Scorecard
The scorecard is the sheet on which you record your strokes per hole.
The scorecard is the official document of your round. It shows for every hole the par specification, the lengths of the single tees and the stroke index of the hole, i.e. its difficulty rank from 1 to 18. From that results where you are entitled to handicap strokes. Added to that are columns for your score and your marker's. On the back there are usually the local rules and the course and slope ratings of the respective tees. These values you need to calculate your course handicap.
In practice it runs in the tournament like this: you enter the strokes of your marker, he enters yours. Noted is after every hole, best at the next tee. After the round you check your numbers, sign and hand the card in at the club office. You yourself are responsible for the correctness of the hole results. The committee calculates the final total. A too low entered number on one hole leads to disqualification, a too high one remains.
A common misconception concerns the private round. Also there you can keep a scorecard for a result that counts towards the handicap, provided you register it beforehand and a marker comes along. Digital scoring apps are permitted in many clubs, but they do not replace the paper card everywhere. Ask at the club office before you start.
Details on the registration and on rounds that count towards the handicap you find in the FAQ and under the Handicap Index.
FAQ
Who keeps my scorecard in a tournament?
Not you yourself but your marker — a fellow player from your flight who notes your strokes while you record his. After every hole you announce your stroke number, and after the round you check your card, sign it and hand it in. Responsibility for the correct hole results nevertheless remains with you, not with the marker.
Can I also use the scorecard in a private round for my handicap?
Yes, that works via a registered private round: you register the round before the first tee — depending on the club at the club office or digitally in the app — and a marker with a sufficient handicap accompanies you. The round then counts for your handicap index just like a tournament. The only important thing: the registration must happen before the start, registering afterwards is not possible.
What do the numbers and details on the scorecard mean?
Alongside the columns for your strokes you find per hole the par, the length from the various tees and the difficulty rank from 1 to 18, from which your handicap strokes result. On the card or on the notice board there are also the course and slope values of the course, with which your course handicap is calculated for exactly this course. The separate glossary article explains what is behind the course rating.