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Best first choice
Individual Stableford. It is the cleanest first choice for five because all players can compete in one group without forcing an uneven team split or inventing a special five-player allowance. It also gives players a hole-by-hole points score, so one poor hole need not end the round, while the Committee can state the target score and any handicap allowance in the Terms of the Competition.
What to agree before play
Wolf's partner choices do not rotate evenly across 18 holes with five players, so publish the order and accept the imbalance. A five-way skins or Nassau settlement needs written rules for ties, carryovers, presses and who wins a tied overall result; these are house terms, not automatic Rules of Golf procedures. Do not assume a five-person scramble or another casual game has an official WHS allowance: use a recognised format or obtain competition approval for the handicap method.
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Individual Stableford | All five players score their own holes, so nobody needs an even team split and the round stays easy to compare. |
| Wolf | A rotating player chooses a partner or plays alone on each hole, creating a social five-player game but not equal numbers of selection turns over 18 holes. |
| Individual skins | Each hole can be a separate pot, with ties carrying forward under the group's written house rule; five players make the pot meaningful without requiring teams. |
| Nassau | Run front nine, back nine and total as three separate head-to-head or field bets, with the group agreeing in advance how the five-way result and any ties settle. |
| Individual stroke play | Everyone records a gross or net total against the whole group, which is the simplest no-team fallback when players want one overall winner. |
| Bingo Bango Bongo | Award agreed points for first on the green, closest to the pin and first in the hole; it is a social side game, so write the house rules before tee-off. |
Worked example
Illustrative Stableford example: on a par-4 hole, Alex makes 4 strokes, so he scores 2 points against a par target; Ben makes 5 for 1 point, Chris makes 6 for 0, and Dana makes 3 for 3. The fifth player also records their own points, and the round winner is the player with the highest total after 18 holes.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.1 and Rule 3.2; Rule 21.1b for Stableford; WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
What is the best golf game for five players?
Individual Stableford is the safest starting point: all five players play their own ball, there is no uneven team split, and the score is easy to total. Agree the target score, handicap terms and tie-break before starting.
Can five golfers play Wolf?
Yes, as a social house game. Rotate the Wolf role in a fixed order, but explain that five does not divide evenly into the usual 18-hole rotation, so some players will have more selection turns than others.
Is there an official five-player scramble handicap allowance?
The WHS Appendix C table lists recommended allowances for two-, three- and four-player scrambles, not a five-player scramble. A five-player scramble therefore needs competition-approved terms and a stated method; do not transplant a listed percentage automatically.
How should five-player skins ties be handled?
Choose the house rule before play. A common illustrative option is to carry a tied hole's pot to the next hole, then pay the outright winner; the group should also state what happens if the final hole is tied.
Can five players play match play in one group?
Not as one ordinary five-sided match under the Rules of Golf. Arrange separate pairings, a round-robin schedule or a clearly stated social points game, and do not present the custom arrangement as an official format.
How are handicaps handled in a five-player game?
Use the allowance for the recognised format when one exists and put it in the competition terms. For a casual variant such as Wolf or a five-player scramble, agree a transparent house method instead of claiming that WHS supplies a specific allowance.