How does the stroke index work?
If you receive extra strokes because of your handicap, the stroke index determines on which holes. The hole with stroke index 1 gets the first extra stroke, stroke index 2 the second, and so on. If you have more than 18 strokes, you start again at stroke index 1.
Examples
With a playing handicap of 10 you receive an extra stroke on the holes with stroke index 1 to 10. With a playing handicap of 22 you receive an extra stroke on every hole and a second one on the holes with stroke index 1 to 4.
How is it determined?
The club sets the stroke index. Holes that are hardest relative to par for higher-handicap players get a low stroke index. The low numbers are also spread over both nines, often the odd numbers on one nine and the even numbers on the other. So stroke index 1 is not always the very hardest hole.
What is it used for?
The stroke index is needed for Stableford, for match play with handicap and for setting the maximum score per hole for your score differential.
