Golf Rule 32: Bogey, par and stableford competitions

Don't understand how stableford works? Then check out this article to find out

Ed Greenland's picture
Wed, 13 Nov 2013
Golf Rule 32: Bogey, par and stableford competitions

Rule 32: Bogey, par and stableford competitions

One of the official 34 Rules of Golf.

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 honour 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 offence 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
More than one over fixed score or no score returned - 0 points
One over fixed score - 1 point
Fixed score - 2 points
One under fixed score - 3 points
Two under fixed score - 4 points
Three under fixed score - 5 points
Four under fixed score - 6 points
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 offence 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 offence – Deduction of one point from the total points scored for the round;
Second offence – Deduction of a further two points from the total points scored for the round;
For subsequent offence – Disqualification.

32-2: Disqualification Penalties

a) From the Competition

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

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.