What score do I write on my Stableford scorecard when I hole out but get zero points?
You can leave the score blank or write any number that would give you zero points — both are correct. The Committee calculates your actual points, not you. Rule 21.1b(2) says the scorecard must show either no score or any score resulting in zero points when you hole out but exceed the fixed target by more than one stroke.
What the rule actually says
Rule 21.1b(2) is surprisingly flexible. If you hole out but your stroke total is more than one over the fixed target (usually par), you get zero points for the hole. For the scorecard, you have two options: write nothing at all, or write any score that would also yield zero points. So if par is 4 and you took 7, you could write 7, or 8, or 10 — or just leave the box empty. The Committee does the math afterward and assigns the correct zero points either way.
Why it works this way
The rule exists because Stableford scoring is the Committee's job, not yours. Your only obligation is to return a scorecard that doesn't claim points you didn't earn. Writing a huge number or leaving it blank both signal "zero points here" without you needing to calculate anything. The Committee then applies any handicap strokes to the score you wrote (or the score they infer from a blank) and works out the points themselves. This keeps things simple on the course and puts the arithmetic where it belongs — in the scoring tent.
A quick example
Say it's a par-4 hole, fixed target is 4. You have a nightmare and take 8 strokes to hole out. That's four over target — zero points. On the card you can: leave the square empty, write "8" (your actual strokes), write "7" (also zero points), or write "12" if you want. All four produce the same result: the Committee records zero points for that hole. The only thing you mustn't do is write a score that would earn points, like "5" (one over = 1 point), because that would be returning a wrong score for the hole.
Frequently asked questions
What if I accidentally write a score that would give me points?
If you write a score that would earn points (like a 5 on a par-4 when 5 means 1 point), you've returned a wrong score for that hole. In stroke play that's a disqualification under Rule 3.3b unless the Committee applies the exception for an honest mistake that doesn't affect the result — but don't risk it. Stick to blank or any zero-point number.
Do I have to write the Stableford points on the card too?
No. The Terms of the Competition may encourage you to jot down the points, but Rule 21.1b(2) only requires the stroke score (or blank). The Committee calculates points from the strokes you record. Writing points is optional and never replaces the stroke score.
What if I pick up before holing out because I know I'll get zero?
Same treatment. Rule 21.1b(1) says the hole is completed when your score will result in zero points, even if you don't hole out. On the card you again write either nothing or any zero-point score. The Committee still does the points calculation.
Does this change in a handicap Stableford competition?
No. The rule is identical. The only difference is the Committee applies your handicap strokes to the score you entered (or the score they infer) before comparing to the fixed target to determine points. Your scorecard entry stays the same: blank or any zero-point stroke total.
What happens if I leave it blank and the Committee misreads it?
A blank square is treated as "no score returned," which the points table explicitly lists as zero points. There's no ambiguity — the Committee knows a blank means zero points in Stableford. If they somehow misread it, the error is on them and can be corrected before the competition closes.