Golf League Formats Explained: 12 Options Compared
Updated
The common golf league formats are individual stroke play, individual match play, two-person team match play with points, best ball, scramble, alternate shot and Stableford. The right one depends on your group's skill range, team size and how fast you want Tuesday night to finish.
This guide covers 12 formats, one at a time, with the handicap allowance for each, then a table, a "how to choose" section and one foursome scored three ways. Gimme has a format page for most of them, linked below, and the full set lives in the formats library.
The 12 formats side by side
| Format | Team size | Handicap allowance | Pace | Skill range fit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual stroke play | 1 | 95% to 100% | Slow to medium | Narrow to medium | Season-long individual standings |
| Individual match play | 1 v 1 | Strokes off the low | Medium | Medium | Brackets and ladders |
| Team match play with points | 2 | 100% (90% if best ball) | Medium | Wide | The classic nine-hole weekly league |
| Best ball (four-ball) | 2 | 85% stroke, 90% match | Medium to fast | Wide | Couples and mixed leagues |
| Two best balls of four | 4 | 85% stroke | Medium | Wide | Four-person teams where everyone counts |
| Scramble | 2 to 4 | 35/15 for two, 25/20/15/10 for four | Fast | Widest | New golfers, outings, social nights |
| Shamble | 2 to 4 | League sets it | Medium to fast | Wide | A scramble with real scores |
| Alternate shot (foursomes) | 2 | 50% of combined | Fast | Medium | Partners of similar nerve |
| Chapman / Pinehurst | 2 | 60% low plus 40% high | Medium to fast | Wide | Couples and member-guest style play |
| Stableford | 1 | 95% to 100% | Fast | Widest | Mixed-skill leagues worried about pace |
| Quota | 1 | Quota is 36 minus course handicap | Medium to fast | Medium to wide | Leagues that reward birdies |
| Chicago | 1 | Quota is 36 minus course handicap | Medium | Medium to wide | A fun points contest |
Where a World Handicap System recommendation exists, it comes from Appendix C of the Rules of Handicapping on randa.org. Golf Canada lists the same allowances as text on its game formats page, and the percentages below for four-ball, foursomes, Chapman and Stableford come from there. Scramble and shamble have no official allowance, so those are league choices. Skins is not in the table because it is a side game (see the note near the end).
One rule applies to all of them: write the format, the allowance and the tiebreak in your league rules before week one. Allowances apply to a golfer's course handicap for the tees played, and you round once at the end. Rule 6 of the Rules of Handicapping defines the course handicap as the strokes a golfer receives on a given course, and the playing handicap as that course handicap with the format's allowance applied.
Individual stroke play
Everyone counts every stroke, and under Rule 3.3 of the Rules of Golf the player with the fewest total strokes wins. Net stroke play subtracts the golfer's playing handicap, so a 7-handicap and a 20-handicap compete for the same prize. The recommended allowance in Appendix C of the Rules of Handicapping is 95% for fields of 30 to 100 players, and 100% can be considered for fields under 30. Gimme's default is 100%, and 95% is also common. See the stroke play format page.
It is the simplest format to explain and the slowest to play, because nobody picks up. Set a maximum score per hole, such as net double bogey, which Rule 21 lists as one way to cap a hole, and break ties by countback.
Individual match play
Two golfers play head to head, and the lower net score wins each hole. Under Rule 3.2 a player wins the match by leading by more holes than remain to be played, regardless of total strokes. The usual handicap method is strokes off the low: the lower golfer plays to zero and the other gets the difference on the hardest holes first. Details on the match play format page.
One bad hole costs one hole, not the round. It suits ladders and brackets more than a long points season.
Two-person team match play with points
Each team has two golfers, and each plays an opponent: low handicap against low, high against high. A common default is 1 point per hole won, half a point for a halved hole, and 2 bonus points for the lower combined net, so a nine-hole match is worth 20 points. The allowance is 100% for individual matchups and 90% when the matchups are best ball, matching the four-ball match play figure from Golf Canada. Every point value is adjustable. See the team match play with points page.
This is the classic Tuesday or Thursday night format. It gives you head-to-head rivalries and a season of standings.
Best ball (four-ball)
Every golfer plays their own ball, and under Rule 23 the side's score for a hole is the lower of the two partners' scores. If only one partner holes out, that score stands and the other partner does not need to finish. Golf Canada lists the allowances as 85% of each course handicap in stroke play and 90% in match play, and Gimme uses both as defaults. More on the best ball format page.
Two chances at every hole means lower scores and a faster pace. It is the easiest team format to add to a league that already plays individual golf.
Two best balls of four
A four-person team plays their own balls, and the two lowest net scores on each hole are added together for the team. A four-person team can count more than one ball, and you decide how many before the season. Golf Canada's allowance list gives 85% for two best balls of four in stroke play and 75% when only the best ball of four counts.
Use it when you have foursomes who want a team result without waiting on a single scorer.
