Core 4 Golf Tournament Formats
Golf Tournament Formats
Golf tournaments are a great time for players of all handicaps to come together for fun, casual competition and most of the time, a great cause. While a traditional round of golf is always welcomed, for tournament organizers that need to keep the pace of play- and energy of the players- going, other formats can be considered. Here are 4 golf tournament formats to choose from for your next event that you may... or may not... have known about:
Scramble
The go-to format for most tournaments is the always dependable Scramble. Teams can be made up of 2, 3, or 4 players and once everyone has tee'd off, the team chooses the best shot to begin their next play- all from the same spot. This allows players that aren't as experienced to hit from the best spot of one of their team members- a welcomed advantage. Play continues like this for all 18 holes.
Best Ball
Best Ball works by having each member of the team- again made up of 2, 3, or 4 people- play their own ball to completion of the hole. At the end of each hole, the lowest score of all team members serves as the team score. This continues throughout the entire round until the "best ball" score is recorded for all 18.
Modified Stableford
Unlike the normal objective in golf to have the lowest score possible, Modified Stableford crowns a winner for having the highest. Modified Stableford- played by individuals or as a team- differs from the normal Stableford due to the higher penalties for poor shots and a higher number of points awarded for great shots. Ultimately, the system allocates points based on stroke counts and the player or team with the most points at the end of 18 deemed the winner.
Devil Ball
Also known as Lone Ranger, Pink Ball, Money Ball, Pink Lady, and more, the Devil Ball format is often forgotten about. Typically played in foursomes, one player per hole is designated as the "Devil Ball". Following the completion of that hole, the designated person's score is added with the lowest score of the remaining 3 players. This pattern continues, with the Devil Ball being rotated from player to player, for the entire round.