Golf Games to Play

Each month we will try to bring to you straightforward examples of popular - and not so popular - games on the course; games that will make your rounds more challenging and fun to play. In this next installment of Game of the Month, we'll tackle two game best suited for threesomes: 'The Six Point Game' and 'Eighty One'

Six point Game: In the Six Point Game, three players compete for six points per hole. Before the game, the players should agree to how much each point is worth (consider that a player who never wins a point on any hole will owe about 100 points to his/her friends). Handicaps are used in this game - the best player plays as scratch, and the other two players receive the same number of strokes as the difference between their and the best player's course handicap.

On each hole, the points can break down in four ways (as mentioned above, the scores on each hole are adjusted by the players' handicaps):

• If there is a clear winner on the hole, that player wins 4 points. The golfer who finishes second receives 2 points, and the last place golfer receives nothing (4-2-0).
• If two golfers tie for second they each receive 1 point, and the clear winner receives 4 points. (4-1-1).
• If two golfers tie for lowest score, they win 3 points each, and the golfer with the high score receives nothing (3-3-0).
• If all three golfers tie the hole, they each receive 2 points (2-2-2).

At the end of the match, all the points are totaled, with the low-point-total player paying both the other players a sum based on the difference between their final point totals. The player with the second highest point total also pays the high-point player based on the difference between their point totals.

A sample scorecard for a Six Point Game is shown below. Note that the points awarded on each hole add up to a multiple of 6, and that at the end of the match, the total points add up to 108 (16x18). Because hole 7 is the hardest hole on the course, Jack and Eric have the same net score, and the points are distributed as 4-1-1. Tallying the results, Jack owes Eric 4 points and Steve 20 points. Eric also owes Steve 16 points.


Eighty One: Eighty One is similar to the Six Point Game, except that each hole is worth nine points (nine points times nine holes equals 81). The results are higher scores and higher pay-outs. The points break down as follows:

• The winner on the hole wins 5 points, the golfer who finishes second receives 3 points, and the last place golfer receives 1 point (5-3-1).
• The winner on the hole wins 5 points, while the other two golfers who tie for second each receive 2 points (5-2-2).
• The two golfers who tie for lowest score win 4 points each, while the golfer with the highest score receives 1 point (4-4-1).
• The three golfers who tie on the hole each receive 3 points (3-3-3).

If you find that your fourth doesn't show up one day, these games will be perfect for the three remaining players.