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Golf games

Skins, Nassau, closest to the pin — the right game makes any round more fun. Here are the core rules for golf's classic games, the variants every group argues about, and exactly how AleaGolf keeps the score — with worked examples straight from the app's automated tests.

Every game with a card below can be started in AleaGolf today; formats we want but have not built yet are listed separately at the end, without cards. A guide means the rules have been reviewed line by line against the app's test suite — more guides are on the way.

Good places to start

Six games that need no explaining at the first tee.

  1. Skins Guide → Lowest score wins the hole's skin — outright, or nobody does and the pot carries. Gross, net or Stableford.
  2. Nassau Guide → Three matches in one round: front nine, back nine and the overall eighteen.
  3. Snake Three-putt and the snake is yours. Whoever holds it at the last hole pays everyone.
  4. Closest to Pin Closest to the flag off the tee on par 3s. Tap the winner, the points move.
  5. Long Drive Longest drive that finishes in the fairway on the designated hole — usually the widest par 5.
  6. Greenie Hit the par-3 green with your tee shot and walk away with par or better.
42 games

Classic round games

13

  • Skins

    Guide

    Lowest score wins the hole's skin — outright, or nobody does and the pot carries. Gross, net or Stableford.

    2–4 players

    Read the guide →

  • Nassau

    Guide

    Three matches in one round: front nine, back nine and the overall eighteen.

    2 players

    Read the guide →

  • Snake

    Three-putt and the snake is yours. Whoever holds it at the last hole pays everyone.

    2–4 players

  • Putting Skins

    Skins on the flat stick: fewest putts on the hole wins, ties carry the pot.

    2–4 players

  • Köpenhamnare

    The Scandinavian three-ball: six points a hole, split 4–2–0. Ties share the combined value.

    Exactly 3 players

  • Nines

    Nine points a hole for three players, split 5–3–1 — the American cousin of Köpenhamnare.

    Exactly 3 players

  • Match Play

    Guide

    Hole-by-hole one against one: win the hole, take the stake; halve it and nothing moves.

    2 players

    Read the guide →

  • Stableford

    Points per hole — bogey 1, par 2, birdie 3, eagle 4. Highest round total wins.

    Any number

  • Stroke Play

    The oldest game there is: lowest total for the round takes the pot, scratch or net.

    Any number

  • Low Putts

    Fewest putts over the whole round takes the pot. The short game finally pays.

    Any number

  • Maximum Score

    Stroke play where no hole can cost more than net double bogey — blow-up holes stay survivable.

    Any number

  • Modified Stableford

    Aggressive golf pays: +8 albatross, +5 eagle, +2 birdie, par 0, −1 bogey, −3 double or worse.

    Any number

  • Quota / Chicago

    Beat your own points target — 36 minus your handicap (Chicago starts from 39). Biggest surplus wins.

    Any number

Team games

7

  • Four-Ball Match Play

    Two pairs, better ball against better ball, hole by hole. Ties halve the hole.

    2 v 2

  • Team Skins

    Skins by sides: each side's best ball competes, and a halved hole carries the pot.

    4+ in sides

  • High-Low

    Two points a hole: the best balls compete — and so do the worst. Everyone's score matters.

    2 v 2

  • Low Ball–Low Total

    Two points a hole: one for the best ball, one for the lower team total.

    2 v 2

  • All Scores Count

    No hiding behind a partner: every score on the side is added, lower total takes the hole.

    4+ in sides

  • Team Stableford

    Each hole counts the side's best Stableford score. Highest team total takes the pot.

    4+ in sides

  • Team Nassau

    Front nine, back nine and overall — three team matches on the side's better ball.

    2 v 2

Bonus games

12

One tap names the winner — the points move by themselves.

Putting Skins, Snake and Low Putts are full round formats — you'll find them under Classic round games.

All 12 explained in the bonus games guide →

Off the tee

  • Closest to Pin

    Closest to the flag off the tee on par 3s. Tap the winner, the points move.

    Any number

  • Long Drive

    Longest drive that finishes in the fairway on the designated hole — usually the widest par 5.

    Any number

  • Greenie

    Hit the par-3 green with your tee shot and walk away with par or better.

    Any number

  • Hole-in-One

    An ace on a par 3, witnessed by the group. The rarest feat in golf carries the biggest stake.

    Any number

On the green

  • Long Putt

    Longest putt holed on the hole. The bomb from off the fringe finally counts for something.

    Any number

Trouble & recovery

  • Sandie

    Par or better after visiting a bunker. Sand save, rewarded.

    Any number

  • Barkie

    Hit a tree, still make par or better. The luckiest point in golf.

    Any number

  • Fishie

    Hole out from a bunker. Rare enough that it deserves its own name.

    Any number

  • Bounce Back

    Bogey or worse, then par or better on the very next hole. Mental strength, scored.

    Any number

  • Chippie

    Hole out from off the green. Chip-ins move points.

    Any number

  • Arnie

    Par or better without ever touching the fairway — named for Arnold Palmer's scrambles.

    Any number

Ball striking

  • Hogan

    Fairway, green in regulation, par or better — no scrambling, no luck.

    Any number

On the roadmap

10

Real formats we know and want — not yet startable in AleaGolf, so they get no card above. Listed here so you know we know.

  • Birdie Bingo Collect birdie tokens as they land; most birdies at the end takes the pot.
  • Dots Bonus points for birdies, par saves and sand saves; penalties for bogeys.
  • Wolf Pick a partner on every tee — or go lone wolf for double stakes.
  • Vegas Team scores pair up as digits into a two-digit number. High volatility by design.
  • Bingo Bango Bongo Three prizes a hole: first on the green, closest once on, first to hole out.
  • Sixes / Hollywood Rotate partners every six holes — three best-ball matches in one round.
  • Hammer Call "hammer" to double the stake mid-hole; your opponent accepts or concedes.
  • Banker One player is the banker each hole, playing everyone else individually.
  • Trash / Junk The full junk collection: chip-ins, sandies, water recoveries and more, all as tokens.
  • Acey Deucey Best score wins the ace pot, worst pays the deuce. The middle is safe.