---
title: "Golf formats explained: stroke play, match play, scramble and the rest"
description: "Individual, pairs or teams. How each format works, when it is used, how it is scored, and which one to pick for a social tournament, a group of friends or a company day."
url: https://www.teeup.es/en/blog/modalidades-de-juego-golf
lang: en
updated: 2026-09-30
---

# Golf formats explained: stroke play, match play, scramble and the rest

Published: 2026-09-30 · Reading time: 6 min

## Golf formats explained

One course, the same 18 holes, and eight different ways to play them. Choosing the right format is what makes a day work — or leaves half the group bored by the 6th.

It comes down to one question: **what do you want to happen?** If you want everyone genuinely competing, one format. If you want a beginner and an 8-handicapper to enjoy the same round, a completely different one.

---

### Individual formats

#### Stroke play

The classic. You count every stroke and the lowest total wins.

- **Gross:** actual strokes, no handicap deducted.
- **Net:** strokes minus your playing handicap.

**When to use it:** official competitions and when you want a clean measurement of your level.
**Problem:** one disaster hole wrecks the whole round. For a high handicapper it can be miserable.

#### Stableford

The most-used format in amateur golf, and for good reason. You score per hole against your net par, and a bad hole only costs you that hole.

| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Net birdie | 3 |
| Net par | 2 |
| Net bogey | 1 |
| Net double bogey or worse | 0 |

Most points wins. **36 points** equals playing exactly to your handicap.

**The operational advantage:** once you can no longer score on a hole, you pick up and move on. It improves pace of play noticeably. The full calculation is in [how to read a golf scorecard and calculate your Stableford points](/en/blog/leer-tarjeta-de-golf-y-stableford).

#### Match play

You do not count total strokes: **you win, halve or lose each hole**. Whoever wins most holes wins.

The score is expressed in holes up: "2 up" is two holes ahead. The match ends when the lead exceeds the holes remaining: "3&2" means you won by 3 holes with 2 left to play.

**Why it is the most fun format to play with a friend:** a 9 on a hole costs exactly the same as a 5. You lose that hole and start fresh on the next. It is the format with the most comebacks.

#### Bogey competition

Each hole is won, halved or lost against net par. The final result reads "+3" or "−2". It is match play against the course instead of against a person.

---

### Pairs formats

| Format | How it is played | Demand level |
|---|---|---|
| **Fourball** | Each plays their own ball; the better score of the two counts on each hole | Low. Ideal for mixed levels |
| **Foursomes** | One ball, alternate shots. One tees off on odd holes, the other on evens | High. Needs similar levels |
| **Greensomes** | Both tee off, you pick the better drive, then alternate shots | Medium. The best balance |
| **Chapman** | Both tee off, both play the other's ball, then pick one and alternate | Medium-high |

**Which to choose:** **greensomes** is probably the best pairs format for a mixed group. Everyone hits their own tee shot — the fun part — and from there it is a team effort without the brutal pressure of foursomes.

**Foursomes** is the most emotionally demanding: if your partner leaves it in the bunker, you play it. It works beautifully between similar levels and badly between mismatched ones.

---

### Team formats

#### Scramble

Every player on the team hits, the best ball is chosen, and everybody plays again from there. Repeat until holed.

It is **the corporate and social tournament format** because a beginner never blocks the team: if their ball goes out, you play someone else's and carry on happily. Usually played in teams of 4.

Many tournaments add a "minimum drives per player" condition (for example, at least three tee shots from each player must be used) so nobody is a spectator.

#### Texas scramble and variants

The same as a scramble, with extra rules set by the organiser: a minimum number of shots from each player, mandatory use of everyone's drive at least once, and so on. The purpose is always the same: everyone participates.

#### Am-Am

Amateur teams where a set number of the best scores count on each hole (for example, the best two of four). More competitive than a scramble but just as inclusive.

---

### Which format for which occasion

| Situation | Recommended format |
|---|---|
| Social tournament with very mixed levels | Scramble |
| Company or client day | Scramble or Texas scramble |
| Regular group of friends | Match play or individual stableford |
| Two evenly matched pairs | Fourball or greensomes |
| Serious competition | Net and gross stroke play |
| Ryder between two teams | A mix: fourball, greensomes and individual match play |
| A beginner in the group | Scramble or fourball, never foursomes |

---

### The Ryder format: why it works so well

The Ryder Cup format — two teams facing off across several sessions in different formats — is amateur golf's best invention for groups.

**Why it works:**

- It mixes formats, so nobody plays under the same kind of pressure all day.
- Scoring is by matches won, not strokes, so one individual disaster does not sink the team.
- It creates belonging. People remember the Ryder from three years ago; nobody remembers last month's stableford.

**A typical weekend structure:**

| Session | Format |
|---|---|
| Saturday morning | Greensomes |
| Saturday afternoon | Fourball |
| Sunday | Individual match play |

At **Teeup** we organise private Ryder events by region for groups: course, format, pairings and standings all handled.

---

### Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between stroke play and match play?**
In stroke play every stroke of the round counts. In match play what counts is who wins each hole, regardless of by how many.

**What is a scramble in golf?**
A team format where everyone hits, the best ball is chosen, and everyone plays again from there until holed.

**What is the difference between foursomes and greensomes?**
In foursomes you alternate shots from the tee. In greensomes both tee off, the better drive is chosen, and you alternate from there.

**What is the best format for a company golf day?**
A scramble. A beginner never slows the team down and everyone plays on every hole.

**How many Stableford points is playing to your handicap?**
36.

**What does "3&2" mean in match play?**
The match was won by 3 holes with 2 left to play.

**Can you play fourball with very different handicaps?**
Yes — that is one of its strengths: each plays their own ball with their own strokes and the better score counts.

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The format is not an organisational detail: it decides who has a great day and who is watching the clock by the 8th.

With **Teeup** you book the course in seconds and, if you are organising for a group, we set up the tournament or the full Ryder.

**Download the Teeup app** and plan your next day out.
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