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Best first choice
Individual Stableford. It lets all six players compete in one field without inventing three-person four-ball sides. Two three-player tee groups keep the event practical, while each player's points remain part of the same final comparison.
What to agree before play
A six-player game needs clear sides, pairings and a scoring sheet before the first tee shot; changing teams mid-round can make results hard to settle. Skins, Wolf and similar side games are arrangements with house rules, not automatically official formats; agree ties, carry-overs, presses and payments in writing. Three-ball rotations and six-player team games can slow the course if every player waits for every result; keep the group moving and use separate tee times if the event is larger than one practical group.
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Individual Stableford | All six compete in one points field while playing in two practical three-player groups. |
| Six-player skins | Compare the six hole scores for an agreed pot, with scoring and carryovers written down beforehand. |
| Two three-ball matches | Split into two groups of three, with each player in a group playing a separate match against each opponent under Rule 21.4. |
| Three singles team matches | Form two teams of three and pair opposing players into three separate singles matches, combining the results under agreed team points. |
| Three two-player scrambles | Form three pairs for a stroke-scoring competition using the Committee's adopted scramble conditions and handicap method. |
| Three-versus-three lowest-ball house game | Count each three-player team's lowest hole score only under explicit custom terms; this is not Rule 23 four-ball. |
Worked example
Illustrative six-player skins pot: each golfer contributes $2 for one hole, making $12 in total. Alex scores an outright lowest 4 and takes the $12 pot under the agreed gross-scoring house terms; Ben, Chris, Dana and the other two entrants do not win that hole. The six golfers play in separate course-approved groups.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2; Rule 21.1; Rule 21.4; Rule 22; Rule 23; WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
What is the best golf game for six players?
Individual Stableford is a straightforward choice: all six players can compete in one points field while using two three-player tee groups. Agree the target score, handicap allowance and any prize terms before play; do not assume that six may play together in one course group.
Can six golfers play four-ball?
Six golfers can form three two-player sides in a four-ball stroke-play field. A standard two-sided four-ball match normally uses four players, not two three-player sides. Rule 23 defines each side as two partners, so a three-versus-three lowest-ball contest requires custom terms and must not be called official four-ball.
Can all six players compete in one Stableford game?
Yes. Stableford is an individual stroke-play form in which points are awarded by comparing a player’s score with the fixed target for each hole, normally par unless the Committee sets another target. Rank the six totals at the end.
Is Wolf an official six-player Rules of Golf format?
No specific Rules of Golf format called Wolf is established in the cited Rules. Treat it as a casual arrangement: publish who is the Wolf on each hole, when the choice is made, how a lone-wolf win scores, and how ties and handicaps are handled.
How should handicaps be handled for six golfers playing four-ball?
First identify the actual arrangement. For three two-player sides in four-ball stroke play, WHS Appendix C recommends 85%; its four-ball match-play recommendation is 90% for the recognised two-partner sides. Apply the adopted allowance to unrounded Course Handicap as prescribed. A custom three-versus-three side game has no automatic four-ball allowance.
How do six-player skins settle tied holes?
There is no single universal skins settlement in the Rules of Golf. Before starting, agree whether a tied hole carries to the next hole, whether a tie splits the skin, the stake or points per skin, and whether players must complete every hole.