Golf Betting Games and Formats

How to play the most common golf betting games and team formats, with worked examples: Nassau, skins, match play, Stableford, quota, best ball, scramble, alternate shot and a Ryder Cup for your golf trip.

• How to play a Nassau

  The Nassau is three bets in one: the front nine, the back nine and the full 18. Here is how it is scored, how presses and automatic presses work, and how to settle up.

• How to play skins

  In skins the lowest score on a hole wins it outright, and ties carry the hole's value forward. Here is how to set the stakes, handle carryovers and pay out.

• How match play works

  In match play you win, lose or halve each hole, and the match ends when one side leads by more holes than are left. Here is how it is scored and how strokes are given.

• How Stableford scoring works

  Stableford awards points for your score on each hole instead of counting strokes. Here is the points table, how handicap strokes apply and a worked example.

• How to play a quota game

  In a quota game each player earns points for every hole and tries to beat a personal target set from their handicap. Here is the points table and how to set quotas.

• How best ball works

  In best ball, or four-ball, two partners each play their own ball and the better score on each hole counts for the team. Here are the rules, the handicap allowance and an example.

• How a scramble works, and how to handicap one

  How a scramble is played and how to work out a fair team handicap for two, three or four players using the USGA's recommended percentages.

• How alternate shot works

  In alternate shot, or foursomes, two partners play one ball and take turns hitting it. Here is who tees off where, how the team handicap is worked out and an example.

• How to run a Ryder Cup format on a golf trip

  Pick two teams, schedule singles, four-ball and alternate shot sessions, set handicap allowances and keep a running points total across the trip.