Never played golf yourself? Start here.
"Par" and strokes
Every hole has a "par" — the number of strokes (shots) a good player is expected to take to get the ball in. A round's score is just the total strokes added up over every hole played. Fewer strokes is better.
What's a handicap?
A handicap is a number that reflects a player's ability — the higher it is, the more shots they're "given back" so beginners and experienced players can compete fairly against each other. Beginners don't need one for every format (see right).
The three ways juniors are scored
The full 18 (or sometimes fewer) holes, counting every stroke. Scratch is the raw score; Nett subtracts the player's handicap — so a less experienced player can still win on Nett. Needs a handicap (CDH number).
Points instead of strokes — you score points for each hole based on how you did against par, and one bad hole doesn't ruin the round the way it can in Scratch. More points wins. Also needs a handicap.
The easiest entry point — each junior gets a fixed 36 shots and plants a flag wherever they end up. Further round the course wins. No handicap needed — great for complete beginners.
What an event day actually looks like
Juniors check in before their tee time, play their round (usually with a few others in a small group, sometimes with a parent or marker walking round to keep score), and hand in or submit their card at the end. For Flag events specifically, an adult marker tracks scoring live on a phone — no paperwork. A bit of etiquette goes a long way: stay quiet and still while someone else is playing their shot, and repair any divots or pitch marks you make.
How JGS competitions & the Order of Merit work.
Six categories, so everyone competes against players like them
The 18-hole format splits by age (under 13 / 13 and over) and by scoring type (Scratch / Nett), giving four categories from one set of players. Stableford and Flag are each their own open-age category.
📋 What's a CDH number, and does my child need one?
A CDH number is your child's official Scottish Golf handicap reference — it's what lets Scratch, Nett and Stableford events calculate a fair score, and it follows them between clubs and events. It's required for the Scratch, Nett and Stableford categories, but not for Flag — which is exactly why Flag is the easiest format for a junior to enter first. If your child doesn't have one yet, ask their home club or coach — they can point you in the right direction to get one set up through Scottish Golf.
🏅 The Order of Merit — a season-long leaderboard
Every result from a JGS event or a club's junior open feeds into a running set of standings — one leaderboard per category, building up across the whole season. JGS's own flagship events count for double points. At the end of the season, top performers in each category qualify for the Season Final — the spot at each event goes to the best finisher who hasn't already qualified some other way, so it isn't just the same few players locking it down early.
Check the current standings →How to sign up.
The JGS Academy at Playsport Golf
The natural starting point for complete beginners — group coaching, no experience needed.
Join the Academy →Development Squad at Playsport Golf
For juniors ready to progress further, with more individual attention.
Find out more →Holiday Camps at Playsport Golf
Day or week-long camps during school holidays — a low-commitment way to try golf.
Book a camp →JGS Events
Browse every upcoming competition and junior open, filterable by age and format.
See what's on →Find a Club
Search every club in the JGS network to find your nearest one and get a CDH number.
Browse clubs →At a Flag event?
No app or sign-up needed for your child to play — an adult marker tracks scores live on the day using JGS's own digital scorecard.
