Beginning Golf – How Should You Keep Score?

Golf is probably unique in the fact that it is the person with the lowest score who wins. In fact if you watch some of the professional golf tournaments on TV you will often find that the winner has a score with a minus i.e -5. So how do we get to this figure and our own final score?

Each course has been measured and given an overall par such as 72 (they do differ) this means that to break level you would need to take 72 shots to complete the course. Each hole is also given a par depending on it’s difficulty so some will take fewer shots than others.

To keep proper score you will have a score card provided by your golf course every time you attempt to hit that little ball it will count as a stroke or shot at the end of each hole tally up the number of shots taken and add them to your scorecard. Once you have completed the whole golf course add up the total and this will give you’re the score for the round.

Now you have to relate your score to the par for the course. Now if your score was 92 and the par for the course is 72 then your overall score will be 20 over par. If on the other hand you have a brilliant sore of 67 then your overall score will be -5 or 5 under par.

Once you have completed 3 rounds of golf you will need to hand in your scorecards in order to be given a handicap (highest is 28) You will be able to use this handicap to reduce your score when playing against opponents

Of course the above explanation is the basics of scoring when playing a round of golf. You will need to also take into consideration your handicap and also the type of game you are playing as there are different rules that can be followed i.e stableford rules.

If you follow the links in my signature I am sure you will find some interesting information that will help you in your game of golf.