• Match play is a "head to head" game between either individuals or teams on a hole-by hole basis.
• It does not matter by how much competitors wins or lose a given hole.
• Holes that are tied are said to be "halved" or "no blood" (as in no blood was drawn in the fight).
• The individual or team that wins the most holes, wins the match.

Best Ball - 2 players on each team - Can be played as match play (per hole) or medal play (total score)

• Only the lowest ball of each team, per hole, is counted.
• This game can be used with multiple foursomes or in a tournament setting using full handicaps.

Low Ball/High Ball - 2 players on each team - match play

• compare the low score from each team for 1 point
• compare the high score from each team for 1 point
  • Variation: 2 points for high ball

Low Ball/Combined Score - 2 players on each team - match play

• compare the low score from each team for 1 point
• compare the total score from each team for 1 point
  • Variation: 2 points for high ball

Nassau - With Nassau play there are 3 "matches" that can actually be won or lost.

• One match is for the front nine
• One is for the back nine
• One for the the whole 18 hole round
• At the end of each nine holes, competitors compare their scores with the player with the greater number of holes winning
• Ties are often broken when the 18 hole match is compared.
  • A common addition to Nassau play is an adjustment to the points lost after the front nine.
  • The thinking here is to adjust for a player(s) bad front nine and keep that player or team in the game.

Rabbits - Rabbits divide the match into six 3 hole mini-matches.

Played with two, three or four players or as 2 two player teams

• The player with the lowest net score wins the hole (2 man teams compare total net strokes).
  • The player(s) who wins the first hole in the set of three "takes the rabbit out"
• The opponent must win the next hole in the set in order to "put the rabbit back".
• Any time a player(s) wins two of the three holes (or wins one and ties the other two) that player(s) wins a rabbit.
• If a player(s) loses two holes with one remaining to be played that competitor can call for a press.
• If the player(s) up two holes to none win the third hole during a press they win an additional rabbit. If the press player(s) win the hole the next three hole match is played for a rabbit plus any additional rabbits carried over in this way.
• At the end of the round each player(s) pays one unit for each rabbit lost.

Scotch - Two player teams compete for 5 available points per hole.

• low ball  =  2 points
• low total  =  1 point
• closet to pin in regulation  =  1 point
• natural birdie  =  1 point
• If either team wins all 5 points the points are doubled to 10. No points are awarded for any catagory ending in a tie.

Six Points - This game is for threesomes, who are playing for 6 points per hole.

• win the hole =  4 points
• 2nd place =  2 points
• last place =  0 points
• 2 tie for 1st =  3 points each
• last place =  0 points
• 3 tie for 1st =  2 points each

Spinners

• 2 person teams where the low ball of each team is given a value in the "tens" column
• and the high in the "ones" column (i.e. where the low ball is a 4 and the high ball is a 6 that teams score would be a 46).
• Team A's score is then compared with their oppents score and the difference is the number of points won or lost on that hole.
• For example team A shoots a 4 and a 6 for 46 and team B shoots a 5 and an 8 for 58, so team be wins 12 points (58-46=12).
• When a team has a par and the opponent does not the losing teams score is "spun" meaning the high score is in the "tens" column and the low is in the "ones".
• So in our example the losing teams 58 is spun into a 85 which is then subtracted from the 46 for a loss of 39 points (85-46=39).
• If the winning team records a birdie the amount is doubled;
• if the winning team records a birdie and the losing team does not have a par the scores are first spun and then doubled (Ouch!).
• If you play for a nickel a point you can lose $10 or more if your oppenent is hot and you are not, so be sure to set the price per points at something you are farmliular with winning or losing.

Stableford - Competitors use full handicaps and win points for their net score on each hole.

• eagle =  5 points
• birdie =  3 points
• par =  1 point
• bogey =  -1 point

Modified Stableford - A common format for amateurs is to shift the points earned into a more human range and award more points for good holes.

• eagle =  8 points
• birdie =  4 points
• par =  2 points
• bogey =  1 point
• double bogey =  0 points
• triple bogey =  -1 point
• quadruple bogey =  -2 points

Wolf

• During the round, each player will take his or her turn being "the Wolf"
• The Wolf chooses a partner after watching everyone tee off and then a low-ball format is played for that hole where the wolf and his or her partner play against the remaining two Golfers.
• The Wolf may elect to play without a partner by crying "Lone Wolf" and play against everyone using low ball only.
  Wolf Scoring:

Wolf Team  vs. Opposing Team

• The "Wolf" team can receive 1 point for winning low ball & 1 point for winnings low net total.
• The opposing team can receive 2 points for winning low ball & 2 points for low net total

Lone Wolf  vs. Opposing Team

• The "Lone Wolf" can receive 4 points for winning low ball.
• The opposing team will receive 4 points each if any team members beat the "Lone Wolf" for low ball.

Common Wolf Variations:

• 1. the Wolf must pick or decline each potential partner immediately after that Golfer has tee off.
• 2. The Golfer chosen by the Wolf as his or her partner may reject the partnership and call Lone Wolf.