Why Leaderboards Matter
Without a leaderboard, players finish their round and wait. They have no idea where they stand until someone tallies paper scorecards and announces winners an hour later.
With a live leaderboard:
- Players see standings in real-time on their phones
- Groups know if they're in contention coming down the stretch
- Spectators and sponsors can follow along from anywhere
- The awards ceremony has built-in suspense
It's the difference between a round of golf and an actual tournament.
Leaderboard Options
Paper/Manual
Someone collects scorecards at the turn and at the end, manually updates a whiteboard or poster. Works for small events but creates delays and errors.
Spreadsheet + TV
Scores entered into a Google Sheet displayed on a monitor at the clubhouse. Better than paper, but still requires manual entry and doesn't update during the round.
Live Scoring Software
Players enter scores on their phones as they play. Leaderboard updates automatically in real-time. This is the modern standard for tournaments that want a professional feel.
How Live Leaderboards Work
The typical setup:
- Before the event: Create pairings and assign groups in your tournament software
- Day of: Each group designates a scorer who enters scores hole-by-hole on their phone
- During the round: Leaderboard updates automatically as scores come in
- At the clubhouse: Display the leaderboard on a TV or projector
Players can also check the leaderboard on their own phones between holes.
What to Display on Your Leaderboard
A good tournament leaderboard shows:
- Team/Player name
- Score (relative to par or total strokes)
- Thru (how many holes completed)
- Today (current round score, for multi-round events)
For scrambles and team events, show team names. For individual stroke play, show player names.
Optional additions:
- Flight/division breakdown
- Gross and net scores
- Hole-by-hole detail (for top teams)
Displaying the Leaderboard
On a TV at the clubhouse
Set up a monitor near the bar, dining area, or registration desk. Open the leaderboard URL in a web browser and set it to auto-refresh or use a live-updating page.
On a projector
Great for the awards ceremony. Pull up the final leaderboard when announcing winners.
On your event website
Embed or link to the leaderboard so people who couldn't attend can follow along.
On social media
Share screenshots or the live link during the round. Great for engagement and sponsor visibility.
Leaderboard Formats by Tournament Type
Scramble
Show team name and score relative to par. Simple and clean. Most charity tournaments use this.
Best Ball
Show team name and best ball score. Some leaderboards also show individual scores within the team.
Stroke Play
Show individual player names, scores, and holes completed. Can get long with large fields — consider showing top 10 or breaking into flights.
Match Play
Show matchups and current status (e.g., "Team A 2UP thru 14"). Different format than stroke play leaderboards.
Common Leaderboard Problems
"Scores aren't updating"
Usually means the scorer's phone lost signal or they forgot to submit. Check that groups are entering scores and that the app syncs when back in range.
"Wrong scores showing"
Typos happen. Make sure an admin can edit scores in real-time. Double-check before announcing winners.
"Players don't know how to enter scores"
Demo the app at check-in or on the first tee. A 30-second walkthrough prevents most issues.
"Leaderboard is confusing"
Keep it simple. Team name, score, holes completed. Don't overload with stats nobody asked for.
Setting Up Live Scoring in Kismet Golf
Kismet includes live scoring and leaderboards as part of the platform:
- Create your event and set the format (scramble, best ball, etc.)
- Build pairings or let the system generate them
- Share the scoring link with players or have them log in
- Scores update the leaderboard automatically
- Display the leaderboard URL on any device
No separate app to download. Works on any phone with a web browser.
Final Thought
A leaderboard turns spectators into fans and players into competitors. Set it up before your event, test it with a few sample scores, and make sure someone knows how to troubleshoot on tournament day. When it works, it's the feature everyone remembers.
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