Golf Glossary
Eclectic
In short
An eclectic is a golf competition format in which the best score on each hole from several rounds counts. These best single scores make up an ideal round, and their total is the eclectic score. It is usually played over a season or several event days and is a popular club competition.
Eclectic in golf: the meaning explained
In an eclectic competition you play several rounds on the same course. On each hole the Committee records your best score. At the end only this best score is counted for each hole. The best single scores make up an ideal round that you never actually played, but that consists of your own strokes. The total of this ideal round is the eclectic score. The player with the lowest total wins.
The word eclectic comes from the Greek ‘eklektikos’, meaning selective. It refers to picking the best parts from several attempts. In the USA the format is also called a ringer, and the result a ringer score.
An eclectic is not a form of play in the sense of the Rules of Golf like stroke play or Stableford. It is an additional scoring method that builds on ordinary rounds. The individual rounds are usually played as stroke play or Stableford. The eclectic result is only worked out afterwards from the scorecards.
How the scoring works: a worked example over nine holes
Take a 9-hole course with par 36. A player has played three rounds. The table shows par and scores per hole:
- Hole 1, par 4: 5, 4, 6, best score 4
- Hole 2, par 4: 6, 5, 5, best score 5
- Hole 3, par 3: 4, 3, 4, best score 3
- Hole 4, par 5: 6, 7, 5, best score 5
- Hole 5, par 4: 5, 5, 4, best score 4
- Hole 6, par 4: 4, 6, 5, best score 4
- Hole 7, par 3: 3, 4, 4, best score 3
- Hole 8, par 5: 6, 5, 7, best score 5
- Hole 9, par 4: 5, 4, 5, best score 4
The three rounds come to 44, 43 and 45 strokes. The sum of the best holes is 4 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 5 + 4 = 37. The eclectic score is therefore 37 strokes, one over par. That is six strokes better than the best single round of 43.
The gap shows the appeal of the format. Every round can improve the eclectic score, even if the round as a whole goes badly. A single better score on one hole already lowers the total.
Eclectic with handicap: gross, net and Stableford
Without handicap the raw scores are compared. That is the gross competition. Often, however, a net competition is also awarded so that players of different abilities can compete fairly.
There are different methods for this, and the competition terms say which applies. Common variants are for example:
- Add the best gross scores per hole and deduct a stated part of the handicap.
- Take the best net score on each hole, that is after deducting the handicap strokes of that hole.
- Eclectic Stableford: on each hole the highest Stableford score from all rounds counts. The total of points decides and the player with the most points wins.
The Stableford version is popular because a bad hole never scores less than zero points. If someone plays a hole badly in one round, the best score from another round still stands.
Important for the handicap: the eclectic score is not a round that was played and cannot be submitted as a score. The World Handicap System does not name eclectic competitions as a form of play. The individual rounds can still count for the handicap as usual if they are played in an accepted form and submitted.
Organisation: period, courses and conditions of play
For an eclectic to work, the competition terms must settle a few points.
- Period: an eclectic is usually played over a season, a month or a series of event days. The terms give the start and end.
- Number of rounds: some clubs require a minimum number of rounds before a result is counted. Others count all rounds up to the closing date.
- Course and tees: all rounds must be played on the same course from the same tees, otherwise the holes are not comparable.
- Scorecards: each round must be recorded properly with a signed scorecard. The Committee or competition software keeps track of the best scores.
- Ties: if totals are equal, the better score over the last holes usually decides, or another method named in the terms.
For small groups a simple list or table is enough. Each player adds their best score per hole after every round. A spreadsheet or golf app also makes the arithmetic easier.
Eclectic on a 9-hole course: how it fits together
The format suits 9-hole courses particularly well. A round there takes less time than on an 18-hole course, so several rounds are easier to fit into a season. The eclectic score then consists of nine holes.
Another advantage: with nine holes you remember your own scores more easily and have a clear target. Many players work their way forward hole by hole. The eclectic score later shows which hole gives you the most trouble. That is where targeted practice with a coach pays off.
Groups and company teams can use the format too. It builds tension over several dates and allows even weaker players to finish in front. Anyone looking for a good idea for a season competition among friends will find a simple model in the eclectic.
Tips: how to improve your eclectic score
With a clear strategy you reach a better result.
- Play every round out with concentration. Even after a bad start, a later hole can improve your score.
- On holes where your best score so far is weak, take a calculated risk. A miss costs nothing, because the best score is kept.
- Keep your own list of best scores. That shows which holes still have room to improve.
- Practise specifically for your weakest holes. Often they are holes with water, bunkers or long par-5 shots.
- Play many rounds. The more attempts, the greater the chance that every hole comes off once.
Also read the part of the terms about handicap. If you know your handicap and understand the method, you can judge how many strokes are realistic for your eclectic score.
Try it at Golf Lounge
The 9-hole ‘Black’ course at Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg in Moorfleet is a good place for an eclectic among friends. It is a par 33 with par-3 and par-4 holes, water hazards and bunkers. It is open from April to December to players with the DGV Platzreife (course permit), with up to four players per tee time booked online. Over several rounds you can collect your best score on each hole. Agree beforehand how you keep the scoring.
Frequently asked questions
What is an eclectic in golf?
An eclectic is a competition format in which the best score on each hole from several rounds counts. The best single scores make up an ideal round, and its total is the eclectic score. It is usually played over a season or several event days on the same course.
How is an eclectic score worked out?
You note your best score for each hole from all rounds played and add up these nine or 18 values. The total is the eclectic score. With handicap a part of the handicap is deducted as well, or the best net score on each hole is taken. The competition terms give the method.
Does an eclectic count for the handicap?
No. The eclectic score is not a round that was played and cannot be submitted as a score. The individual rounds can count for the handicap if they are played and submitted in an accepted form such as stroke play or Stableford.
What does the word eclectic mean?
The word comes from the Greek ‘eklektikos’, meaning selective. In golf it stands for picking the best scores from several rounds. In the USA the format is also called a ringer. The term describes a scoring method and not a separate form of play under the Rules of Golf.
Can you play an eclectic on a 9-hole course?
Yes, the format suits 9-hole courses well. The eclectic score then consists of nine holes, and a round takes less time than on an 18-hole course. That makes it easier to combine several rounds into a season or a competition among friends.
As of: October 2026