Scoring
Players record the number of strokes taken at each hole and total them up at the end of a given round, or rounds. The player with the lowest total is the winner. In handicap competitions, the player would subtract their handicap from the total (gross) score to generate their net score, and the player with the lowest net score is the winner.
Scores may be reported in relation to par for easy comparison with other golfers' scores. For example, a player whose score is three strokes over par after a given hole would appear as "+3" on the scoreboard.
Should there be a tie for first place, it may be desirable to determine an outright winner. Two of the more common methods are a playoff and scorecard count back.
Read more about this topic: Stroke Play