If your golf group only ever plays stroke play, you're leaving a lot of fun on the table. Counting every single shot across 18 holes is fine, but it's also the format most likely to wreck your mood after one bad hole on number 4. Here at Takomo, we think how you play matters just as much as what you play with, and there's a whole world of golf formats built specifically to keep bad holes from ruining good rounds that most golfers never touch.
There are dozens of golf formats out there, and most golfers only ever play one or two of them. We'll start with the format you already know, then get into the ones that rarely show up outside of member-guest weekends, betting groups, and the occasional Ryder Cup broadcast. If you've been playing the same 18 holes the same way for years, one of these will fix that.
Scramble: The One You Already Know
Before we get into the formats you probably haven't tried, it's worth grounding things in the one you almost certainly have. In a scramble, every player on the team tees off, the team picks whichever shot is best, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. Repeat until the hole's finished, and the team records one collective score.
It's the most forgiving format in golf, and there's a reason it's the default for charity tournaments and corporate outings: no single player's bad shot ever counts against the team. A high-handicapper can rip one good drive all day and still feel like they contributed. It's a great format. It's just not the one this list is about, because odds are you've already played a dozen of them.
Why Bother Trying New Golf Formats?
Most golfers default to stroke play because it's what they learned first, not because it's the most enjoyable way to play with friends. Stroke play rewards consistency and punishes mistakes relentlessly. A single blow-up hole follows you to the scorecard on 18.
Formats exist to change that math. Some protect you from your own bad holes. Some create tension out of nothing. Some turn a group of mismatched handicaps into an actual fair fight. Picking the right one for your group is arguably a bigger factor in whether people have fun than anyone's ball-striking that day.
Shamble
Think of the shamble as a scramble that grows up partway through the hole. Every player on the team tees off, and the team picks the best drive, just like a scramble. From there, though, everyone plays their own ball the rest of the way in, and the team records the best individual net score on the hole.
It solves a real problem. In a straight scramble, the best driver on the team can carry everyone off the tee, but nobody's individually accountable after that. In best ball, a team with one big hitter can lose ground before the round even gets going. The shamble splits the difference: everybody benefits from the best drive, and everybody still has to finish the hole themselves.
It's a great next step for a group that's outgrown scrambles but isn't ready for the full pressure of the best ball.
Bingo Bango Bongo
This one rewards something almost no other format touches: being first, not just being best. Three points are up for grabs on every hole. Bingo goes to whoever's ball reaches the green first. Bango goes to whoever's closest to the pin once everyone's on the green. Bongo goes to whoever holes out first.
The twist that makes it fair: players always play in the order of who's furthest from the hole, no matter what happened on the previous shot. That single rule keeps a 25-handicapper in every hole, because getting to the green first has nothing to do with how far you can drive it.
If your group includes a mix of long hitters and short hitters who never seem to compete for the same thing, this format fixes that instantly.
Like most of these formats, there's no official rulebook. Bingo Bango Bongo (and the others on this list) started as ways for golfers to make a casual round more interesting, so feel free to adjust the points, the scoring, or the rules to fit your group.
Skins
Every hole is worth a skin, usually a set dollar amount agreed on before the round. The lowest score on the hole wins it outright. If two or more players tie, the skin carries over and stacks onto the next hole.
That carryover is the entire appeal. A hole worth $5 can balloon into $30 after a couple of ties, and suddenly a routine par putt on 14 has real money behind it. The format got its biggest cultural boost from a televised exhibition that debuted in 1983 at Desert Highlands Golf Club in Scottsdale, featuring Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Tom Watson. It's been a staple of small-group betting golf ever since.
It plays best with 2 to 4 players who don't mind a little financial tension on the back nine.
Nassau
Nassau is really three bets stacked into one round: a match on the front nine, a separate match on the back nine, and a third match on the full 18. Each one is scored independently, so a rough front nine doesn't sink your whole day.
