Q&A for How to Read a Golf Scorecard

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Question

How can I tell if I've done a golf stroke?

Community Answer

If you have swung the golf club and the ball has moved, it counts as a stroke. Additionally, there are penalty strokes that may count toward the final stroke count for the hole.

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Question

What do squares and circles indicate?

Community Answer

Each square around a number indicates a shot over par. A circle indicates a shot under par. This makes it much easier to count your overall score at the end of the round. You just add a point for each square and subtract a point for each circle.

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Question

What does the stroke index on my score card mean?

Jason Cregan

Community Answer

Stroke index refers to the difficulty of a hole. A hole with a stroke index of 1 is the hardest hole on a course. A stroke index of 18 refers to the easiest hole.

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Question

How do I mark a card for a hole in one?

Community Answer

You write 1 in the space where the golfer's name intersects with the correct column designating the corresponding hole that was played.

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Question

What does a score relative to par mean?

Community Answer

In golfing, par means the amount of times you should be able to hit the ball and make it in the hole. For example, par 2 means you should be able to get the ball in the hole in 2 hits. Relative means a number of hits close to it.

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Question

What does 4/5 mean on a scorecard on a hole?

Community Answer

It means the hole is a par 5 that was completed in four strokes for a birdie.

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Question

What does MP mean on ATandT leader-board?

Jason Cregan

Community Answer

MP usually refers to Match-Play in golf. Match-Play is where two golfers play against each other in a 1 vs. 1 situation.

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Question

What does the b/w HDCP and the red HDCP mean?

Jason Cregan

Community Answer

Black and white handicap usually refers to the men's handicap on a hole and the red handicap usually refers to the women's handicap on a hole.

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Question

What do the minus and plus mean?

Jason Cregan

Community Answer

The minus and plus refer to a player's score versus par. Par is the expected number of shots a player should take on a course. A Par 72 means it should take a player 72 shots. If a player takes less than 72 shots, a minus is used to denote they were under par. If a player takes more than 72 shots, a plus is used to denote that they were over par.

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Question

In medal play, player A score is recorded in the net score column and signed by the marker and player, is player A disqualified for the score being in the wrong box?

Jason Cregan

Community Answer

Yes, player A is disqualified for signing an incorrectly marked card. The correct way to fix this error is to put a line through the net score column and have the marker sign their initials next to it and then write the scores in the correct column before signing their name.

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Question

What do T2, T3, and T4 mean?

Community Answer

This means tied second, tied third or, tied fourth, depending on the number next to the T.

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Question

When two or more players have an equal score, how does count back work?

Community Answer

Look at holes 10-18, the lower score wins. If still tied, look at the last 6, then 3, then 1 hole.

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Question

What symbol is used for an eagle on a golf scorecard?

Community Answer

An eagle means two under par for that hole. A birdie is one under par. When a player scores a birdie, you circle the number of strokes for that hole. To score an eagle, you circle the number of strokes twice.

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