Stroke play rules & scoring
Individual · 1 or more players
Stroke play is the familiar scorecard format: each golfer plays their own ball and adds their scores across the round. A bad hole stays on the card, which makes recovery part of the contest.
How to play Stroke play
- 01Play your own ball
- 02Record every hole score
- 03Add the round total
How scoring works
Add the strokes taken on every hole, including penalty strokes. The lowest total over the agreed holes wins. If you play net, subtract each player's Playing Handicap from the completed gross total; agree on the handicap allowance before starting.
| Hole | Alex | Sam |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · par 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 2 · par 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 · par 5 | 6 | 5 |
Alex and Sam both take 13 strokes. The result is tied unless the competition has a tiebreak rule.
Score Stroke play in Chalk
Choose Stroke play for a straightforward gross or net leaderboard. Chalk keeps the individual hole scores and round total together.
For formal competition rules, see the R&A Rules of Golf. Local competitions and side games can set their own terms.