Brett returns his scorecard to the scoring tent with the correct hole scores but an incorrect total score. What is the correct outcome?

Brett returns his scorecard to the scoring tent with the correct hole scores but an incorrect total score. What is the correct outcome?

• A. No penalty is assessed
• B. Penalty of two strokes
• C. Disqualification
• D. Loss of hole

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that a mistake in adding up the scores is treated as a clerical error, not as misrepresenting your scores. If every hole score on the card is correct, the committee can add them up and fix the round total before the card is used, so the player's record stands without a penalty. The rules only impose a penalty when the sign-off misrepresents the actual scores on the card (for example, signing for a lower total than actually scored or altering a hole score). In that specific case, a disqualification could occur. Here, since the hole-by-hole scores are accurate and the total is simply arithmetic, no penalty is assessed.

The key idea is that a mistake in adding up the scores is treated as a clerical error, not as misrepresenting your scores. If every hole score on the card is correct, the committee can add them up and fix the round total before the card is used, so the player's record stands without a penalty. The rules only impose a penalty when the sign-off misrepresents the actual scores on the card (for example, signing for a lower total than actually scored or altering a hole score). In that specific case, a disqualification could occur. Here, since the hole-by-hole scores are accurate and the total is simply arithmetic, no penalty is assessed.