Golf Games Explained: Nassau, Skins, Wolf, Best Ball, and More

DEFINITION

Nassau

A three-part bet dividing the round into three separate competitions: the front nine, the back nine, and the full 18 holes. Each is a separate match play contest worth the agreed stake. You can win any combination of the three. Pressing — starting a new sub-bet when a player is 2 holes down — is a common addition.

DEFINITION

Skins

Each hole is worth one skin (the agreed stake per hole). The player with the lowest score on the hole wins the skin outright. Ties carry the skin over to the next hole, accumulating until someone wins a hole alone. Late-round carry-overs can make individual holes worth 3–5 skins.

DEFINITION

Wolf

A 4-player rotating format. One player per hole is the Wolf. After each tee shot, the Wolf can take that player as a partner or pass. After all four have hit, the Wolf has their partner or goes Lone Wolf against all three. Points are awarded based on the result. The wolf role rotates each hole.

DEFINITION

Best Ball

Each player plays their own ball throughout the hole. The team's score for that hole is only the lowest individual score recorded. Also called four-ball in match play. Every player must complete every hole — unlike scramble, where the group shares one ball.

DEFINITION

Scramble

All players hit their tee shot, the group selects the best shot, and all players play from that spot. The process repeats until the ball is holed. Also called captain's choice or ambrose. Produces lower scores than any other format and is the standard for charity and corporate outings.

DEFINITION

Stableford

A points-based format awarding points per hole relative to a fixed score. Standard: Eagle = 4 points, Birdie = 3, Par = 2, Bogey = 1, Double or worse = 0. Players can pick up once they cannot score, keeping pace moving. Higher points total wins.

DEFINITION

Match Play

A head-to-head format where holes are won, lost, or halved rather than strokes accumulated. A player is X holes up or down at any point. The match ends when one player leads by more holes than are left to play. Individual scores per hole matter; total strokes across the round do not.

Most golfers learn stroke play and stick with it. Then they join a group running a Nassau or skins game and spend the first few holes confused. These formats are not complicated once you understand the structure, but nobody explains them clearly in the pro shop.

Nassau: Three Bets, One Round

Nassau is the most common betting format in casual golf because it creates multiple games within a single round. You are playing three separate match play competitions simultaneously: one for the front nine, one for the back nine, and one for the full 18 holes. Each is worth the agreed stake independently.

The setup: agree on a dollar amount per side. Common in casual play is $2–$5 per side, meaning total exposure per match is $6–$15 (three bets). At the end of the front nine, the player who won more holes on the front collects. Same for the back nine. The overall 18-hole match settles independently based on who won more holes across the full round.

The press: if a player falls 2 holes behind in any part of the Nassau, they can start a new sub-bet — the press — from that point. The press runs concurrently with the original match and settles independently. Groups that enjoy high-action rounds play auto-press, meaning the press is required whenever a player is 2 down.

Skins: Carry-Over Tension

Skins is a hole-by-hole format where winning a hole outright earns the agreed value. Ties carry the skin forward. A hole that five people tie five times in a row gets progressively more interesting — hole 14 might be worth a skin from itself plus the four previous carry-overs.

The carry-over is what separates Skins from Nassau. Any hole can flip the round. Players who have been quiet all back nine can collect everything on the last hole if it carries enough skins.

For mixed-handicap groups, net skins (subtracting handicap strokes per hole) keeps it fair. You calculate each player’s net score on each hole and the lowest net wins the skin.

Wolf: The Social Format

Wolf works only with four players. Each hole, one player is designated the Wolf, rotating in order. The Wolf tees off last. After each other player tees off, the Wolf decides in that moment whether to take them as a partner. Once the decision is made, it cannot be reversed — the Wolf cannot take Player A’s shot, see Player C bomb one 50 yards past it, and switch partners.

If the Wolf declines all three players’ shots, they are Lone Wolf — playing alone against all three opponents. The points value for Lone Wolf is typically doubled, meaning higher risk and higher reward.

The game creates a social dynamic unlike any other format. Watching the Wolf evaluate each tee shot and make a visible choice adds negotiation and strategy to a part of the round that is otherwise just standing around waiting to hit.

Best Ball vs. Scramble: Know the Difference

These two team formats get confused constantly. They play very differently.

In Best Ball, every player plays their own ball all the way to the hole. The team records only the lowest score per hole. If your partner makes a birdie and you make a double, the team records the birdie. You still have to hole out — you just know your contribution may not count.

In a Scramble, the team shares one ball. After the tee shots, the group selects the best lie and all players hit from that spot. This repeats until the ball is in the hole. Scramble produces lower scores because on any given shot, at least one of four players typically hits something useful. It is the format for charity outings and corporate events because it keeps beginners involved and prevents bad holes from ruining the round.

Tracking These Formats With an App

18Birdies handles Nassau and match play scoring in real time through its game management feature, available on the free tier. TheGrint supports match play alongside its handicap tracking. For Stableford, TheGrint calculates points automatically from your gross score and handicap. Scramble scoring is supported by TheGrint and Golf GameBook.

Birvix is building partner matching based on preferred format and stakes. Someone who plays Nassau with a $2 press is not the same partner as someone who wants a casual scramble. The behavioral ledger ties player profiles to how they actually play, not just their handicap.