The built-in comeback mechanic is what makes Nassau addictive. Get demolished on the front and you can still win the back, and the overall match is anyone's game until the 18th green. Groups often add a "press," where the player who's down can open a fresh side bet mid-round for another shot at recovering. It's one of the most common betting formats in casual golf precisely because there's always something left to play for.
Alternate Shot (Foursomes)
Alternate shot, formally called foursomes, is the format behind some of the most dramatic moments in Ryder Cup history. Two-player teams share a single ball and alternate shots until the hole is finished. One partner tees off on odd holes, the other on even holes. You don't get to pick based on who's playing well that day.
The communication demands are unlike anything else in golf. Your partner's bad drive becomes your approach shot. Your short chip becomes their putt. Every decision carries forward onto the next shot, whether you like it or not.
It's genuinely one of the harder formats to enjoy without a decent baseline of skill and patience, but for pairs who lean into it, the shared stakes create a kind of bond that solo stroke play just can't match.
Stableford
Stableford flips the scoring system entirely: instead of counting strokes, you earn points relative to par, and the highest total wins. A double bogey or worse is worth zero points, a bogey earns 1, a par earns 2, a birdie earns 3, and an eagle earns 4.
The format was devised by Dr. Frank Stableford, a physician and golfer at Wallasey Golf Club in England, and the first competition under his rules was played there in May 1932. He built it to solve a very specific problem: golfers tearing up their scorecards after a couple of rough holes and losing interest in the rest of the round.
The pickup rule is what makes it work in practice. Once you can no longer score a point on a hole, you pick up and move to the next tee. That keeps the pace of play moving and takes the sting out of a bad hole, since the worst it can cost you is zero, not a snowman that follows you to the clubhouse.
Matching the Format to Your Group
The right format usually comes down to how spread out your group's handicaps are.
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Wide handicap gap: a scramble or shamble keeps every player relevant, since the team is always working from the best available shot.
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Moderate handicap gap: Stableford with full handicaps applied keeps higher-handicap players in it emotionally, and the pickup rule keeps the pace moving.
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Tighter handicap gap: best ball, alternate shot, or Nassau all reward individual play without needing much of a handicap cushion to stay competitive.
Pick the format before you pick the tee time. It matters more than most groups realize.
Try a New Format, Then Get Your Set Fit for It
New formats put you in situations your regular Sunday round never does: alternate shot pressure, skins-game nerves, a shamble where your second shot actually matters. Whatever format you're trying next, having irons that are actually fit to your swing helps you show up for it. Our fitting tool takes about four minutes and points you toward the right setup, whether that's more forgiveness for a scramble day or more workability for match play.
The Takomo 101 MKII was named the Best Game-Improvement Iron of 2026 by MyGolfSpy, which makes it a solid pick if forgiving formats like scrambles and shambles are where you spend most of your golf.
FAQs about Different Golf Formats
What is a golf scramble?
In a scramble, every player on the team tees off, the team picks whichever shot is best, and everyone then plays their next shot from that spot. This repeats hole by hole, and the team records one collective score. It's the most forgiving team format in golf, since no single player's bad shot ever counts against the team, which is exactly why it's the standard for charity tournaments and corporate outings.
What is a shamble in golf?
A shamble starts like a scramble, with every player teeing off and the team choosing the best drive, but after that first shot, each player plays their own ball the rest of the way in. The team then records the best individual net score on the hole. It gives a group the benefit of a strong tee shot while still holding every player accountable for the rest of the hole.
What is the most popular golf format for outings and tournaments?
The scramble is the go-to format for charity events, corporate outings, and casual group golf, largely because it's beginner-friendly and keeps every player engaged regardless of skill level.
How does the Stableford scoring system work?
Stableford awards points based on your score relative to par: 0 for double bogey or worse, 1 for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie, and 4 for eagle. Whoever earns the most points over 18 holes wins, and once a player can no longer score on a hole, they can pick up and move on.
What golf format is best for players with different handicaps?
Scrambles and shambles work well for a wide handicap spread, since the team always plays from its best position. For a more moderate gap, Stableford with full handicaps keeps everyone competitive without letting one bad hole take anyone out of contention.