Scramble
Everyone hits, the team picks the best shot, and everyone plays from there until the ball is holed. The team writes one score per hole. For a two-person team, the usual split is 35% of the lower course handicap plus 15% of the higher. For four, it is 25%, 20%, 15% and 10% from lowest to highest. These are common league defaults, not official rules. Read the scramble format page.
A scramble is the friendliest way to bring in a golfer who has never played a league. Require a minimum number of drives per golfer so one long hitter cannot carry the team.
Shamble
Both players tee off and the team picks the better drive. From there each golfer plays their own ball into the hole, and the team counts the better score, or both. It is a scramble off the tee and best ball after that. Neither Golf Canada's list nor Gimme's format pages give a shamble allowance, so the league sets it. Because everyone plays their own ball after the drive, the four-ball figure of 85% is a sensible place to start, then adjust after a few weeks.
It works when you want scramble speed and a real score from each golfer.
Alternate shot (foursomes)
Two partners share one ball and take turns hitting it, including putts. Under Rule 22 partners alternate who plays first from the tee on each hole, so if one partner tees off on hole 1, the other tees off on hole 2. The team handicap is 50% of the two course handicaps added together, rounded once, per Golf Canada. See the alternate shot format page.
It is fast, because there are only two golfers' worth of ball on the course, and it punishes a partner who hates pressure. Pick partners with a similar tolerance for a bad shot.
Chapman / Pinehurst
Both partners tee off, then each plays the other's ball for the second shot. After the second shots, the pair chooses one ball and plays it alternately to the hole. The recommended allowance is 60% of the lower course handicap plus 40% of the higher, per Golf Canada's game formats page. Check that your scoring tool supports it before you commit, since few do.
It is a good couples format because each golfer plays a full second shot and the pair still makes decisions together.
Stableford
Points per hole against a net target: 0 for a net double bogey or worse, 1 for a bogey, 2 for a par, 3 for a birdie, 4 for an eagle and 5 for an albatross. Most points wins. A golfer who cannot score on a hole picks up, which speeds play. Golf Canada lists a 95% allowance for Stableford, while Gimme defaults to 100%, so write down which one your league uses. Rule 21 defines Stableford as points awarded by comparing each hole score with a fixed target, normally par. A target of 36 points on 18 holes, or 18 on nine, is a net par on every hole. See the Stableford format page.
It is the best fit for a league with a wide skill range. A blow-up hole costs two points, not five strokes.
Quota
Quota scores gross points, 1 for a bogey, 2 for a par, 4 for a birdie and 8 for an eagle, then compares the total with a personal quota of 36 minus the course handicap. On nine holes the quota is 18 minus the nine-hole course handicap. The highest plus wins. The handicap works only through the quota, with no strokes on holes. Read more on the quota format page.
Because the points double at each step, one birdie can swing the night. Leagues that want to reward aggressive golf like it. Leagues full of bogey golfers find it brutal.
Chicago
Chicago is the same scoring idea as quota under its other name: 1, 2, 4 and 8 points against a quota of 36 minus the course handicap. Some groups use a base of 39 so a scratch golfer has to beat par to go plus. The base is a setting, so print it on the card. See the Chicago format page.
Use it as a fun league night or an outing format. There is no standard answer on whether Chicago and quota are separate games, so pick the name your group uses and define the points.
Skins: a side game, not a league format
Skins gives each hole a prize, and the golfer with the lowest score alone wins it. Ties win nothing, or carry over. It runs on top of any format above and does not produce standings, so it is left out of the 12. Read the skins format page and our guide to golf league side games.
How to choose a golf league format
Match the format to your problem, not to what the course down the road runs.
- Mixed skill. Net Stableford, or two-person best ball. Both give the 20-handicap a real shot.
- New golfers. Scramble. No one has to hit a good shot every hole, and no one holds up the group.
- Competitive. Individual net stroke play or team match play with points. Both reward consistency over a season.
- Couples. Best ball, scramble, Chapman or alternate shot. Both partners play every hole, and one partner's bad day does not sink the pair.
- Short on time. Stableford, scramble or alternate shot. Pick-ups and shared balls keep the group moving.
Once the format is picked, set the handicap method that feeds it, as covered in how to set up golf league handicaps. The golf league points system guide covers the points that turn rounds into standings.
Worked example: one foursome, three formats
This example is made up. Four golfers play a par 36 nine. The stroke index runs 1 to 9 across the nine holes. Playing handicaps for the nine are Ray 2, Dave 5, Mike 8 and Tom 11. Stroke play and Stableford use 100%. Best ball uses 85%, which is the four-ball stroke play allowance: Ray 1.7 rounds to 2, Dave 4.25 to 4, Mike 6.8 to 7 and Tom 9.35 to 9.
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 |
| Stroke index | 5 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 7 | |
| Ray gross | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 38 |
| Tom gross | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 48 |
| Dave gross | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 42 |
| Mike gross | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 45 |
Strokes go on the lowest stroke index holes first. Tom's 11 is one stroke on every hole plus a second on the two hardest (holes 2 and 6).
