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What is a stableford in golf?

Point-based scoring system invented by Dr. Frank Stableford

Definition

A point-based scoring system invented by Dr. Frank Stableford that awards points for hole scores relative to par, rather than counting total strokes. The standard Stableford system awards 2 points for par, 3 for birdie, 4 for eagle, 1 for bogey, and 0 for double bogey or worse. This format encourages aggressive play since poor holes don't accumulate penalty strokes, and players can recover quickly from bad holes. Stableford competitions are popular in casual and tournament play because they speed up play by allowing players to pick up after reaching maximum score thresholds while maintaining competitive interest throughout the round.

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Glossary terms

  2. Above the HoleAceAddressAggregateAim LineAlbatrossAll SquareAlternateAlternate ShotAmateur Status
  3. Angle of AttackApproachApronBack NineBack TeesBack-weightingBackspinBall Flight LawsBall MarkerBall Position
  4. Ball SpeedBall WasherBanana BallBeachBelly PutterBelow the HoleBent GrassBest BallBetter BallBig Dog
  5. Bingo Bango BongoBirdieBladeBlockBogeyBogey GolferBogey RatingBounceBreakBreakfast Ball
  6. Bump and RunBunkerCabbageCapCarryCart Path OnlyCasual WaterCenter of GravityChapmanChip
  7. Choke DownChunkCleekClosed FaceCoefficient of RestitutionCompressionCondorCourse HandicapCourse RatingCross Bunker
  8. CupCutCut LineDancingDeadDecelerationDensity RatingDimple PatternDistance ControlDivot
  9. Divot PatternDog LicenseDoglegDormieDouble BogeyDouble CrossDouble EagleDouble HitDrawDrive
  10. DriverDropDrop ZoneDuck HookDuffEagleEffective Playing LengthEntry FeeEquipment RulesESR
  11. EtiquetteEuropean TourEven ParExemptionExpected ScoreExtra HoleFace AngleFace InsertFadeFairway
  12. Fairway BunkerFairway WoodFalse FrontFat ShotFeather BallFirst CutFirst TeeFive BallFlagFlag Stick
  13. Flat SwingFlexFlierFloatFlogFlop ShotFlourishFlushFollow ThroughFootprints in the Sand
  14. ForeFore CaddieForecaddieForward PressForward TeesFour-BallFoursomeFried EggFront NineFront Tees
  15. Full ShotFunctionGalleryGambleGap WedgeGimmeGPSGrainGrand SlamGraphite Shaft
  16. GreenGreen CommitteeGreen FeeGreen in Regulation (GIR)Green ReaderGreen SpeedGreenkeeperGreensideGripGroove
  17. Gross ScoreGround Under Repair (GUR)Grounding the ClubGroup PlayHalf ShotHalf TurnHalvedHandicapHandicap AllowanceHandicap Index
  18. HandleHard CapHard PanHazardHead CoverHead SpeedHigh SideHoleHole HighHole in One
  19. Hole LocationHole OutHome CourseHonorHookHoselHybridImpactImpact PositionImpact Zone
  20. In PlayIn-Course RatingIndexInitial DistanceInsertInside PathInside the LeatherInspectionIntegrityIntended Line
  21. Interlocking GripInternational Golf FederationInward NineIronIsland GreenJabJackJarredJawsJerked
  22. JiggerJoint InitiativeJumpJunior GolfJust ShortKickKick PointKikuyuKillKnee
  23. Knock DownKnockdown ShotKnown ValueKnuckleLagLag PuttingLanding AreaLaunch AngleLaunch MonitorLay Up
  24. Laying the SodLead EdgeLeaderboardLeading EdgeLeague PlayLieLie AngleLinksLinks GolfLip
  25. Lip OutLocal RulesLoftLoft AngleLong GameLong IronLoopLooperLost BallLow Point
  26. LPGALucyLungeMaintenanceMajor ChampionshipsMarkerMarshalMatch PlayMaximum ScoreMedal Play
  27. Member's BounceMid-IronMinimum Number of ClubsMisclubMixed FoursomeModified StablefordMonday QualifierMost Likely ScoreMoving DayMulled
  28. MulliganMunicipalNassauNative AreaNearest Point of ReliefNet Double BogeyNet ScoreNiblickNineteenth HoleNo Card
  29. NobbleNon-ConformingNormal StanceNumber OneObscured BallObstacle FactorsOfficial GuideOffsetOne Ball RuleOne-Piece Takeaway
  30. Open ChampionshipOpen Club FaceOpen QualifyingOpen StanceOrder of MeritOut of BoundsOutside AgencyOutside PathOver the TopOverclub
  31. Overhanging BranchOverlap GripPace of PlayParPar 3 CourseParallaxPartnerPathPCCPenalty Area
  32. Penalty StrokePerfect RoundPerimeter WeightingPGAPGA TourPinPin HighPin PositionPitchPitch Mark
  33. Pitching WedgePivotPlay ThroughPlayer's EditionPlaying HandicapPlugged BallPlus HandicapPoint of EntryPortPreferred Lies
  34. PressPro ShopPro-AmProgressive ScoringProvisionalPullPull HookPull SlicePushPush Cart
  35. Push HookPush SlicePut BackPuttPutterPutting GreenPutting SurfaceQ-SchoolQualifyingQualifying Round
  36. QuarterQuittingQuotaR&ARainsuitRangeRange FinderRatingReady GolfRecovery Shot
  37. Red StakesReference PointReliefRestoreReverse OverlapRhythmRickRinger ScoreRipRoll
  38. RoughRoundRound RobinRoutingRowRoyalRub of the GreenRunRun UpRunner
  39. RutterSand SaveSand TrapSand WedgeSandbaggerScore DifferentialScotch FoursomesScrambleScratch GolferSemi-Private
  40. Senior TeesShaftShaft FlexShambleShankShort GameShort SideShotgun StartSix-Six-SixSkin
  41. SkullSliceSlope RatingSnap HookSnowmanSoft CapSoleSpamSpikesSpin Rate
  42. Split TeesSpraySpring LineSquareStablefordStack and TiltStanceStimpmeterStroke IndexStroke Play
  43. Stroke SaverStrongSweet SpotSwingpathTake ReliefTap-inTarget LineTeaching ProfessionalTeeTee Box
  44. Tee MarkerTee SheetTee TimeTempoTen-Shot RuleTexas ScrambleTexas WedgeThree BallThree JackThree-Putt
  45. Through LineThrough the GreenThumbsTierTight LieToeTopToppedTourTour Sauce
  46. TournamentTrajectoryTransitionTree LineTriple BogeyTurnUnder ParUndulationUneven LieUnplayable
  47. Up and DownUphill LieUSGAUtility ClubValeValidationVardon GripVariablesVarianceVegas
  48. VelocityVentVertical GrooveVFTVirtual Club FittingVisual CenterVolumeVolunteerWaggleWalk Through
  49. Walking CourseWaste AreaWaste BunkerWater HazardWeather DelayWedgeWeightWeight PortWet LineWhiff
  50. White StakesWind CheaterWindowWinter RulesWire-to-WireWolfWoodWorm BurnerWRWrist Cock
  51. X FactorX HeightX OutYardageYardage BookYardage MarkerYellow LineYellow StakesYieldYips
  52. Zero HandicapZincZipZoneZone DefenseZone HittingZone PlayZone SystemZoysia
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