Stableford, match play, scramble and the nine after work

Most amateur golf is played as medal stroke play, the format that suits amateurs least. One blow-up hole ruins the card, the round takes four and a half hours, and everybody holes out from three feet on a hole they lost long ago. Your club runs better options every week.

Stableford, the format that fits your golf

Points against par with handicap applied: two for a net par, three for a net birdie, one for a net bogey, nothing worse. A disaster costs two points instead of six shots, and you pick up as soon as you cannot score, which speeds the round up considerably. For a golfer with six pars, eight bogeys and four wrecks, a demoralizing 96 becomes a respectable 32 points.

Match play, where the hole is the unit

You win, lose or halve each hole and the score resets. A nine at the fourth costs one hole, exactly like a bogey. It rewards aggression at the right moment and forgives the rest, which is why club championships run knockouts in match play.

Scramble, the format for mixed abilities

Everybody tees off, the team picks the best ball, everybody plays from there. Weaker players contribute putts, stronger ones carry the tee shots, and nobody spends the day looking for a ball. It is the standard format for charity days, corporate events and any group where handicaps run from 6 to 28.

Fourball and alternate shot

In a fourball each player plays their own ball and the better score counts, which is the relaxed and social option. In alternate shot, known as foursomes, partners share one ball. It is fast, tense and takes about three hours, and it teaches more about course management than a month of medal play.

Nine-hole rounds count too

With a season that runs May to October and long summer evenings, the nine-hole round after work is the most common golf many Canadians play. Nine-hole scores are acceptable for handicap purposes under the World Handicap System through Golf Canada, so a Tuesday evening nine is not a wasted round as far as your index is concerned.

Which format for which day

• Alone or with one other, wanting a real test: medal stroke play.
• Club competition, or a round you want to finish in good humour: Stableford.
• A friend of similar ability and a bet: match play.
• Mixed abilities, charity or corporate day: scramble.
• Two hours after work: nine holes, or alternate shot with a partner.

Ask what your club runs

Most Canadian clubs and many public courses run weekly men’s and ladies’ nights in Stableford or scramble formats, club championships in match play, and interclub team events through the short season. The pro shop keeps the calendar, and entry is usually a few dollars.

If your handicap index matters to you, ask which events are posted through the Golf Canada Score Centre before you enter.