Golf Rule 32, Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions – Simplified Version

In bogey (or par) competition, the object is to beat a score of bogey (or par) on as many holes as possible.

In Stableford competition, a point value is assigned for different scores on a hole (e.g., birdie, par, bogey). The player with the highest point total wins.

32-1. Stroke play rules apply to bogey, par and Stableford competitions, except where the rules are at odds with the specific rules in this section. If handicaps are being used, the player with the lowest net score on a hole (gross score minus any handicap strokes) has honors on the next tee.

In scoring bogey and par competitions, any hole on which no score is recorded is considered a loss. The player loses any hole on which he breaks Rule 4 (Clubs), Rule 6-4 (Caddie) or any local rule or condition of competition that carries a maximum per-round penalty. Any player not reporting a rules violation is disqualified.

A competitor who breaks Rule 6-3a (Time of Starting) by showing up late, but is on the tee and ready within five minutes of his tee time, is penalized with the loss of one hole on his total. The same applies if a player breaks Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play).

Stableford competitions are scored under the following point system:

Triple eagle (4-under par on a hole) – 6 points; double eagle – 5 points; eagle – 4 points; birdie – 3 points; par – 2 points; bogey – 1 point; double bogey or worse – 0 points.

A player who breaks any rule that carries a maximum per-round penalty must report the violation before turning in his scorecard; otherwise, he’s disqualified. When such a violation is reported, two points are deducted for each hole on which he broke the rule, up to a maximum of four points per round for each rule broken.

A competitor who breaks Rule 6-3a (Time of Starting) by showing up late, but is on the tee and ready within five minutes of his tee time, loses two points from his total. The same applies if a player breaks Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play).

The tournament committee can set pace-of-play guidelines imposing maximum times to play a shot, hole or round. In this case, a first violation brings a one-point penalty; a second violation earns an additional two-point penalty; a third violation results in disqualification.

32-2. Disqualification under any of these rules means disqualification from a bogey, par or Stableford competition: Rule 1-3 (Agreement to Waive Rules), Rule 3-4 (Refusal to Comply with a Rule), Rule 4 (Clubs), Rule 5-1 or 5-2 (the Ball), Rule 6-2b (Handicap), Rule 6-3 (Time of Starting and Groups), Rule 6-4 (Caddie), Rule 6-6b (Signing and Returning Score Card), Rule 6-6d (Wrong Score for Hole, unless the violation doesn’t change the result of the hole), Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play), Rule 6-8 (Discontinuance of Play), Rule 7-1 (Practice Before or Between Rounds), Rule 11-1 (Teeing), Rule 14-3 (Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment), Rule 22-1 (Ball Assisting Play), or Rule 33-7 (Disqualification Penalty Imposed by Committee).

In all other instances where breaking a rule would bring disqualification, the player is only DQ’d for that particular hole.

32-1. Conditions
Bogey, par and Stableford competitions are forms of stroke play in which play is against a fixed score at each hole. The Rules for stroke play, so far as they are not at variance with the following specific Rules, apply.

In handicap bogey, par and Stableford competitions, the competitor with the lowest net score at a hole takes the honor at the next teeing ground.

a. Bogey and Par Competitions
The scoring for bogey and par competitions is made as in match play.

Any hole for which a competitor makes no return is regarded as a loss. The winner is the competitor who is most successful in the aggregate of holes.

The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes for each hole where the competitor makes a net score equal to or less than the fixed score.

Note 1: The competitor’s score is adjusted by deducting a hole or holes under the applicable Rule when a penalty other than disqualification is incurred under any of the following:
Rule 4 Clubs
Rule 6-4 Caddie
Any Local Rule or Condition of Competition for which there is a maximum penalty per round.
The competitor is responsible for reporting the facts regarding such a breach to the Committee before he returns his score card so that the Committee may apply the penalty. If the competitor fails to report his breach to the Committee, he is disqualified.

Note 2: If the competitor is in breach of Rule 6-3a (Time of Starting) but arrives at his starting point, ready to play, within five minutes after his starting time, or is in breach of Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play), the Committee will deduct one hole from the aggregate of holes. For a repeated offense under Rule 6-7, see Rule 32-2a.

b. Stableford Competitions

The scoring in Stableford competitions is made by points awarded in relation to a fixed score at each hole as follows:Hole Played In Points
More than one over fixed score or no score returned 0
One over fixed score 1
Fixed score 2
One under fixed score 3
Two under fixed score 4
Three under fixed score 5
Four under fixed score 6

The winner is the competitor who scores the highest number of points.

The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes at each hole where the competitor’s net score earns one or more points.

Note 1: If a competitor is in breach of a Rule for which there is a maximum penalty per round, he must report the facts to the Committee before returning his score card; if he fails to do so, he is disqualified. The Committee will, from the total points scored for the round, deduct two points for each hole at which any breach occurred, with a maximum deduction per round of four points for each Rule breached.

Note 2: If the competitor is in breach of Rule 6-3a (Time of Starting) but arrives at his starting point, ready to play, within five minutes after his starting time, or is in breach of Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play), the Committee will deduct two points from the total points scored for the round. For a repeated offense under Rule 6-7, see Rule 32-2a.

Note 3: For the purpose of preventing slow play, the Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), establish pace of play guidelines, including maximum periods of time allowed to complete a stipulated round, a hole or a stroke.

The Committee may, in such a condition, modify the penalty for a breach of this Rule as follows:First offense – Deduction of one point from the total points scored for the round;
Second offense – Deduction of a further two points from the total points scored for the round;
For subsequent offense – Disqualification.

A competitor is disqualified from the competition if he incurs a penalty of disqualification under any of the following:Rule 1-3 Agreement to Waive Rules
Rule 3-4 Refusal to Comply with a Rule
Rule 4 Clubs
Rule 5-1 or 5-2 The Ball
Rule 6-2b Handicap
Rule 6-3 Time of Starting and Groups
Rule 6-4 Caddie
Rule 6-6b Signing and Returning Score Card
Rule 6-6d Wrong Score for Hole, i.e., when the recorded score is lower than actually taken, except that no penalty is incurred when a breach of this Rule does not affect the result of the hole
Rule 6-7 Undue Delay; Slow Play
Rule 6-8 Discontinuance of Play
Rule 7-1 Practice Before or Between Rounds
Rule 11-1 Teeing
Rule 14-3 Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment
Rule 22-1 Ball Assisting Play
Rule 33-7 Disqualification Penalty Imposed by Committee

32-2. Disqualification Penalties

a. From the Competition
b. For a Hole
In all other cases where a breach of a Rule would result in disqualification, the competitor is disqualified only for the hole at which the breach occurred.