Competitive Golf

There are many variations on the basic game of golf. They are however, only variations of stroke play and match play. Stroke play allows you to compete against everyone else on the course that day while match play is a hole by hole contest between two players (or pairs).

Stroke Play – the most commonly played competition where only the gross and/or nett scores are counted (the number of strokes taken by a player at each hole is entered on the card) - the winner is determined by the lowest score for each round. [Gross or scratch score is the total before the handicap is deducted and the nett score is the score after the handicap is deducted].



Match Play - a form of competition in which each hole is a separate competition, the winner is determined by the number of holes won rather that the total score. If the number of holes runs out the match finishes (if a player is 3 up with 2 holes left the player has won 3 & 2).

Stableford - the game is based on a points system where points are determined by the score on each hole (eagle 4 pts, birdie 3 pts, par 2 pts, bogie 1 pt, double bogey or worse 0 pts). In this form it is polite for players to pick up their ball if points can no longer be scored on a hole.

Par (Bogey) – a competition where a player plays against the par of the course. For a nett birdie or better a player records a win as a ‘+’ sign, a par is recorded as a half and a ‘0’ sign and for a bogey or worse a player records a loss as a ‘–‘ sign.

Foursomes - a competition format in which teams are comprised of two players each, and the players alternate hitting the same ball. The first player tees off, the second player hits the second shot, the first player hits the third shot, and so on until the ball is holed. Players alternate hitting tee shots so that the same player doesn't hit every drive. It is great fun and a very sociable format.

Greensomes - a competition format that is a variation of foursomes (two teams of two, each playing one ball). In greensomes both players on a team tee off, the better of the two shots is selected and that ball is then played alternately until holed.

Texas Scramble - involves a team of four playing four balls, but with each shot coming from the same spot (the best of the four drives is chosen and all four team members then hit from that spot, and so on). The variation in a Texas Scramble is that at least four drives of each member of the team must be used during the course of the round: At least four drives hit by Player A, four by Player B, and so on. The team with the least number of strokes is usually the winner.