Game picker
MatchPlay agrees the game before anyone tees off.
MatchPlay is being built to take the group size and preferences from the chat, confirm a format everyone can actually play, then hand off to the right calculator and scorecard.
The compatibility matrix
This is an editorially reviewed list, not a computed fairness ranking. Each row states the format's team structure, the group sizes it structurally fits, and whether its handicap method is a recognised Appendix C allowance or needs a house-agreed term.
| Format | Team style | Fits | Handicap method | Guide / calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Stableford | Individual | Any group size | Recognised format (95%/85%) | Stableford calculator |
| Three-ball | Individual | Multiples of 3 | Confirm authorised three-ball terms | Formats / Scorecard |
| Individual match play | Individual | Even groups | Recognised format (100%) | Guide / Handicap calculator |
| Four-ball match play | Fixed pairs | Multiples of 4 | Recognised format (90%) | Guide / Handicap calculator |
| Four-ball stroke play | Fixed pairs | Even groups | Recognised format (85%) | Guide / Handicap calculator |
| Foursomes stroke play | Fixed pairs | Even groups | Recognised format (50% combined) | Guide / Handicap calculator |
| Skins | Individual | Any group size | House terms required | Guide / Skins calculator |
| Wolf | Rotating | Exactly 4 | House terms required | Guide / Settlement calculator |
Groups above 4 players always carry a "use separate course-approved playing groups" warning, whatever format they pick — the picker does not recommend one oversized group walking together.
Worked example: 3 players, individual scoring
Alex, Ben and Chris select 3 players, individual scoring, no handicaps and no stake. The picker returns:
| # | Format | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Individual Stableford | Every player scores their own card against par, so it works for any of your 3 players without needing even teams. |
| 2 | Three-ball | 3 splits evenly into group(s) of three, so each three-ball match plays all three players against each other directly. |
It never offers a standard two-versus-two four-ball match, because three players cannot form two equal two-player sides.
Second case: 6 players, any team style, casual stakes OK
With 6 entered and casual stakes allowed, the picker returns Individual Stableford, Three-ball, Four-ball stroke play — and it still will not label anything a "3-v-3 four-ball" or foursomes match, because both those formats need a group that splits into pairs of pairs (a multiple of 4), not a multiple of 3.
Related tools
Once you've picked a format: balance the sides with the team generator, work out strokes with the stroke allocator or the handicap calculator, and settle side bets with the settlement calculator. Browse every format in the format library.
Common questions
Can the picker recommend games for an odd number of golfers?
Yes. It favours arrangements that genuinely fit the number you enter and explains any rotation or unequal grouping needed. A five-player group is never silently treated as two equal two-player sides; it is shown individual-scoring options such as Stableford, or a three-ball plus a pair.
Does the recommendation set an official handicap allowance?
No. Recognised formats such as four-ball and foursomes have a published Rules of Handicapping Appendix C allowance, which the linked calculator applies. Informal side games such as skins or Wolf need an agreed house method; the picker flags that explicitly rather than inventing one.
Why can't 3 players use a standard four-ball?
Four-ball is two fixed pairs of two, so it needs a group size that divides evenly into pairs of pairs. Three players cannot form two two-player sides, so the picker rules it out and instead suggests individual Stableford or a three-ball match, where all three players compete directly.
What happens with a group of 16?
The picker still returns individually scoring options, but every recommendation carries a warning to use separate course-approved tee groups rather than one oversized group walking together.
Is this a scientific fairness ranking?
No. The matrix behind the picker is an editorial, human-reviewed compatibility list (shown in full below), not a computed or statistically validated ranking. It is a starting point for agreeing a game, not a competition ruling.