16 fun golf formats that you have to try

String ball gives every player the chance to move their ball.

If you’re bored of the weekly stableford with your mates, here are 16 new formats to freshen things up and provide some new fun on the golf course.

For a game that is anything but predictable, it’s ironic that most golf competitions follow the strokeplay, stableford or matchplay formats. They may be good fun, but there are hundreds of other ways to liven things up ahead of your next Sunday rollup. We’ve picked out 16 underused golf games and scoring systems for you and your mates to try.

Bingo Bango Bonga

It may sound like a cheesy pop song, but it’s actually a points-based betting game where scoring well doesn’t necessarily win you the match. On each hole, points are awarded for three separate achievements.

The first is given to the player who gets on the green first. The second is awarded to the player who is closest to the pin once all the balls are on the green, and the third is given to the player who holes out first. The goal, as you can probably guess, is to earn the most points during the round. There are 54 points up for grabs so just be mindful when setting the betting stake.

ChaChaCha

No, it’s not a dance. It’s a twist on a traditional fourball format with only the best ball counting on the 1st hole, two on the 2nd, and then three on the 3rd. The process repeats so that you count the best score on the 4th and so on.

Chairman

The player with the lowest net score on each hole becomes the Chairman on the next hole. If two players tie, then the current Chairman continues for the next hole. The big difference maker is that a hole can only be won by the current Chairman. The player who wins the most holes takes the bragging rights – and the money.

Chapman

This fourball variation might not win you any friends, but it’s a great way to stitch a playing partner up. Each player tees off and then hits his or her teammate’s ball for their second shot. Thereafter, both players must decide which of the two balls to play with for the remainder of the hole.

The other ball is then picked up and the players must alternate strokes before holing out. If you’re still talking once you’ve finished, consider it a job well done.

Flaps

If you’ve ever played double or quits, you’ll like this one. When playing a shot from off the green in matchplay, the player can shout “flap” between striking the ball and its first bounce. The player then has to hole out with the next shot to win the hole – great if you’ve got a makeable chip or bunker shot. If they don’t, they lose the hole.

Once a player calls “flap” on a shot, the opponent(s) can shout “double” before the ball bounces to double the win or loss.

Ghost

A game of fourball better-ball matchplay with three real players and one imaginary player. One player is allocated to play with the “ghost”, who makes par on every hole. The ghost plays off scratch and gives shots to every other player in the group. We’d recommend pairing the higher handicapper with the ghost.

GolfSixes

Follow in the footsteps of the DP World Tour by playing in a greensomes pairs knockout tournament, spread over two days. The only catch is that you need a group of 16 to make it work, hence it’s perfect for a society weekend.

Teams are split into groups of four – similar to the UEFA Champions League – and face off in a round-robin format on the first day. Each match is played over six holes, with three points being awarded for a win and one point for a draw.

The top-two teams from each group then progress to the knockout stages, all of which take place on day two. In the event of a tie, matches are decided by a sudden-death playoff.

Gruesomes

A variant of traditional pairs matchplay where both players tee off and the opposing team then decides which ball is played next. Alternate shots are then played for the rest of hole, as in foursomes.

Lone Ranger/Yellow Ball

A popular scramble format during charity days, where your partners can only bail you out on so many occasions. Played in groups of four, each player takes it in turns playing with a yellow ball for the duration of the hole.

For example, Player A uses it on hole one, Player B on the second, and so on. The score of the designated “lone ranger” is then combined with the best score of the other team members to make up the overall team score on each hole.

Metoo

This takes “pick and place” to a new level. The idea is that you can ditch your less-than-desirable shot for someone else’s in your group, be it a drive, bunker shot, or putt. You simply move your ball to where the other one finished and you both play the next shot from you.

To keep the peace, make sure you decide on the amount of Metoos allowed before you begin your round.

Murphys

This is effectively a modified stableford format, with different scoring. Players receive -3 for a double bogey or worse, -1 for a bogey, zero for a par, +2 for a birdie, +5 for an eagle and +8 for an albatross.

Nassau Scoring

If you struggle to motivate yourself after a shocking front nine, this side-betting game could be for you. Nassau scoring is made up of three separate matches, with a competition on the front nine, back nine, and all 18 holes. The beauty is that Nassau works for nearly all types of scoring, and it can even be played individually or as part of a team.

Portuguese Caddy

The next best thing to a mulligan. Each player is allowed to move their ball by kicking it out of trouble – without penalty – a set number of times. If only this was permitted in competitions…

Split Sixes

A hybrid version of skins for a group of three golfers. As the name suggests, there are six points at stake on every hole. If someone wins it outright, they get four points. The second-best score gets two points and the third gets none.

If the hole is won and the other players halve, then the allocation of points is 4-1-1. If two players halve and beat the third, then it’s 3-3-0. Don’t worry; it’s easier than it sounds.

Stringball

A favorite among players permanently gripped by bad luck. Instead of handicap strokes, every player is allocated a foot of string per shot of handicap. You can then move your ball by measuring the distance and cutting that amount off your piece of string.

It’s a great way to save yourself a penalty stroke if your ball lies out of bounds, behind a tree or just in a hazard. Just don’t forget to pack a pair of scissors and discard each piece of string once you’ve used it!

Have you got any favourite formats you regularly play? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.