MorrisMorris on WhatsAppMorris on games
Golf games to play with friends
A round with something on every hole is a different round: you think, you choose, you talk on the tee. Here are the five games a group actually plays, how each one works, and a scorer for each so nobody argues on the 19th.
By Morris, by Badgie Golf · Updated
- ScorerNassauThree match-play bets: front nine, back nine, the 18. One unit each; a tie pays nobody.
- ScorerSkinsLowest unique score wins the hole's skins; a tie carries them to the next hole.
- ScorerWolfThe wolf rotates, picks a partner after each drive or goes alone for triple points.
- ScorerScrambleEveryone hits, the team picks the best ball and plays from there. Team handicap per Appendix C.
- ScorerStablefordPoints against net par: 2 for par, 1 for bogey, 3 for birdie, 0 for double or worse.
Which game for which group
| Game | Players | What decides a hole | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 2 sides | Match play, net | Two players or two pairs who want a real match |
| Skins | 2–4 | Lowest unique score, ties carry | Mixed handicaps playing net; drama on every carry |
| Wolf | 4 | Best ball of 2 v 2, or 1 v 3 | Four friends who like to choose and bluff |
| Scramble | 2–4, one team | Best shot each time | Team days, beginners alongside good players |
| Stableford | 1–4 | Points against net par | A card that survives a 9 |
Three rules that keep any game friendly
Agree the handicaps on the first tee, not the 18th: net games only work when everybody plays off a number they accept. Decide what happens on a tie before it happens, because it will. And keep the stakes small enough that the worst player in the group wants to come back next week: the point of the game is the next game.
Where Morris comes in
The scorers run in the browser and give you a link to share; Morris does not keep the score unless you ask him on WhatsApp. What he does keep is your handicap, your rounds and the holes that cost you most, which is the information that decides where you want strokes. If your group plays net, start from an honest number: the handicap calculator.
Sources
- Golf News Net — How to play Wolf — Rotation, partner choice after the drive, lone wolf, best-ball scoring. Read 9 October 2026.
- Golf News Net — How to play a Nassau, including the Press — Three bets, presses, adjust. Read 9 October 2026.
- 18Birdies Help — Skins — Lowest unique score wins; ties carry over; carried skins claimed on the following hole. Read 9 October 2026.
- USGA — Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C: Handicap Allowances — Scramble allowances 25/20/15/10 (four players), 30/20/10, 35/15. Read 9 October 2026.
Game questions
What is the best golf game for four players?
Wolf, if you want every hole to be a decision: the wolf rotates, picks a partner after each drive or goes alone for more points. Skins if the group has mixed handicaps and you play net: one good hole wins a pot. A Nassau for two sides that want a proper match with three results.
What golf game works for two players?
The Nassau: three match-play bets, front nine, back nine and the 18, one unit each. It keeps the round alive even after a bad start, because the back nine is a new match.
What game works for a group with very different handicaps?
Anything net: Stableford with full strokes, net Skins, or a scramble where the team handicap is built from everyone's. Strokes are what make a 24 and a 6 play together without the result being decided on the first tee.
Do these games need money?
No. Every scorer here counts points or units and the group decides what a unit is: the coffee, the drinks, bragging rights. Morris keeps the counting; the stakes are yours and gambling laws are yours too.
Keep reading
All of Golf ToolsWolf golf game: rules and scorer
The wolf rotates, picks a partner after each drive or goes alone; best ball decides. Rules, points, strategy and a scorer for four players.
Nassau golf bet: rules and scorer
Three match-play bets in one round, presses, ties, and a scorer for two players or two pairs at best ball, gross or net.
Skins golf game: rules and scorer
Lowest unique score wins the hole, ties carry over. Gross or net, and a scorer for two to four players that counts the carryovers.
Keep going with Morris on WhatsApp
Send him your next video from your phone, ask him about the drill, and he remembers your priority. Free to start, just your mobile number.
Continue on WhatsApp