The basics couldn't be simpler. Your child counts every single shot they take across 18 holes. Tee shots, approach shots, chips, putts — every one goes on the card. At the end, you add them all up. Lowest total wins.
This is called "gross" scoring — the raw number. But in junior competitions, there's usually a handicap adjustment too. Your child's handicap is subtracted from their gross score to give the "net" score. So a child who shoots 90 with a handicap of 18 has a net score of 72.
"Strokeplay is golf in its purest form. Every shot matters equally — whether it's the drive on the first hole or the putt on the last. It rewards consistency above everything else. One terrible hole can hurt you, but one brilliant hole can save you. That balance is what makes strokeplay so compelling."
One sentence explanation: Instead of counting every shot over 18 holes, Stableford gives your child points on each hole. Highest total wins. A bad hole costs zero — you pick up and move on.
That last part is the key. In strokeplay, one terrible hole can ruin an entire round. A nine on a par four demoralises a junior golfer in a way that's genuinely hard to recover from. Stableford removes that problem entirely. This is why Stableford is the format most junior competitions use.
These points are calculated after your child's handicap allowance is applied. A high-handicap junior gets extra shots on certain holes — meaning they can score "net birdies" and "net pars" even if their raw score isn't brilliant.
"Stableford changed junior golf. Before it became the standard format for opens, a junior could shoot a nine on a par four and spend the next ten holes trying to mentally recover. Now? They pick up, walk to the next tee, and birdie the next hole. It's genuinely better for development."
Important rule: Your child must always write down their actual shots taken on the card — not the Stableford points. If they write down the wrong number of shots and sign the card, the result stands even if it costs them the competition. Always double-check before signing.
Matchplay is completely different from strokeplay — and it's the most exciting format in golf to watch. Instead of counting shots across all 18 holes, your child plays hole by hole against one opponent. Win a hole and you go "one up." Lose a hole and you go "one down." Halve it and nothing changes.
The match ends when one player is ahead by more holes than there are holes left to play. So if your child is 3 up with only 2 holes to play, they win — they can't be beaten. This is written as "3 and 2" (three up, two to play).
The brilliant thing about matchplay is that a disaster hole costs you just one hole — not the whole round. Your child can make a ten on a par four, lose the hole, and then immediately reset to fight for the next one.
"Matchplay teaches juniors something strokeplay can't — how to compete directly against another person. Reading their opponent, deciding when to attack and when to play safe, how to react when they go behind. It's the format that builds the most character, fastest."
Fourball is the most common team format and one of the most enjoyable to play. Two players form a team against another two. All four players hit their own ball throughout — but only the best score on each team counts on each hole.
So if your child makes a six on a tough hole but their partner makes a par, the team scores the par. The pressure is shared. If one player is having a bad hole, the other can bail them out. It rewards each player playing to their strengths.
"Fourball is the perfect introduction to team golf. Your child plays their own game but with a safety net. I've seen juniors play the best round of their life in fourball because the pressure of carrying the team actually focuses them rather than tightening them up."
Foursomes is the most demanding team format — and also one of the most satisfying when it works. Two players share one ball, taking turns to play each shot. Player A hits the tee shot on odd holes (1, 3, 5...), Player B tees off on even holes. Between tee shots, they simply alternate.
The challenge is that each player has to play whatever lie the other leaves them. If your child's partner drives into a bunker, your child plays the bunker shot. There's nowhere to hide — both players' games contribute equally to every hole.
"Foursomes is the ultimate team test. You can't have one strong player carrying a weak one — both have to contribute. It teaches juniors empathy, patience and communication in a way no other format does. When it clicks between two players who trust each other, it's beautiful to watch."
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Choose best drive
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Alternate from there
Greensomes is foursomes with a lifeline. Both players tee off on every hole. The team then selects whichever drive they prefer — the longer one, the safer one, whichever gives the best position. From there, they alternate shots just like foursomes until the ball is holed.
This format is much more forgiving than pure foursomes because even if one player drives poorly, the other's drive might save the hole. It's particularly popular in mixed-ability team events and fun competitions because it keeps both players engaged from the first shot of every hole.
"Greensomes is the format I recommend most for junior team events when the players are at different levels. The stronger player's drive can set up the weaker one for a better approach, and vice versa. Both players feel like they're contributing every single hole. It's the most inclusive team format in golf."
The scramble is the most sociable format in golf — and the one that produces the most impossible-sounding scorecards. Typically played in teams of four: everyone tees off, the team picks the best drive, everyone plays their second shot from that spot, the team picks the best of those, and so on until the ball is holed.
The result? Teams routinely finish 15 or even 20 under par because the best shot from four players on every single shot is extraordinary. It's the format that makes high-handicap golfers feel brilliant, and scratch golfers feel invincible.
For juniors it's often used at club fun days and charity events rather than serious competitions — but it's a brilliant introduction to team golf and one of the best ways to get a new golfer enjoying the game before they've developed a consistent swing.
"I've used scrambles to introduce hundreds of beginners to the game. When you know your teammates can bail you out, you swing freely. And when you hit the best drive in the group and everyone plays from yours — there's no better feeling in golf. The scramble is joy, pure and simple."
Ready to find a competition?
Now you know the formats — find a junior open near you and enter. Most use Stableford scoring.
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