Please click the score card picture to enlarge.

01. Stroke Play
The simplest way to mark the scorecard is very simple indeed: When playing stroke play, count the number of strokes you've taken on the hole just completed, and write that number down in the box corresponding to that hole on the scorecard. At the end of each nine holes, tally up the strokes for your front nine and back nine totals, respectively, then add up those two numbers for your 18-hole score.

(For space reasons, we'll just be showing one nine in this and the other examples to follow.)

02. Stroke Play, Denoting Birdies and Bogeys (Circles and Squares)
Some golfers notice that on PGA Tour broadcasts, and on some websites where the scorecards of PGA Tour players are recreated, those cards include some holes where the stroke total has been circled or squared. The circles represent below-par holes and the squares above-par holes. A score that is neither circled nor squared is a par.