23 Best Golf Games To Play For More Fun On The Golf Course (1-4 Players)

You’ll decide whether or not you want to wager any money on your golf games. We’ll make sure you have enough playing formats to choose from! 

To keep things competitive, you can include strokes from your handicap in every game!

Golf Games for a single player

Since you can’t win money against yourself, you can play some golf games to spice things up when playing alone. 

Worst Ball

Play two balls, count the ball, achieving a worse score.  

Note: Make sure not to hold up play. 

Best Ball

Same as worst ball, but the opposite around. Play two golf balls and count your lowest score.

Mulligans

If you play a bad shot, take a mulligan and try again! See how low you can score or even break par? 

5 Clubs

Play a game with only your:

• Driver
• 6 iron
• 8 Iron
• Pitching Wedge
• Putter

This game requires you to plan your shots well! You’ll be surprised to see that your scores are not always getting higher when playing this game. 

1 Club Only

Only use one club for your entire round. 6 & 7 Irons are popular choices. Like the previous game, this format will require you to effectively manage your way around the course.

Golf Games For 2 Players

Matchplay

You win a hole by having fewer strokes than your opponent. If both players have the same score, you halve the hole. The match is over after 18 holes, or if you are winning by more holes, then remain to be played. Take your handicaps into account. 

You can also play this game with larger groups. 

Stroke Play

The traditional game of golf. Either play with or without handicaps. Play from different tee boxes to keep things interesting once in a while. Whoever has the lowers score after 18 holes wins. 

You can also play this game with larger groups. 

Best Ball

Both players hit their drives. Pick the ball you prefer and play your second from that position. Both players always hit a shot from the chosen position. 

Skins

This is a popular game you can play from up to 2 players. Here are the rules:

1. Each hole is worth one skin
2. The player who wins the hole gets the skin
3. When you tie the hole, the skin is carried over. The next hole is then worth 2 skiing, etc. 

If you want to practice playing under pressure, try this game! The 3 footer worth 3 skins is all of a sudden nerve-racking!

Stableford

You get points for your score on each hole (either with or without taking your handicap into consideration). 

1. Bogey = 1 point
2. Par = 2
3. Birdy = 3
4. Eagle = 4
5. Albatross (as if…) = 5 

Pick up your ball if you score anything worse than a bogey. Talking about paste of play…

Cutthroat

Dismiss a club from your opponent’s bag whenever you win a hole. If your opponent wins a hole, he/she can choose to bring one of their dismissed clubs back to life!

Golf Games For 3 Players

Skins

This is a popular game you can play from up to 2 players. Here are the rules:

1. Each hole is worth one skin
2. The player who wins the hole gets the skin
3. When you tie the hole, the skin is carried over. The next hole is then worth 2 skins, etc. 

If you want to practice playing under pressure, try this game! The 3 footer worth 3 skins is all of a sudden nerve-racking!

Split Sixes A.K.A 6-6-6

The counting for this game might seem complicated, but it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it: 

1. Each hole has 6 points to be won. 
2. If 1 player wins the hole, he gets 4 points
3. The second best score gets 2 points
4. The third best score gets 0 points
5. Halving the hole means you split the score

If one person wins the hole and the others halve it, the score would be 4-1-1. If the players with the best score halve the hole, you count 3-3-0

Ghost

This game is played similar to Fourball Better Ball, but with only 3 actual players. One player is chosen to play with a Ghost instead. 

1. The Ghost always pars the hole
2. The Ghost plays off scratch 
3. The Ghost gives other players strokes as per their handicap

This game is best suited if you play with a beginner. Assing him the Ghost. 

Nines

This is a variation of Skins. Every hole has 9 points to win. Award the points based on the players’ scores:

If one player wins the hole and nobody halves it:

First place	5 points
Second place	3 points
Third place	1 point

If one player wins the hole and two halve it:

First place	5 points
Second place	2 points
Third place	2 points

If two plates halve the hole and one loses it:

First place	4 points
Second place	4 points
Third place	1 point

All players halve the hole

First place	3 points
Second place	3 points
Third place	3 points

Here is where it gets interesting:

If the first place wins the hole by birdie or better:

First place	7 points
Second place	1 point
Third place	1 point

Again, keeping a score for this game can seem intimidating. Once you get started, it’s really not that complicated. 

Defender

In this game, two players compete in a team against the third player. He’s called Defender. 

On every hole, the defender change. It the Defender’s job to defend that hole by matching (or bearing) the scores of the attacking players. 

Golf Games For 4 Players

Bingo, Bango, Bongo

Points are awarded for:

1. The first player to reach the green (With his ball… Duh)
2. Player closest to the hole on the approach shot
3. The first player to putt out (Whoever is furthest from the hole putts first)

The player with the most points by the end of the round wins. This format brings a lot of variety to the game and is a lot of fun!

Foursome

This is another variation of the Matchplay format. 

Form a team with another player and alternate shots until you hole out. One player tees off on even hole, the other on odd holes. 

Greensomes

Yet another variant of Matchplay:

1. Form two teams of two
2. Both players hit their drive
3. Choose which ball you want to play
4. The hole continues playing alternate shot

As in Matchplay, the match is over after 18 holes, or if you are winning by more holes, then remain to be played.

Gruesomes

Same as Greensomes, but your opponents choose which ball you have to play after your drives. 

Scramble

Teams of two players compete against each other, choosing only the best ball after each swing. The group with the lowest score after 18 holes wins. 

This game is great for high handicappers and during outings. 

Texas Scramble

Similar to a scramble but with a twist:

1. All players hit their tee shot
2. Once the ball is chosen to play the second shot from
3. All players hit their second shot from the ball that has been chosen
4. Repeat until the ball is in the hole

Each team returns one score for each hole, and the team with the lowest score for the round wins.

Snake

Works for any size of group; Whoever three puts has the snake. If you have the snake by the end of the round, you lose. 

A great practice to learn playing under pressure!

What to do next

Try these games during your next round to spice things up! All of these games make for great variety and let you rediscover the game we all love! If you want to improve your chances to win, read about these 9 Golf Swing Tips that will help you score lower!