Stroke Index
A stroke index is a number from 1 to 18 given to every hole on a golf course that sets the order in which handicap strokes are shared out. Stroke index 1 marks the hardest hole and stroke index 18 the easiest.
What is a stroke index?
Anyone reading a scorecard for the first time will spot a row of numbers labelled SI, and those numbers are the stroke index. Each of the 18 holes carries its own value from 1 to 18, and no two holes share the same one. The point of these numbers is to spread handicap strokes fairly between players of different abilities, so a beginner and a low-handicap golfer can have a proper game against each other.
The ranking broadly reflects how tough each hole plays. A long par 4 guarded by bunkers and water tends to sit near stroke index 1, while a short, open par 3 sits closer to 18. The judgement is relative to par, not raw yardage, which is why the longest hole on a course is not automatically the one ranked hardest. Stroke index only decides where strokes fall. It does not change how a hole is played, and it is a different measure from the course rating that describes the whole layout.
How stroke index works on a scorecard
On most scorecards, the stroke index sits in its own row, often shortened to SI. Some cards print it as Index, and others use HCP or HDCP, which can cause confusion because those abbreviations look like they refer to a player’s handicap rather than the hole. On a nine-hole card, the values run from 1 to 9 instead of 1 to 18.
The hole with stroke index 1 is treated as the toughest on the course, and the hole with stroke index 18 as the gentlest. That number has nothing to do with the order the holes are played. A hole can be the first you tee off on and still carry a stroke index of 12. Reading the row simply tells a golfer which holes the game considers hardest, and that ranking becomes useful the moment handicaps enter the picture.
How stroke index affects your handicap strokes
A player’s course handicap sets how many strokes they receive over a round, and the stroke index decides which holes those strokes land on. Strokes are handed out starting at stroke index 1 and working down the list. According to England Golf, a golfer whose handicap equates to 10 strokes for a course receives one extra shot on each of the ten hardest holes, meaning the holes ranked 1 to 10.
In stroke play, the maths is simple because the full handicap comes off the gross score at the end. Match play and Stableford are where the stroke index does its real work, since strokes are applied hole by hole. Golf Care gives a clear example: a player off 10 who scores 6 on a stroke index 5 hole records a net 5, because that hole sits inside their allocation.
Players above 18 loop through the list a second time. Golf Care explains that a handicap of 22 gives two shots on the four hardest holes, found by subtracting 18 from 22, and one shot on the remaining 14. The table below shows how a course handicap maps onto the holes where shots are received.
| Course handicap | Holes that receive a stroke |
|---|---|
| 5 | One stroke on stroke index 1 to 5 |
| 10 | One stroke on stroke index 1 to 10 |
| 18 | One stroke on every hole |
| 22 | Two strokes on stroke index 1 to 4, one on the rest |
| 28 | Two strokes on stroke index 1 to 10, one on the rest |
This is what lets a 22-handicapper play a competitive match against a single-figure golfer. The shots arrive on the holes where they are most likely to be needed, which keeps the result closer than the raw scores alone would suggest.
Stroke index vs course rating and slope rating
Three numbers on the handicap system describe difficulty, and they are easy to mix up. Stroke index works at the level of a single hole. Course rating and slope rating describe the whole course from a given set of tees.
| Measure | What it describes | Typical scale | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stroke index | The order in which handicap strokes are given, broadly by hole difficulty | 1 to 18 | Each individual hole |
| Course rating | The score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot | Around 67 to 77 strokes | The whole course, per tee |
| Slope rating | How much harder the course plays for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer | 55 to 155, set at 113 for a standard course | The whole course, per tee |
A scratch golfer plays off zero, so the course rating reads almost like a target score for the best amateurs. The slope rating then captures how steeply the difficulty climbs for a weaker player. Neither one tells a golfer which hole to take a shot on, and that job belongs to the stroke index.
How a stroke index is decided
The club committee sets the stroke index for its course, and the Rules of Golf require it to publish that order on the scorecard or near the first tee. The committee follows guidance in Appendix E of the Rules of Golf, which bases the ranking on each hole’s playing difficulty relative to par, drawn from the same data used in the course rating process.
There is a common belief that stroke index 1 is simply the single hardest hole, and the reality is a little more involved. The system was built for match play, so the strokes need to be spread evenly across the round rather than bunched together. Golf Monthly notes that the first hole rarely carries a low stroke index, because a match level after 18 holes can go to sudden death, and the 18th is rarely low either, since players dislike giving a shot on a hole that often decides the game.
To balance all this, Appendix E recommends splitting the course into six groups of three holes and placing odd stroke indexes on one nine and even ones on the other. Today’s Golfer points out that stroke index 1 and 2 usually sit near the middle of each nine. The upshot is that the hole marked stroke index 1 is the hardest within those balancing rules, which is not always the actual toughest hole on the course.
Related Golf Terms
- Stinger — A low, penetrating tee shot designed to maximize distance and control in wind.
- Stimpmeter — A device used to measure the speed of a putting green.
- Stiff — A shot hit very close to the hole.
- Stick — Slang for the flagstick or a shot that lands close to the pin.
- Stroke — Any forward movement of the club made with the intention of hitting the ball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stroke index 1 always the hardest hole?
By convention, it represents the hardest hole, but allocation rules spread strokes evenly for match play, so the actual toughest hole sometimes carries a slightly higher number.
What does SI mean on a scorecard?
SI is short for stroke index. The same row is sometimes labelled Index, HCP or HDCP, all referring to the hole’s ranking rather than a player’s handicap.
How do I know which holes I get shots on?
Take your course handicap and count down the stroke index from 1. A handicap of 8 gives a shot on the holes ranked 1 to 8.
Is stroke index the same as my handicap?
No, they are two different things. A handicap measures a player’s ability, while the stroke index ranks the holes, and the two work together to decide where strokes fall.
Does stroke index change for nine holes?
On a nine-hole course, the values run 1 to 9. When nine holes are played on an 18-hole course, the committee adapts the published order accordingly.
Sources
- The R&A. “Appendix E: Stroke Index Allocation, Rules of Handicapping.” Accessed May 2026.
- USGA. “Stroke Index Allocation, World Handicap System.” Accessed May 2026.
- England Golf (iGolf). “What Is a Stroke Index in Golf?” Accessed May 2026.
- Golf Monthly. “What Is Stroke Index in Golf and How Does It Work?” Accessed May 2026.
- Golf Care. “What Is Stroke Index in Golf?” Accessed May 2026.
- Today’s Golfer. “Stroke Indexes: What Are They?” Accessed May 2026.
