes where par has been beaten or halved.
Four-ball Par can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s event. Women use their own tees and scorecard conditions.
Foursomes
Foursomes is basically a Stroke event played with a partner, and using only one ball.
The rules of Foursomes require the partners to hit off from alternate tees. Both players agree on the order of hitting off before the game. Player A may select the holes numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 which leaves Player B with the even holes. This decision is entirely theirs and often depends on how confident players feel about certain holes on the course. In Mixed Foursomes, however, the club usually determines the order of play.
Once a player has teed off, the partners strike the ball alternately until the hole is completed. Therefore, if it is Player A’s turn to hit from the tee, Player B will hit the second shot, Player A the third and so on. Note that if either player incurs a penalty stroke, it does not alter the order of play. This includes the playing of a provisional ball.
Foursomes is a lot of fun with an understanding partner and it is played as a championship event in most clubs. It can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s competition. Women play off their own tees when it is their turn to hit off.
Scoring is identical to the simple method used for Stroke Play and the card should show both gross and net scores after handicap deduction. The team’s handicap is half the aggregate of both partners’ handicaps. Both players’ handicaps must be recorded on the card.
The team completing the course in the least number of strokes is the winner.
Four-Ball Stroke
This is a variation of the basic Stroke event with two players playing as partners.
Partners play the course as they would for an individual Stroke event but, using the index, they mentally determine how many strokes they receive on each hole or how their handicap is spread over the eighteen holes of the course.
After completing each hole, both partners determine their net scores and the lowest score is recorded. For example, say both partners received one handicap stroke on the first hole, and scored 7 and 6 respectively. This would give them net scores of 6 and 5, so the player scoring a net 5 would have his or her score recorded on the card. If both players have equal net scores on a hole, then the player who first holed out has his or her score recorded. The net scores are totalled for each nine holes and then for the full round. The net score should also be shown at the top of the card.
The team with the lowest score is the winner. Although clubs usually award trophies on the net result, some clubs will take the gross or scratch result into account.
Four-ball Stroke differs from a normal Stroke event in that players can pick up their ball at any time and negate their score for that particular hole.
In the interests of speedier play, it is also customary practice for players to pick up their ball once it is obvious that they cannot beat their partner’s score.
This event can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s competition.
Medley Event
A medley competition is simply a stableford or par competition in which both men and women may compete. The competition may be a single or a four-ball event and the men and the women each use their respective index shown on the scorecard.
Medley stroke competitions are not scheduled as there is usually a different par o the course for men and for women. This factor is not a problem in stableford and par events.
The advantage of medley competition is that all club members have the opportunity of getting a game and larger fields should result.
Novelty Events
Bisque Par
This event is an interesting variation of the individual Par competition, where players allocate their full handicap to each hole however they want.
In Bisque Par competition it is not necessary to allocate your handicap before the event, as this is normally done on a hole-by-hole basis and depends on the state of the game at the time.
However, it is necessary to mark on the card the number of handicap strokes allocated to each hole after playing the hole and before hitting off the next hole. The allocation of handicap strokes will obviously cease once the player’s full handicap has been used. The game is played as an individual Par competition, and scored in the same fashion.
For example, players taking seven strokes on a par 5 hole will have a ’+’ (plus) if they took three handicap strokes; a ’0’ (half) if they took two strokes; and a ’-’(minus) if they took only one or no handicap strokes.
The game relies to some extent on a player’s judgement and confidence, and provides an interesting variation to an individual Par event.
The player with the highest result is the winner.
Canadian Foursomes
Canadian Foursomes is played with a partner and both players tee off on all holes. The players then decide together which ball is in the best position and the other ball is taken out of play.
If Player A hit the selected ball from the tee, then Player B will hit the next shot or vice versa. Play continues on an alternate basis until the hole is completed. Incurring a penalty shot does not affect the order of play.
The handicap of each team is calculated by taking 3/8 of the aggregate of team members’ individual handicaps. The handicap of each player must be shown on the card.
Since Canadian Foursomes is a Stroke event, it is simply scored that way on the card showing a gross and net score.
The team with the lowest score is the winner.
Canadian Foursomes can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s event and provides a fun variation of Foursomes play.
American Foursomes
American Foursomes is played with a partner and both players tee off at each hole, then play a second shot with their respective partner’s ball. The players mutually decide which ball is in the best position and the other ball is taken out of play.
Play then proceeds as in a straight Foursomes competition, so that if Player B hit the second shot with the selected ball, Player A hits the next shot and play alternates until the hole is completed. The order of play is unaffected by penalty shots.
