Golf games to play with friends
Not every round needs to be a medal card and a serious face.
Some of the best golf with friends comes from having something small on the line, whether that is pride, the first drink, the last sausage roll in the halfway hut or just a few points in the group chat afterwards.
The right format can keep everyone involved, even when one player has started double, triple, lost ball.
A good golf game should make the last few holes matter, even when someone has already ruined their scorecard.
Stableford
Stableford is the obvious place to start because most club golfers already understand it.
Instead of counting total strokes, you score points on each hole based on your net score against par.
Usually:
Net bogey = 1 point
Net par = 2 points
Net birdie = 3 points
Net eagle = 4 points
The big advantage is that one disaster hole does not wreck the whole round. If you are out of the hole, you can pick up and move on.
That makes it ideal for mixed ability groups. A 7-handicapper and a 24-handicapper can still have a proper game if the handicaps are used properly.
Match play
Match play is one of the best formats for friends because it is simple and ruthless.
You play hole by hole. Lowest net score wins the hole. If you tie, the hole is halved.
You do not need to care whether someone makes a 4 or a 9 after the hole is already lost. That keeps the round moving and stops one bad hole turning into a full-card disaster.
Why it works
Match play changes how you think.
If your mate has hit one out of bounds, you do not need to fire at a tucked pin. Middle of the green might be enough.
If they are safely on in regulation, you may need to take a bit more on.
It feels more like proper golf than just adding up numbers.
Fourball better ball
Fourball better ball is a strong pairs format.
Each player plays their own ball, but only the best net score from each pair counts on each hole.
So if you make net par and your partner makes net birdie, the pair scores net birdie.
This format works well because both players can attack at different times. If one player is safely in the hole, the other can take on a more aggressive line.
It is also forgiving. You can have a poor hole without feeling like you have ruined it for your partner.
Scramble
A scramble is probably the easiest team game for a relaxed round.
Everyone tees off. The team chooses the best shot, then everyone plays from there. You keep doing that until the ball is holed.
It is quick, social and good for mixed ability groups.
A useful rule
To stop one strong player carrying the whole team, set a minimum number of tee shots per player.
For example:
Everyone must use at least three tee shots
No player can have more than six tee shots used
Drives on par 3s count as tee shots
That keeps everyone involved and adds a bit of pressure when someone still needs a drive used late on.
Greensomes
Greensomes is a good pairs format if you want something quicker than fourball.
Both players tee off. The pair chooses the best drive, then plays alternate shots from there.
It gives you a safety net from the tee, but you still need to play proper alternate shot golf after that.
This is a good one if you have a stronger and weaker player paired together. Both get involved, but the format does not punish the weaker player as harshly as straight foursomes.
Foursomes
Foursomes is alternate shot from start to finish.
One player tees off on odd holes and the other tees off on even holes. After that, you take turns until the ball is holed.
It is a brilliant format, but it can test friendships.
If you leave your partner behind a tree, they have to deal with it. If they miss a two-footer, you both suffer.
When to use it
Foursomes is best for players who know each other well and can laugh off bad breaks.
It is not ideal for a casual group where someone is already nervous about holding everyone up.
Skins
Skins is simple.
Each hole has a value. Win the hole outright and you win the skin. If two or more players tie for the best score, the skin rolls over to the next hole.
That means one hole can suddenly be worth several skins.
It works because nobody is ever fully out of it. Even if you have played badly for ten holes, one good birdie later on can win something.
Good scoring options
You can play skins with:
Gross scores
Net scores
Stableford points
Small money values
Group points instead of cash
For most friend groups, net skins or Stableford skins are fairest.
Wolf
Wolf is a strong game for a fourball.
The tee order rotates. On each hole, one player is the Wolf. After each player tees off, the Wolf decides whether to pick that player as a partner or keep watching the next tee shot.
The Wolf can also choose to go alone, usually for extra points.
It creates good pressure because the Wolf has to decide quickly. Pick too early and someone else might hit a better drive. Wait too long and you might get stuck on your own.
Why golfers like it
Wolf keeps every tee shot interesting.
Even if your personal score is not great, you still care about the format. There is always a decision to make and always someone to wind up.
Bingo Bango Bongo
This is a points game based on three things per hole:
First player to reach the green
Closest to the hole once everyone is on
First player to hole out
Each is worth a point.
It sounds casual, but it can be good for mixed handicaps because it rewards different parts of the game.
A shorter hitter can still win points by chipping close or holing out first. A long hitter does not automatically dominate unless they are also tidy around the greens.
Sixes
Sixes is ideal for a fourball.
