05 · The numbers
Scoring
Most junior parents can keep score. Fewer can read a tournament leaderboard at a glance. Here's the difference.
Editorial — placeholder content01
Stroke play — every shot counts
Placeholder — total strokes over the round, lowest wins. The default format at almost every junior event. Cumulative across multiple rounds.
02
Match play — hole by hole
Placeholder — you win, lose, or halve each hole. Score is reported as 'up' or 'down', e.g., 3&2 means three holes up with two to play. Used in team events and some invitationals.
03
Net vs. gross
Placeholder — gross is raw strokes. Net subtracts the player's course handicap. Most junior tournaments are gross-only; net comes up in club and family events.
04
How to read a leaderboard
Placeholder — '−4' means four under par, 'E' means even, 'F' means finished. 'Thru 12' means they're walking off the 12th green. Position numbers (T-5) mean tied for 5th.
05
How tournament scores feed ranking systems
Placeholder — Junior Golf Scoreboard, AJGA stars, Rolex AJGA Rankings, JGS National Rankings. Which scores count, how often rankings update, and why one tournament rarely moves the needle.