Scoring Methods

Updated on August 15, 2025

There are four scoring methods you can set in Tournaments of GolfGuiders app. Each method is explained below:

Stroke Play

Stroke play is the most frequently used format in professional tournaments and is also popular for recreational play. 

  • Every time you hit the ball, it counts as one stroke.
  • You play all the holes, and at the end, the total number of strokes is added up.
  • Winner: The player (or team) with the lowest total strokes.

Think of it like: Keeping track of how many tries you needed to finish the course — fewer is better.

Stroke play can be played as gross score (total strokes) or net score (with handicaps applied to account for player skill differences). 

Stableford

Stableford is a popular format, especially for casual play and competitions, as it can be more enjoyable and less stressful than stroke play. 

  • Instead of counting strokes, you earn points for how well you do on each hole compared to its “par” (expected number of strokes).
  • Example:
    • 1 stroke less than par (Birdie) = 2 points
    • Equal to par = 1 point
    • 1 stroke more than par (Bogey) = 0 points
  • Winner: The player with the most points.

Think of it like: A game where you score points like in football — high score wins.

It can also speed up play, as players may pick up their ball when they can no longer score points on a hole. 

Scramble (Team Game)

In a scramble, teams of two, three, or four players collaborate to play one ball. Because the team is always playing the best shot, there’s less pressure on individual players to perform well on every shot. 

  • All players in a team hit a shot from the tee.
  • The team chooses the best shot and everyone hits their next shot from that spot.
  • This repeats until the hole is finished.
  • Winner: The team with the lowest score after all holes.

Think of it like: Working together to always use the team’s best shot.

There are several variations of the scramble format, such as the Texas Scramble (requiring each player to use a minimum number of tee shots) and the Florida Scramble (where the player whose shot is selected doesn’t play the next shot). 

Best Ball (Team Game)

  • Everyone in the team plays their own ball for the entire hole.
  • For each hole, only the best score from any team member counts as the team’s score.
  • Winner: The team with the lowest total of their best scores.
  • Think of it like: Everyone plays solo, but only your team’s best result each hole is used.