Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when two partners want a team competition built from selected tee shots and alternate play, with the WHS 60%-low-plus-40%-high recommendation where applicable. Choose Snake when three or four players want an informal putting side bet whose three-putt stakes and conventions are agreed in advance.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | Snake |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. |
| 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 players; ideal 3-4 players in an individual field. It can run alongside a head-to-head match, but Snake itself is not a match-play competition. |
| 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. | Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser. |
| 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 standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage. |
| 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. | Agree a fixed dollar amount per three-putt before play. Add that amount to the pot each time, then have the final snake holder pay the pot to the other players; agree in advance whether the amount doubles, how unfinished rounds are handled and how any tie is resolved. |
| 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 the same as ordinary stroke play when everyone holes out in turn, but it can be slower if players debate whether a putt counts or add a separate token-and-settlement routine. |
| 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. | Three or four players who want a simple putting-focused side bet alongside their normal round or another agreed game, with clear stakes and no gimmes unless the group agrees otherwise. |
| 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. | The final loss can depend on one late three-putt rather than overall scoring, and informal conventions differ on putts from the fringe, conceded putts, doubling and the payout. |
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 last-three-putt Snake rule, Alex holds the Snake at the end and pays $2 to each of Ben, Chris and Dana: net −$6 for Alex and +$2 for each other player. Agree the trigger before play.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping 2024, Appendix C; Rules of Golf 2023, Rule 3 where applicable
Sources: www.usga.org , www.englandgolf.org , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do greensomes and Snake 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 Snake: Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs Snake?
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. Snake: No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage.
When should I choose greensomes instead of Snake?
Choose greensomes when two partners want a team competition built from selected tee shots and alternate play, with the WHS 60%-low-plus-40%-high recommendation where applicable. Choose Snake when three or four players want an informal putting side bet whose three-putt stakes and conventions are agreed in advance.