Sport
Golf
- players
- 1–4
- minutes
- 180-240
- years
- 6+
In the box
Clubs, balls, a course
Official rules (federation's site)
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- DexterityPaper and Pencil
Where to buy it
Near you
In a shop
Within 50 km.
The basics
On a course of eighteen holes, or nine for a short round, the aim is to finish in as few strokes as possible. Each hole is played from the tee to the green, the player farthest from the hole playing first, and you note your score as soon as the hole is finished, in strokes or, in stableford, in points against par. At the eighteenth hole, the lowest number of strokes wins in stroke play; in stableford, the most points, and in match play, the most holes won.
The rules, step by step
Setup
18 holes, or 9, Par 3 to 5 usually, 1 scorecard per player
- A course of eighteen holes, or nine for a short round.
- Each hole has a par: the number of strokes a good player should take on it, usually from 3 to 5.
- One scorecard per player, countersigned by a playing partner in competition.
How to play
From tee to green, Then putt, Farthest goes first
- You play each hole from the tee to the green, then you putt.
- The player furthest from the hole plays first.
- Write down your score as soon as the hole is finished: three holes later, nobody remembers.
Scoring
Stroke play: strokes, Stableford: points, Match play: holes
- Relative to par: birdie one under, eagle two under, bogey one over, double bogey two over.
- In stroke play, add up the strokes on each hole, penalties included: the lowest total wins.
- In Stableford, you score points on each hole: 4 for an eagle, 3 for a birdie, 2 for par, 1 for a bogey, 0 beyond that. An albatross is worth 5. The highest total wins.
- In match play, one against one, each hole goes to whoever played it in fewer strokes, or is halved on a tie: the most holes won wins.
- In Marquoir, pick the format when you start: in stroke play, enter the strokes for the hole; in Stableford, its points; in match play, 1 for whoever wins the hole and 0 otherwise.
End of the game
At the 18th hole, Or 9th, short round
- The round ends at the eighteenth hole, or the ninth for a short round.
- In match play, the match is won as soon as a player leads by more holes than remain to be played: in Marquoir, end the game by hand at that point.
- In case of a tie in competition, it is decided on the last nine holes, then the last six, then the last three, then the last hole.
House rules and pitfalls
Handicaps let players of different levels play together: you subtract your handicap strokes from your gross…
- Handicaps let players of different levels play together: you subtract your handicap strokes from your gross total.
- A ball lost or out of bounds costs a penalty stroke and is replayed from the previous spot.
Going further
Variants · Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Variants
Course
Eighteen holes
Nine holes
Format
Stroke play
Enter the strokes on each hole, penalties included: the lowest total wins.
Stableford
Enter the points for each hole: the highest total wins.
Match play
One against one: 1 for whoever wins the hole, 0 otherwise. The most holes won takes the match.
choose them when you start a game: the scorer adapts
Frequently asked questions
What is a hole's par?
The number of strokes a good player is expected to take on it, counting two putts on the green. A par 3 is played with a tee shot and two putts, a par 5 with three shots and two putts.
How does match play work?
You play one against one, hole by hole: whoever finishes the hole in fewer strokes wins it, and a hole played in the same number of strokes is halved. You do not count total strokes, only holes won, so a bad hole only costs one hole.
How does Stableford work?
You count points instead of strokes: 2 for par, 3 for a birdie, 4 for an eagle, 1 for a bogey and 0 beyond that. The highest total wins, and one disastrous hole no longer ruins the round.