Q&A for How to Keep Score in Golf

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  • Question
    What does an X signify when it is entered with a hole's score?
    Community Answer
    When you see an X on the card, that means that the player didn’t return a score on the hole.
  • Question
    What is the maximum possible score on any given hole?
    Community Answer
    Rules of golf don't limit the number of strokes a player may take on any hole. If it requires seventeen strokes to hole out (including penalty strokes) then your score for that hole is 17. It can be more.
  • Question
    How are ties broken in tournament play?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the form of play. In match play, ties are broken by sudden-death. In stroke play, a playoff is held over a certain number of holes, whether it’s 18, nine or just a few.
  • Question
    Do I circle a par score on my golf card?
    Community Answer
    Tour players and some amateurs will place a circle around birdies and a square around bogeys to make evaluating the round easier afterwards. This is simply a matter of preference.
  • Question
    What is a birdie? What is an eagle?
    Community Answer
    A birdie is when you shoot one under par for the hole, an eagle is when you shoot two under par.
  • Question
    Can someone in the same flight, who's not the marker, ask the player his score?
    Community Answer
    Yes, in high school golf you see this all the time. Other coaches, parents, and players from other groups are the most common.
  • Question
    What if my opponents are keeping score in their cart, and they change my score because they think I had a stroke more and do not tell me?
    Community Answer
    Legality depends on what was agreed upon before the game began. To prevent this, after every hole, you and the opponent keeping score should confirm the score on that hole. If the opponent does not agree, take a minute to go through each of the strokes. If the opponent does still marks a higher score, tell a marshall, or someone at the scoring table.
  • Question
    What happens when one opponent leaves before finishing the round? Does the remaining opponent win those holes automatically?
    Community Answer
    Yes. If player A records a score and player B decides to give up, then player A wins.
  • Question
    What do I mark when circling a hole?
    Community Answer
    This depends on the number of strokes you made. For example, if you were on a Par-four hole and got the ball in the hole in three strokes, then you would put the number, "3," on your card.
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