Game Rules & Explanations for tournaments.

1. Stroke Play (Gross / Net)

This is the classic and most common format of golf. The goal is simple: have the lowest total score at the end of the round.
 

• How it Works: You count every single shot you take on each hole. The sum of your scores for all 18 holes is your total score.
   

• Gross Score: This is your actual score—the raw number of strokes you took. The player with the lowest gross score is the winner. This is a test of pure skill, regardless of handicap.
   

• Net Score: To level the playing field, we use handicaps. Your net score is your gross score minus your handicap strokes for the round. This enables players of varying skill levels to compete fairly against one another.

2. Skins Game (Gross / Net)

Skins is a thrilling hole-by-hole competition where every hole is a new battle.
 

• How it Works: Each hole is worth a "skin," which usually represents a portion of the prize pot. To win the skin for a hole, you must have the single lowest score among all players in your flight for that hole.
   

• The Push: If there's a tie for the low score on a hole, no one wins the skin. Instead, the skin "pushes" to the next hole, making the next hole worth two skins. This can continue, leading to very valuable holes and dramatic moments!
   

• Gross vs. Net: Like Stroke Play, the low score can be determined by either your gross (actual) or net (handicapped) score, depending on the tournament setup.

3. Pars or Better (Bounty Hunter)

This is our signature game, and it's all about rewarding great play on a hole-by-hole basis. Think of it as a bounty hunt where each hole has a cash prize.
 

• How it Works: A portion of the tournament prize pot is divided evenly across all 18 holes. This creates a "bounty" for each hole.
   

• How to Win a Bounty: To win the bounty for a hole, two things must be true:
   

  1. You must have the single lowest *effective score* in your group for that hole (no ties!).

  2. Your actual net score (gross score - handicap strokes) for the hole must be par or better.
      

• The Push: If there's a tie for the lowest effective score, or if the winner's net score wasn't par or better, the bounty is not awarded. Instead, it gets added to the next hole's bounty, making it worth more!

The Secret Weapon: Bonus Points
What makes "Pars or Better" so exciting is the concept of Bonus Points, which reduce your effective score for a hole. This means you can win a hole even if you don't have the lowest raw score!

Here are the achievements that earn you bonus points:
 

• Sandy (+2 points): You get in a greenside bunker, but still manage to make par or better on the hole.
   

• Greenie (+1 point): You hit the green in regulation (e.g., on the green in 1 shot on a Par 3, 2 shots on a Par 4) and proceed to make a par or better.
   

• Chip-in (+5 points): You make your shot from off the green. This is a massive advantage.
   

Example:

• Your net score on a hole is 4.

• Your opponent's net score is 3.

• Typically, your opponent would win. But...

• You had a "Sandy" (+2 points). Your effective score becomes 4 - 2 = 2.

• Your effective score of 2 is lower than your opponent's 3, so you
  win the bounty!

4. Scramble

Scramble is a fun, team-based format that's great for players of all skill levels.
 

• How it Works: In a scramble, everyone in the team (usually 2 to 4 players) tees off on each hole. The team then chooses the best of the tee shots, and all players play their second shot from that spot. This process continues until the ball is holed.
   

• One Team Score: Only one score is recorded for the entire team on each hole. This format encourages teamwork and allows for some heroic shots without the pressure of individual scoring.
   

• Gross vs. Net: Scrambles can also be played using gross scores or have a team handicap applied to calculate a net score.
   

More games to come; Match Play Soon!!!