Format 1: individual net stroke play. Net is gross minus playing handicap.
| Golfer | Gross | Playing handicap | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray | 38 | 2 | 36 |
| Tom | 48 | 11 | 37 |
| Dave | 42 | 5 | 37 |
| Mike | 45 | 8 | 37 |
Ray wins at 36. Tom, Dave and Mike tie for second at 37.
Format 2: two-person net best ball. The teams are Ray and Tom against Dave and Mike. Each golfer gets 85% strokes on the hardest holes, and the team takes the lower net on each hole.
| Team | Best net ball by hole | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ray and Tom | 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 5 | 34 |
| Dave and Mike | 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5 | 36 |
Ray and Tom win by 2. Tom's 10 on the last hole did not matter, because Ray's 5 was the team score.
Format 3: net Stableford. Points are 2 plus par minus net score on each hole, with a floor of 0.
| Golfer | Points by hole | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ray | 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 2 | 18 |
| Tom | 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2, 0 | 19 |
| Dave | 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2 | 17 |
| Mike | 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2 | 17 |
Tom wins with 19. His 10 on hole 9 cost him only the 2 points a par would have earned, because the floor is 0. In stroke play the same hole added a net 9 to his card.
Same four golfers, same scorecards. Stroke play crowns Ray, best ball crowns Ray and Tom's team, and Stableford crowns Tom. The format decides what a blow-up hole costs.
Decision table: league type to format
Find the row that looks like your league. These are starting points, and the reason column tells you what to change if your group differs.
| League type | Format to start with | Allowance to write down | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly men's night, 12 to 24 golfers | Team match play with points | 100% individual, 90% if best ball | Rivalries and standings keep attendance up, and a 20-point nine is easy to tally |
| Couples league | Best ball, or Chapman for variety | 85% best ball, 60/40 Chapman | Both partners play every hole, and neither has to carry the other |
| Beginners or new league | Scramble | 35/15 for two (a league choice) | Nobody has to hit a good shot every hole, and the round moves |
| Course-run open league, drop-in golfers | Net Stableford | 100% or 95%, pick one | Golfers come and go, so each night stands alone and a blow-up hole costs little |
| Mixed handicaps, 0 to 30 | Net Stableford or two-person best ball | 100% (Stableford), 85% (best ball) | Strokes on the hardest holes plus pick-ups keep the 30 in the game |
| 9-hole after-work | Stableford or alternate shot | Target of 18 points; 50% of combined for alternate shot | Pick-ups and a shared ball keep the round near two hours |
For the scramble row, 35/15 and 25/20/15/10 are the splits Gimme's scramble page uses. They are league defaults, not official rules. Try the scramble handicap calculator with your own golfers, for example a 6 and a 22: 0.35 x 6 + 0.15 x 22 = 5.4, which rounds to 5.
Checklist: changing formats mid-season
Changing mid-season is a last resort. If the format is truly broken, do it once and do it in the open.
- Write down what is broken. "Attendance dropped from 16 to 11" is a reason. "I got bored" is not.
- Pick the new format and its allowance in writing. Copy the allowance from your rules or from the table above. Do not make it up at the first tee.
- Set an effective date at least one week out. Announce it by email and text the night of the last old-format round, and put it in the rules.
- Decide reset or keep points, and say so in the announcement. Keep the old standings as a "first half" champion and start fresh points for the second half, or carry the old totals forward only if the new format scores on the same scale. Stroke play points and a 20-point match do not mix.
- Recalculate handicaps for the new allowance. Take each golfer's course handicap and apply the new percentage once. Moving from individual stroke play at 100% to best ball at 85%, golfers with course handicaps of 6, 14 and 22 go to 5.1, 11.9 and 18.7 strokes. Rounded once, that is 5, 12 and 19. At the 90% match play allowance they get 5, 13 and 20.
- Check the card. If you also change the tees or the nine, the course handicap changes before the allowance is applied (Rule 6).
- Run one week as a trial, then lock it. Name the date the format is final for the rest of the season, and handle subs and absences under the same new rules (subs guide).
Put the whole change in your league rules so late joiners can read it.
Scenario: a 16-golfer league switches after week 6
This league is made up. Sixteen golfers form 8 two-person teams and play team match play with points, so each night has 4 matches at 20 points each, 80 points on the table. After 6 of 12 weeks, attendance has slid from 16 golfers to 12 and the 22-handicaps are quitting. The commissioner announces on week 6 night that weeks 7 to 12 will be two-person net best ball at 85%. Nobody's old points are carried over, because 6 weeks x 20 points per match is 120 points a team at most, and best ball uses a different scale. The first-half winner gets a trophy, and the second half starts at zero. Dave, a 22, goes from 22 strokes at 100% to 19 at 85% (22 x 0.85 = 18.7, rounded once). The new format keeps him in the game because his partner's good hole covers his bad one.
Pick one, then stop changing it
Every format here can run a good league. The ones that fail change the rules in week six. Choose the format, write the allowance and the tiebreak, and run the whole season on it. Gimme's format library has a full page with a worked example for most of these. Shamble and Chapman do not have one yet.