You've heard the names — Wolf, Vegas, Skins, Nassau — and decided they sound complicated. They aren't. Each of the most popular side games can be explained in a paragraph. Here's the 30-second version of every format your group could be playing this weekend, and a one-line "best for" so you can pick one before you tee off.
Stroke Play
The default. Everyone counts every stroke on every hole. Lowest total wins. Net handicap optional. No drama, no math beyond addition, no per-hole intrigue — just keeping score.
Best for: Tournaments, qualifying rounds, or any group that wants a clean "who shot the best score" answer.
Match Play
Head-to-head, hole-by-hole. Whoever wins more holes wins the match. Score on each hole doesn't matter beyond who took fewer strokes — a par vs. a bogey is the same as a birdie vs. a snowman. Concede holes whenever you want. Most matches end before 18.
Best for: Two players who want every hole to feel like its own little game, with less dramatic swings.
Skins
Lowest score on the hole wins a "skin." Ties carry the skin to the next hole, where the pot grows. One great hole can pay for the round.
Best for: Groups of 3–4 who want every hole to mean something, even when one player is running away with the round. Full Skins rules →
Niners & Twelvers
Individual points game where every hole pays out to everyone. Three players ("Niners") split 9 points 5-3-1 by rank; four players ("Twelvers") split 12 points 6-4-2-0. Ties share evenly. No teams, no carryovers — just consistent scoring rewarded over 18.
Best for: Threesomes and foursomes who want every player in every hole, with no one knocked out of contention by one bad swing.
Wolf
Rotating partner game for three or four players. Each hole, the "Wolf" tees off last (some groups have the Wolf tee first — your call) and watches each player's drive. After each drive, the Wolf picks that player as a partner (2-vs-2 best ball) or passes. If the Wolf goes solo ("Lone Wolf"), the stakes double. Lowest team score wins the hole.
Best for: Foursomes where someone always asks "want to play for something today?" and nobody wants to negotiate teams. Full Wolf rules →
Vegas
Teams of 2. Each hole, pair the teammates' two scores into a two-digit number — a 4 and a 5 become "45." Lower number wins the hole and collects the difference between the two team scores. Optional twists for birdies (points double), par 5s, and when a team's worst score beats both scores on the other team.
Best for: Four players who want a team game with built-in volatility. Full Vegas rules →
The math problem with side games
Every game above is easy to play. They're hard to track with a pencil while also trying to golf — carryovers, partner picks, cascading presses, points by rank. That's why most groups default to stroke play even when they'd rather play something else. The math is the friction.
ForeBoard runs every format on this page in your browser — no app, no accounts. Score the hole and the rest handles itself.
Nassau
Three match-play bets in one round: front 9, back 9, and overall 18. Each is its own match worth a set points or dollar amount. When you fall behind, you can "press" — start a new side bet for the remaining holes of that specific match — and your opponent can press you back. Same round, multiple games, escalating stakes.
Best for: Two or four players who want a Saturday game that rewards grit, timing, and pressure-packed closing holes. Full Nassau rules →
Best Ball (Four-Ball)
Teams of 2. On each hole, the team takes its better score from its two players. Lowest team score wins the hole or the match. Lets a weaker player contribute one or two big holes without dragging the team down on the rest.
Best for: One of the more relaxed side games. Great for mixed-handicap groups of 4 who want a team format with limited pressure on each swing.
Scramble
Teams of 2–4. Everyone tees off, the team picks the best drive, then everyone hits from there. Repeat until the ball is holed. Lowest team total wins. Forgiving, fast, and the format your wedding outing or company tournament is almost certainly playing.
Best for: Large tournaments, charity events, and groups with a wide handicap spread that want everyone to feel useful.
Shamble
The bridge between scramble and best ball. Everyone tees off, the team picks the best drive, then each player plays their own ball into the hole. Take the team's best score (or two best, depending on rules). Faster than best ball, more strategy and independent play than scramble.
Best for: Member-guest tournaments, corporate outings, or any group that wants to keep individual scoring alive while still giving everyone a confidence boost off the tee.
Picking one before you tee off
Two players → Match Play or Nassau. Three players → Skins, Wolf, or Niners. Four players → Wolf, Vegas, Best Ball, Nassau, or Twelvers. Tournament → Scramble or Shamble. Mixed handicaps → Best Ball or Vegas. Want every hole to matter → Skins, Niners, Twelvers, or Match Play. Want a side game without learning a side game → Stroke Play with something like Snake (whoever three-putts holds the snake; the goal is to not be holding it after the 18th).
The right format is the one your group will actually play, not the one that sounds clever at the bar. Pick one this weekend.
Want to play one of these without becoming the scorekeeper? Set up a round on ForeBoard → Pick the format, share the link in the group chat, and start scoring inside thirty seconds. No app, no account, no math.
