The Stableford scoring system can add some fun to your weekend round

A few years back I was playing golf at Cherokee Run, a Palmer design about twenty miles outside of Atlanta, and I got paired up with some Australian’s who were in the area for the Masters. There were seven of them, and as I was at the course alone (I was every day during that spring break of my first year teaching), the starter threw me in the mix with them.

As it turned out, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation. Usually when I get paired up it is with somebody who can’t stop talking and is constantly “quick-calling” (yelling “good putt!” before the ball actually gets near the hole) all of my shots, forcing me to turn to the King for help. This group neither chanted sterotypical features of their continent nor acted the least bit disturbed to have me joining their golf trip (that included heading to the Masters, then playing Harbor Town, the Ocean Course at Kiawah, and Pinehurst); actually, they were just the opposite- they let me in on the little game they had going, and they taught me their version of the Stableford.

As I found out, this is the most common game played in Australia, and they were all shocked to learn that I had never once enjoyed a friendly wager based on this system. While The International uses a different version that actually causes a player to lose points after a big number, the game I learned from the Aussies was much more ego-friendly: one point for a bogey; three for a par; five for a birdie; and seven for an eagle.

It was one of the more enjoyable gambling games I’ve ever played because I always felt as though I had a chance to make a roaring comeback, and my score wasn’t affected by a triple. In fact, these guys didn’t even keep score in the traditional sense- when discussing the round later, they gave the results in points rather than in strokes, forcing me to forget about the negative aspects of my day.

And seeing as Cherokee Run was at the time my home course, I did the U.S. proud and sent them on their way with a little less money to spend on the tasty Augusta sandwiches.

Next time you’re standing on the tee trying to figure out what game to play, give the Stableford a try. You can make up your own point system, and it’ll help divert your focus from the hopeless way you’re use to assessing your round.