How to read a golf scorecard
A golf scorecard is a grid: one column per hole (1–18), with rows for yardage from each set of tees, par, and the handicap (HCP) ranking of each hole. The OUT column totals holes 1–9, IN totals 10–18. The card also carries the course rating and slope for each tee — the two numbers that make handicaps work.
Updated
Row by row
| Row | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Hole | Hole numbers 1–18, in playing order. |
| Yardage (per tee) | Distance from each tee box (often color-named). Pick one set and read that row all day. |
| Par | Expected strokes for the hole: 3, 4, or 5. |
| HCP / SI | Difficulty ranking 1–18 (1 = hardest). Determines where handicap strokes are received. |
| OUT | Total for the front nine (holes 1–9). |
| IN | Total for the back nine (holes 10–18). |
| TOT | The full 18-hole total. |
| Rating / Slope | Course difficulty for a scratch golfer (rating) and relative difficulty for a bogey golfer (slope, 55–155). |
The HCP row is the one everyone misreads
HCP (or SI, “stroke index”) is not the hole's par ranking — it is where handicap strokes are given. If your course handicap is 12, you receive one stroke on the holes ranked HCP 1 through 12. On those holes, a 5 on a par 4 is a net par. This is how players of different abilities compete hole-by-hole — see how handicaps work.
Rating and slope, in one paragraph each
Course rating (e.g. 71.4) estimates what a scratch golfer would shoot. Higher than par = plays hard. Slope (55–155, average 113) measures how much harder the course gets for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer — the steeper the slope, the more strokes higher handicaps need. Both feed directly into your score differential after the round.
Marking the card
Write raw stroke totals per hole — not symbols. Circles (birdie or better) and squares (bogey or worse) are a traditional shorthand added on top. If you track putts, note them small in the corner of each box. Or skip the pencil conventions entirely: a digital scorecard records strokes and putts per hole and renders the circles and squares for you.
Frequently asked questions
- What does HCP mean on a golf scorecard?
- HCP (handicap, also SI or stroke index) ranks the holes 1–18 by difficulty. It shows where you receive handicap strokes: with a course handicap of 10, you get one stroke on the ten holes ranked HCP 1–10.
- What do the circles and squares mean on a scorecard?
- A circle marks a score under par on the hole (birdie or better; a double circle is an eagle). A square marks over par (bogey; a double square is double bogey or worse). Plain numbers are pars.
- What are OUT and IN on a scorecard?
- OUT is your total for the front nine (holes 1–9 — heading “out” from the clubhouse); IN is the back nine (10–18, heading back in). Together they make your 18-hole total.
- Which tees should I play?
- Pick tees matching your driving distance, not your ego — a common guide is your average driver carry × 28 for total yardage. Shorter tees make the game faster and more fun while you build skill.
Keep reading
A scorecard that reads itself
Flash Caddie shows par, yardage, and hole handicap for thousands of rated courses — and renders your circles and squares automatically as you score. Free on iOS.