Start reading a golf scorecard by finding the tees you are playing, the hole numbers, each hole's par, and the space for the required scores. Distance rows describe different tee sets; they are not separate holes.
A card may contain other numbers, including stroke indexes, Course Ratings and Slope Ratings. Those have specific purposes and should not be confused with the number of strokes you took.
A fictional three-hole scorecard
The following example is invented for explanation. It is not a rating, official scorecard or recommendation for any real course.
| Row | Hole 1 | Hole 2 | Hole 3 | Total for these holes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White tees, yards | 340 | 145 | 470 | 955 |
| Forward tees, yards | 285 | 115 | 405 | 805 |
| Par | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| Stroke index on an 18-hole course | 7 | 15 | 3 | Not added |
| Your gross score | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
Here, you have taken 15 strokes across holes with a combined par of 12. Your result for this section is three over par. See the scoring glossary if those terms are unfamiliar.
Hole numbers tell you where you are
The columns normally follow the order of holes. Check your starting hole, especially at an event where groups begin in different places.
“Out” often totals the first nine and “in” the second nine. The full-round total combines them. Do not enter a subtotal as though it were an additional hole.
Some cards provide several blank rows for different players. Ask whose score you are recording and whether you are acting as a marker before you begin.
Tee rows describe different starting positions
Find the row for the tees actually being used. A colour is a local label, not a worldwide measure of difficulty or a universal instruction based on gender.
Check whether the distances are in yards or metres. Do not combine numbers from different tee rows when calculating a total.
Ask the course which tees suit your visit. The longest option is not automatically the correct choice, and the shortest option is not automatically reserved for one type of player.
Par is a reference, not your score
The par row is printed in advance. Your actual hole score belongs in the required score space, including applicable penalty strokes.
If you take 6 on the fictional par-5 third hole, the gross result is a bogey. You still record the required stroke total, not merely the word “bogey”.
Use the organiser's instructions for formats that need multiple players' hole scores or a different scoring method.
Stroke index allocates handicap strokes
Stroke index helps determine the order in which handicap strokes are given or received. Do not treat it as a perfect ranking of the hole that every golfer will personally find hardest.
For a simple 18-hole example, a player receiving a Playing Handicap of 18 gets one stroke on each hole. A player receiving 20 gets two on stroke-index holes 1 and 2, and one on the others.
In our example, a gross 6 on hole 3 would become a net 5 if that player receives one stroke there. This illustrates allocation; it does not calculate anyone's actual Playing Handicap.
Course Rating and Slope Rating
These figures help the handicapping system account for the course and tees played. They are not score targets and are not numbers you simply deduct from your total.
Use your authorised handicap service, the event's calculation or the golf shop's guidance to obtain the applicable handicap. A Handicap Index, Course Handicap and Playing Handicap are related terms, but they are not interchangeable.
Before returning the card
Check each required hole score with your marker and follow the competition's certification and return procedure. Clear corrections and an accurate hole-by-hole record matter more than decorative notation.
If the event uses an app, make the same checks before submitting. An electronic format does not remove the need to confirm what each field means.