Handicapping is determined by taking 3/8 of the aggregate handicaps of both partners for men’s play, mixed and women’s play. The handicap of each player must be shown on the card. The scorecard is completed as for a Stroke event, showing both gross and net scores.
The team having the lowest score is the winner.
American Foursomes can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s event and is sometimes called Pinehurst Foursomes.
Two-Stroke Canadian Foursomes
Two Stroke Canadian Foursomes is yet another variation of the basic Foursomes competition.
Two Stroke Canadian Foursomes differs from Canadian Foursomes in only one respect. Both partners hit two shots before alternating play, rather than just a tee shot.
The handicapping and scoring methods are identical to Canadian Foursomes events. This competition can be played as a mixed, men’s or women’s event.
The team with the lowest score is the winner.
Four-Ball Match Play
This event is regularly played at club level, and generally the same conditions as for Individual Match Play apply.
Handicaps are applied by reducing the stroke handicaps of all players by the handicap of the low handicap player who will then play off scratch. The other three players are then allowed their resulting handicaps.
Strokes are taken in accordance with the Match Play index on the scorecard. For example if Player A’s handicap is 10, Player B’s 22, Player C’s 15 and Player D’s 11; then Player A would be off scratch, B off 12, C off 5 and D would play off 1. D would get a stroke at the number 1 hole on the Match Play index, C on holes 1 to 5 and so on.
Once again, players should refer to the Rules of Golf, and in particular, those relating to Match Play.
The match result is determined in the same way as for Individual Match Play.
Although a scorecard is not officially required, players may choose to keep an unofficial record.
Irish Team Stableford
Usually programmed on or near St Patrick’s Day, an Irish Team Stableford can be played in several ways.
Playing as a team of four, all players play out each hole as they would in an individual stableford. On the first six holes, only the best stableford score of the four players is recorded.
On the next five holes (holes 7-11 inclusive) only the best two stableford scores are recorded.
On the next four holes (holes 12-15 inclusive), only the best three stableford scores are recorded.
On the last three holes (holes 16-18 inclusive) all four scores are recorded. Each player must ensure that his or her name and handicap are recorded on the card.
Another easy format sometimes adopted is to simply play an individual single stableford in fours and then record the best two scores on each hole.
The card is marked by any of the four players and countersigned by another member of the team.
Ambrose
This event can be played as a two, three or four ball event, although the four person event is the most popular.
The team selects a captain (preferably the lowest marker) who is responsible for the method of play and marking of the card. The captain also determines the order of play which is then maintained throughout the event.
All players hit off from the tee and the captain then decides which ball is in the best position. The other team members then drop their ball within a club length of the selected ball, no nearer the hole. They hit their next stroke from this position, no matter where their previous stroke finished. The captain makes a similar selection after the next shot and play continues in this way.
If the selected ball is in the rough or a hazard, the other balls must be dropped in the rough or hazard.
On the putting surface all balls must be placed and putted from within 15cm of the spot where the selected ball lies. Each player must putt out, except when it is not possible for players to better the existing score.
Ambrose is scored as a Stroke event and handicapping is as follows:
Two person event - 1/4 of aggregate stroke handicap
Three person event - 1/6 of aggregate stroke handicap
Four person event - 1/8 of aggregate stroke handicap
Each player must have his or her handicap recorded on the card. At the completion of the event, the card is countersigned by another member of the team.
Total gross and net scores are shown on the card and the team with the lowest score is the winner.
Double Par
Double Par is very similar to a Par Event and to understand this event, players need to know the method of allocating full handicap strokes to each hole, as explained for the Stableford competition.
Once players mentally determine their own par for each hole, the Par competition challenges them to beat their own par. If players better their par they score a ’+’ (plus) for the hole.
If a player betters their par by having a birdie, eagle or albatross they score a ’2+’ for the hole.
If players equal their own par, they are said to have halved or squared the hole which is scored with a ’0’. If par is not achieved, a ’-’ (minus) sign is recorded.
At the end of each nine holes, and at the end of the round, the score is calculated by deducting the number of minuses from the number of pluses. Halved holes marked with a ’0’ are considered to be even or square and are not taken into account when determining the result. The only exception is when all holes are ’0’ even, then the result will be ’0’ even.
An even number of pluses and minuses cancel each other out and the result is then even or ’0’ and referred to as "square".
The player with the highest result is the winner.
When scoring the card, note that the stroke score must always be shown for holes where the player has halved or beaten par.
The individual Par competition is a fast game to play and allows clubs to cater for large fields at times when there are minimum daylight hours. It is customary practice for players to pick up their ball once they are beaten by par.
Note: This type of Par event should not be handicapped although high ’+’ scores may be handicapped at the discretion of the Club Captain.
