How to Play a 'Points for Par' Tournament

Points for Par is the name of a golf tournament format for individual golfers playing stroke play and using handicaps. On most holes during this tournament, a player earns point by making a net par or better. But on a few holes, the golfer loses points if he fails to score net par or better.

In Points for Par, the golfer is rewarded for scoring net par on the 13 "easiest" hole (based on the holes' handicap ranking). But the golfer is punished if she can't score a net par on the five hardest holes (according to the handicap ranking of holes).

This is how points are earned or lost in Points for Par:

• Tournament organizers identify the three hardest holes according to the handicap line on the scorecard — the No. 1 handicap hole, the No. 2 and No. 3 handicap holes. A golfer who scores net par or better on one of those holes earns 10 points for each net par.
• The next 10 holes in the handicap ranking — the No. 4 handicap hole through the No. 13 handicap hole — are worth 5 points each when a golfer scores net par or better.
• But now it turns around and becomes about the "easiest" handicap holes and losing points. If a golfer fails to score net par on the two easiest holes — the No. 18 and No. 17 handicap holes — he loses 10 points per hole.
• And on the remaining three holes — the Nos. 14, 15 and 16 handicap holes — a golfer loses 5 points for each on which she fails to score net par.

If tournament organizers feel their golfers won't be making a lot of net pars, they can use net bogey as the yardstick instead. In two or more golfers tie for high points, the tie can broken by comparing the number of scores lower than net par (how many net birdies did each make?).

Points for Par also works as a betting game within a group of four golfers. And if those golfers are all highly skilled, they can play the game with gross scores rather than using net scores. And while it is usually played as individual stroke play, the Points for Par format can also be applied to a scramble.

More formats:

• Explaining the '1-Club Challenge'
• How the Pinehurst System works
• The big list of golf games, formats and side bets

Sources:
Golfdom. "Revise Events Program to Increase Members' Play," February 1946.