You split the round into three six-hole matches, changing partners every six holes.
For example:
Holes 1 to 6: Player A and B vs Player C and D
Holes 7 to 12: Player A and C vs Player B and D
Holes 13 to 18: Player A and D vs Player B and C
This is one of the fairest formats because everyone partners everyone.
It also stops the round becoming dead too early. If one pair gets beaten badly over the first six, the next match starts fresh.
Nassau
A Nassau is usually three bets in one:
Front nine
Back nine
Overall match
You can play it as match play, Stableford or stroke play.
The good thing about Nassau is that the back nine still matters even if someone has had a poor start.
It is better when the stakes are small. The format is meant to add interest, not make someone hate the walk back to the car.
Chairman
Chairman is a good game for groups that like a bit of chaos.
The first player to win a hole becomes the Chairman. They stay Chairman until someone beats them outright on a hole.
Only the Chairman can score points. If the Chairman wins or halves the hole, they get a point. If someone else wins the hole, they become the new Chairman.
This creates a nice target. Everyone is trying to knock the Chairman off, and the Chairman is trying to cling on.
Worst ball scramble
This is not for a serious scorecard.
Everyone hits a shot, but instead of picking the best one, the group has to play from the worst acceptable ball.
It is funny, brutal and much harder than people expect.
You can make it playable by using it only for a few holes, or only with stronger players.
Do not use the worst shot if it is lost, out of bounds or unsafe. The point is to make it harder, not to spend four hours looking in nettles.
Par 3 challenge
On a normal course, you can turn the par 3s into their own side game.
Track something simple, such as:
Closest to the pin
Best score across all par 3s
Most greens hit on par 3s
Worst tee shot buys the coffees
It adds a bit of extra focus without taking over the whole round.
Par 3s are good for this because everyone gets a clear look at the same target.
Fairways and greens
This is a simple stats-based game.
You get points for basic targets:
Fairway hit
Green in regulation
Up and down
Sand save
No three-putt
It suits players who want to practise without turning the round into a lesson.
The golfing reason is clear. These are the boring things that actually lower scores. Fairways, greens and fewer three-putts are not glamorous, but they travel well.
Best games for mixed handicaps
For a group with different abilities, use formats that allow bad holes to disappear.
The best options are:
Stableford
Match play
Fourball better ball
Scramble
Greensomes
Sixes
Avoid straight stroke play unless everyone is close in standard. It can become miserable quickly if one player is grinding over every shot while someone else is cruising.
Best games for a quick round
If pace matters, keep the format simple.
Good choices are:
Stableford
Match play
Scramble
Greensomes
Avoid anything that needs constant rules discussion or complicated points. If you are standing on the tee arguing over scoring, the format is doing too much.
Best games for a proper competitive feel
If your group likes the needle, go for:
Match play
Skins
Nassau
Wolf
Sixes
These formats work because they create pressure without needing everyone to shoot their best gross score.
A five-footer feels different when it is for the hole, the skin or the six-hole match.
Keep the stakes sensible
Most friend-group golf games are better when the prize is small.
That could be:
Coffee
A sleeve of balls
A drink after the round
Bragging rights
A running leaderboard
A small season-long points table
Once the stakes get too high, the mood changes. Gimmes get shorter or longer depending on who is asking. Rules debates get sharper. Suddenly nobody is enjoying the walk.
Small stakes keep it competitive without making it weird.
Set the rules before the first tee
Do not work it out on the 8th fairway.
Agree the basics before you start:
Are handicaps being used?
Are shots based on course handicap or playing handicap?
Are gimmes allowed?
What happens with lost balls?
Are winter rules in play?
Is it gross, net or Stableford scoring?
Are there side games?
This avoids the classic argument where someone only remembers a rule once it helps them.
What to track in FootWedge
A golf game is better when the results do not vanish as soon as everyone gets in the car.
Useful things to track include:
Match results
Stableford points
Skins won
Birdies
Pars
Lowest net score
Best front nine
Best back nine
Most three-putts
Biggest collapse
Best comeback
The serious stats matter, but the pub-talk stats are often what keep a group interested.
Nobody forgets the mate who made two birdies and still lost. Nobody forgets the player who had 14 points after three holes and finished with 25.
Pick the format to suit the group
There is no single best golf game.
For a casual fourball, play Stableford, skins or Sixes.
For pairs, play better ball or greensomes.
For mixed abilities, play scramble or Stableford.
For a proper grudge match, play match play and let the silences do the work.
The best format is the one that keeps everyone involved until the last few holes. That is usually where the best golf stories come from.
