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What is Stroke Index In Golf?

Every golf scorecard has a column headed, ‘Stroke Index.’

Each hole has a number allocated to it between 1 and 18.

Clearly the number doesn’t signify a recommended number of shots, or a minimum age requirement for attempting the tee shot, so what’s it for?

Here we explain the purpose of stroke indexes and how they are distributed.

Why do we need stroke indexes?
If you’re playing in a handicap matchplay competition, the chances are you’ll be either giving or receiving shots.

Where those shots come into play is determined by the stroke indexes allocated to the holes.

If you’re giving away 3 shots, your opponent will receive them on the holes with stroke indexes 1 to 3.

If you’re unfortunate enough to be giving away 20 shots then your opponent will receive a shot on every hole, and two shots on the holes with stroke indexes 1 and 2.

Remember, if the match goes into extra holes, stroke index applies by the card again.

They’re just for matchplay then?
No. Stroke indexes are also important in Stableford competitions.

If you play to a handicap of 10 you’ll receive shots at holes with stroke indexes from 1 to 10.

If you make a bogey at stroke index 5, you’ll receive a shot and will actually make a nett par: two points.

Stroke indexes are used in the same way for calculating scores in par and bogey competitions.

In addition, clause 19 of CONGU’s Unified Handicapping System relies on stroke indexes.

This clause states that, for handicap purposes, you can’t score worse than a nett double bogey at any one hole.

If you play off 6 and make a triple bogey at the hole with stroke index 15, clause 19 will reduce your score to a double bogey (for handicap purposes).

However, if you had made a triple bogey at the hole with stroke index 1, you would have received a shot: the triple would have already been reduced to a double bogey so a clause 19 alteration wouldn’t have been required.