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Four-ball match-play teams. With 16 golfers, eight pairs can be placed into four four-player matches, so every player has a partner and a direct opponent rather than waiting on a single 16-player result. It also has a clear Rules of Golf model and a published 90% WHS recommendation for four-ball match play, while the match stakes and any team bonus remain house rules.
What to agree before play
Sixteen golfers cannot play as one group under ordinary pace and starting arrangements; use separate tee times or groups and one scorekeeper Skins, Nassau, Vegas and Bingo Bango Bongo are side-game arrangements, not automatically competitions governed by a single Rules of Golf format; write the tie, carry-over, stake and settlement rules before teeing off Do not apply the 90% four-ball match-play allowance to every game on this list: the Committee or group must identify the format, handicap basis and Terms of the Competition
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Four-ball match-play teams | make eight pairs and schedule four head-to-head matches, with a separate agreed stake per match |
| Skins | run one individual skins ledger across the 16-player field, or four linked four-player pools, with ties carrying the skin forward |
| Nassau | run four separate four-player groups, each agreeing front-nine, back-nine and total bets before play |
| Vegas | make eight two-player teams and settle the agreed points differential between teams after each hole or at the end |
| Sixes | arrange four-player groups and rotate partners after holes 6 and 12, treating each six-hole block as a separate agreed bet |
| Bingo Bango Bongo | run four-player groups awarding agreed points for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed, then settle the points pot |
Worked example
Illustrative house example: in a $2-per-skin ledger for one 16-player field, hole 7 has a tie for lowest score, so its $2 carries to hole 8; Alex then wins hole 8 outright, receiving $4 for the two accumulated skins. If the group instead uses four four-player pools, each pool keeps its own ledger and the pools do not share carry-overs unless that is agreed in advance.
Rule reference: R&A Rules of Golf 2023, Rules 3.1 and 3.2 (match play), 23 (four-ball) and 24 (team competitions); WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.golfaustralia.com.au
Common questions
Can 16 golfers play a betting game in one group?
No. Treat 16 as a field and split it into groups or tee times that the course can accommodate. Keep one written ledger or nominate a scorekeeper so the separate groups can feed results into the same agreed game.
What is the most structured betting game for 16 players?
Four-ball match-play teams are the clearest starting point: create eight pairs and four head-to-head matches. The Rules describe two partners playing their own balls with the lower score counting for the side, while the stake and any overall prize are agreed house terms.
What handicap allowance should a 16-player skins game use?
There is no single WHS skins allowance in the cited Appendix C table. Do not label a skins percentage as official; decide and record a transparent house method, or change the event into a recognised format such as four-ball match play and use its applicable Committee-set allowance.
How should ties work in a 16-player skins game?
Set the rule before play. A practical illustrative convention is that a tied low score carries the hole's stake to the next hole, and an outright winner collects the accumulated amount; this is a house arrangement, not a universal Rules of Golf requirement.
Can a Nassau cover all 16 golfers as one bet?
It can be designed that way, but it is clearer to run four separate four-player Nassaus or another explicitly defined team structure. State whether the front nine, back nine and total are individual, partner or team contests, and how ties settle.
What should be written down before money changes hands?
Record the groups, game and scoring unit, stake or non-cash prize, handicap method, tie and carry-over rule, maximum exposure, settlement time and who keeps the ledger. Use responsible, voluntary stakes and comply with local law and club policy.