Golf ScoutWhat is net double bogey?
Net double bogey is the highest score a hole can count for on your handicap record: par, plus 2, plus any handicap strokes you get on that hole. On a par 4 where you get one stroke, it's 7; anything worse goes down as 7. Before you have a Handicap Index, the cap is par plus 5 instead.
The formula
Net double bogey = par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive on the hole.
It's the World Handicap System's limit on a bad hole. When your score goes on your handicap record, every hole is counted at no more than net double bogey, and the total is your adjusted gross score. That's the score your score differential is worked out from. There's no limit on how many holes can be adjusted in a round.
Net double bogey is also the lowest score on a hole that earns no Stableford points (it scores 0), so if you've picked up in a Stableford, that's the score you record for handicap.
Net double bogey by handicap
Your strokes on a hole depend on your course handicap and the hole's stroke index (SI). Here's the maximum score on three holes for five course handicaps:
| Hole | Scratch | 9 hcp | 18 hcp | 27 hcp | 36 hcp | No index yet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par 4, SI 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Par 3, SI 17 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Par 5, SI 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
The highest score each hole can count for on your handicap record.
Course handicap, not playing handicap
Use your full course handicap to work out your strokes for net double bogey, even in a competition where your playing handicap is cut to 95% or less. The rules say the reduced playing handicap is only for the competition result. So a golfer with a course handicap of 20 playing off 19 still gets a stroke on every hole and a second on SI 1 and 2 when adjusting their card.
A worked example
Nine holes for a golfer with a course handicap of 20:
| Hole | Par | SI | Score | Strokes | Net double bogey | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 3 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 5 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| 8 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Total | 57 | 53 |
Three holes are capped: the 9 on hole 2 counts as 8, the 8 on hole 5 counts as 7 and the 10 on hole 8 counts as 8. The card's 57 becomes an adjusted 53 for handicap. Notice the 9 on hole 2 wasn't cut as far as you might expect: with two strokes on the hardest hole, net double bogey there is 8.
Before you have a Handicap Index
You don't have any strokes yet, so the cap is par + 5 on every hole: 8 on a par 3, 9 on a par 4 and 10 on a par 5. That applies to the first 54 holes you submit. See how many rounds you need for a handicap.
Holes you didn't finish or didn't play
- Started but not finished, such as picking up: the hole counts as net double bogey.
- Not played for a valid reason, such as bad light: since 2024 the hole gets your expected score, not net par.
Net double bogey as a competition format
Some clubs run Maximum Score competitions, where the committee sets a cap on each hole. Net double bogey is one of the options the Rules of Golf give, along with a fixed number or twice par. In those, your card counts the capped score for the result as well as for handicap.
Work out your adjusted score
The Stableford calculator works out your strokes on each hole and your adjusted gross score from your course handicap. For the points themselves, see how to score with a handicap.
Work out your adjusted gross score
Related guides
- Why did my handicap go up after a good round?
- How to score with a handicap: net and Stableford
- What is a score differential?
Sources
Golf Scout's scorecard records your strokes on every hole, and its handicap estimate uses your rated rounds. Get Golf Scout on the App Store, free for iPhone and Apple Watch.