June 2025

The game of golf consists of various formats or types of games that can be played within the overall sport. Here’s a categorized list of the main types of games and formats in golf:

🏌️‍♀️Primary Formats of Golf (Based on Scoring)
Stroke Play – Most common in professional golf; total strokes counted.
Match Play – Players/teams compete hole-by-hole.
Stableford – Points awarded based on the score per hole (e.g., birdie, par).
Skins Game – Each hole has a value; player who wins the hole outright gets the "skin."
Par/Bogey (or vs. Par) – Score each hole against a fixed "par" or bogey.

👥 Team Formats
Foursomes (Alternate Shot) – Two-person teams alternate shots with one ball.
Fourball (Best Ball) – Each player plays their ball; best score on hole counts.
Scramble – All players hit, choose best shot, all hit from there.
Shamble – Like scramble on the first shot, then each plays their own ball.
Greensomes – Both players tee off, then alternate shots from the best drive.
Chapman (Pinehurst) – A combination of alternate shot and best ball.

⛳ Popular Side Games / Betting Games
Nassau – Three bets in one: front 9, back 9, and overall.
Wolf – Rotating player (Wolf) chooses to team up or play solo.
Bingo Bango Bongo – Points for first on green, closest to pin, first to hole out.
Sixes (Hollywood or Round Robin) – Teams rotate every 6 holes.
Quota – Players try to exceed a point quota based on handicap.
Best Ball (or Better Ball) – Used in match or stroke play, best score per hole counts.
String Game – Players use string (based on handicap) to move the ball.
Lone Ranger – One player’s score must count on each hole (rotates).
Flags – Players plant a flag where their final shot lands after a set number of strokes.
Rabbit – First player to win a hole outright earns the “rabbit.”
Las Vegas – Team-based betting game using combined hole scores.
Snake – Penalties for 3-putting (usually with a running pot).
Chicago – Each player starts with a negative score and earns points to reach zero or more.
Criers & Whiners – Players can replay a certain number of bad shots (fun game).
Peoria/Wilson System – Handicap-style scoring used for casual tournaments.

🧮 Alternative Scoring Formats
Medal Play – Another term for stroke play.
Bogey Competition – Played against fixed bogey score on each hole.
Modified Stableford – Used in some pro tournaments (e.g., Barracuda Championship).

So in total, there are at least 25–30 distinct "games within the game" of golf, depending on how you count variants and hybrids.