History: The Stableford system of scoring was invented in 1931 by Dr. Frank Stableford of the Wallasey & Royal Liverpool Golf Clubs and the first competition under Stableford Rules was played on 16 May 1932 at Wallasey.
Each player or side plays against the par of each hole and receives points according to how he scores in relation to par.
The scoring system is as follows:
| Net score | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 or more over par | 0 |
| 1 over par | 1 |
| par | 2 |
| 1 under par | 3 |
| 2 under par | 4 |
| 3 or more under par | 5 |
All players are requested to record only their Gross Score on the Tournament Scorecard. The committee will calculate the points received for each hole, and the total points for the round. The points are based on the net score for each hole, dependent on the player's handicap and the stroke index of the hole. The handicap allowance for this tournament will be 75%.
The net score is calculated by taking strokes at the appropriate hole using the stroke index shown on the card.
Stableford is a score by hole, so that if you take more than net bogey at the first, you can pick your ball up and go to the second hole and start again.
For this tournament, we are requesting that if you are going to score “more” than a net bogey, that you pick up your ball and move on to the next hole. Record an X on your scorecard. Maximum score per hole for all players in this tournament are as follows:
PAR 3’s: 7
PAR 4’s: 8
PAR 5’s: 9
At the end of the 18 holes, the number of points gained at each of the holes is added together to give a total points score.
The rules differences for Stableford as compared to normal stroke play have to do with the penalties applied for breaking rules. In some instances (for example, exceeding the 14-club maximum), points are deducted from the competitor, as opposed to a stroke penalty. There are also a number of violations that result in disqualification. The rundown of rules differences in Stableford can be found in the notes to Rule 32-1b and in Rule 32-2.