Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when pairs want shared tee-shot choices and one ball played alternately, with competition terms setting the result and WHS 60%/40% team allowance. Choose skins when individuals want hole-by-hole skins and optional carryovers, with gross/net scoring, ties and any stakes agreed as house rules.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
skins in brief
A hole-by-hole game where the player with the best agreed score wins that hole’s skin or carryover.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | skins |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | A hole-by-hole game where the player with the best agreed score wins that hole’s skin or carryover. |
| Players | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. | Minimum 2; ideal 3–4 players in one group. It is an individual field game, not automatically a head-to-head match. |
| Scoring unit | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. | Holes and skins. A skin is awarded only under the group’s agreed tie and carryover rules; scores may be gross or use an agreed net method. |
| Handicap method | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. | No WHS handicap allowance or stroke-allocation recommendation exists for net skins. For a casual game, agree in advance whether it is gross or net and document any house method; do not present individual match-play’s 100% allowance as a skins rule. |
| Money settles how | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. | Per hole, with the value of an outright skin and any carryover agreed before play; settle the total after the round. Money is optional and only applies where stakes are agreed. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. | Usually similar to stroke play, but it can be slower when players wait to confirm the lowest score, resolve ties or calculate net scores; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured claim. |
| Best for | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. | Friends wanting a simple hole-by-hole contest with optional carryovers and a result that keeps interest alive across the round. |
| Weakness | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. | Tie, carryover and handicap arrangements can become contentious because skins has no single WHS method for net play; the group must write its house rules first. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole. Under a chosen pooled skins rule, four players each contribute $2 to a hole. Alex's outright low 4 against 5, 5 and 6 wins the $8 pool: net +$6 for Alex and −$2 for each other player.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C; Rules of Golf Rule 3 (for the distinction between match play, stroke play and net scores)
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do greensomes and skins score differently?
For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. For skins: Holes and skins. A skin is awarded only under the group’s agreed tie and carryover rules; scores may be gross or use an agreed net method.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs skins?
greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. skins: No WHS handicap allowance or stroke-allocation recommendation exists for net skins. For a casual game, agree in advance whether it is gross or net and document any house method; do not present individual match-play’s 100% allowance as a skins rule.
When should I choose greensomes instead of skins?
Choose greensomes when pairs want shared tee-shot choices and one ball played alternately, with competition terms setting the result and WHS 60%/40% team allowance. Choose skins when individuals want hole-by-hole skins and optional carryovers, with gross/net scoring, ties and any stakes agreed as house rules.