Welcome to your ultimate guide to golf game variations – a golfer’s haven designed to showcase the many exciting ways to play. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting your golf journey, this page explores a wide range of golf games that bring extra fun, challenge, and variety to the sport. From classic formats like stroke play and match play to creative team games like Scramble, Skins, and Stableford, you’ll discover the different types of golf games that keep every round fresh and engaging.

 

Stroke Play

Stroke play is what you see on the PGA tour and is one of the most common formats in golf involving a round of golf played on an 18-hole course. It is a cumulative scoring system where the player who achieves the lowest total score over all 18 holes is the winner. Your primary competition is the golf course itself, and you aim to outperform your fellow competitors. It differs from match play, where you compete hole by hole; in stroke play, you play a full round of golf, aiming to gain the best overall score compared to your rivals. Each player counts the number of strokes it takes to complete the entire course (18 holes in most cases). The player with the fewest strokes at the end of the round is the winner or if you have all got your handicaps, the player with the lower total nett score (gross score minus handicap) wins. It’s a straightforward, individual competition.

Match Play

Match Play is what you see in the Ryder and Presidents Cup. In stroke play every shot counts throughout the game but in match play it is not quite as important as you compete on a hole by hole basis and only score 1 point for winning the hole. The goal is to win more holes than your opponent. You win a hole by completing it in fewer strokes than your opponent. The golfer or team that wins the most holes is the overall winner. The player or team who won the previous hole has the honours and tees off first on the next hole. The game may not involve playing all 18 holes if one team becomes too far behind in points to win. It can also be classed as a tie if both players have the same score after 18 holes and then the match is split or alternatively play continues on more hole with players being knocked out until a clear winner is left.

Scramble

This format is often used in charity or corporate events and encourages teamwork. Scramble games feature teams comprising 2 to 4 players. In this format, each member of the team takes a tee shot on every hole. Following the initial tee shots, the team collectively selects the most favorable shot among their drives, and subsequently, each team member takes their next shot from that chosen position. This process continues for the remaining shots on that hole, including putting. Players have the option to position the ball within one club-length of the chosen spot but not closer to the hole. This game format is often played as stroke play, and the team that records the lowest combined score after all 18 holes emerges as the winner. The Scramble format is also commonly referred to as “Texas Scramble” or “Florida Scramble.”

Best Ball

Also commonly known as Four-Ball, this format is often played in teams of two. Each player plays their own ball, and the team records the lowest score achieved by a team member on each hole. This can be a slower pace of game compared to a scramble and can have a number of variations to add more fun and competition to the game.

Skins

Skins is a game where golfers compete for a prize (a “skin”) on each hole. The golfer with the lowest score on a hole wins the skin. If two or more players tie for the lowest score, the skin carries over to the next hole. The player who wins the most skins is the overall winner.

Stableford

Stableford is a popular golf scoring system that’s all about points, not just counting your strokes. It takes into account your skill level (handicap) and how well you play on each hole. It’s a great way for beginners to score, but it’s also used in casual and amateur golf competitions. It’s a fun way to keep score and focus on earning points, not just finishing the course. The Stableford scoring system assigns a point value to the number of strokes a golfer takes on each hole. The goal is to accumulate the most points by scoring more than a set number of strokes per hole. Stableford scoring: 6 points – Four strokes under 5 points – Three strokes under 4 points – Two strokes under 3 points – One stroke under 2 points – Level par 1 point – One stroke over 0 points – Two strokes or more over

Four-Ball (Better Ball)

In Four-Ball, two golfers play as a team, and each golfer plays their own ball throughout the round. The team’s score on each hole is the lower score of the two players. It’s a format often used in team competitions.

Foursomes

Foursomes is another team format where two golfers share a single ball. One player tees off on the odd-numbered holes, and the other on the even-numbered holes. It’s a test of teamwork and strategy.

Greensomes

A variation of Foursomes, where both players on a team tee off, and then they choose the best tee shot to continue playing from. From there, they alternate shots until the hole is completed.

Bogey Competition

In a bogey competition, the goal is to achieve a score equal to par (a “bogey”) on as many holes as possible. The golfer with the most bogeys wins.