Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Hammer when two golfers want head-to-head match play with a negotiated, escalating hole stake and can agree clear limits. Choose Vegas when four golfers want a volatile two-team points game built from paired scores and are prepared to document handicaps and betting variations.
Hammer in brief
A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | Hammer | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| Players | Minimum 2; ideal 2 head-to-head or 4 as two sides. A three-player version is a house arrangement, not covered here. | Minimum 4: two teams of two; ideal 4 in one foursome. It is a head-to-head team game, not an individual field format. |
| Scoring unit | The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play. | Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money. |
| Handicap method | Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay. | Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game. |
| Money settles how | Set a base stake before teeing off, such as $1 per hole. A valid hammer doubles the current stake; agree whether it is automatic or may be declined, whether halved-hole stakes carry forward, and whether the stake resets after a won hole. Settle net amounts at the end, not by treating a casual side game as an official Rules competition. | Agree a value per point before teeing off. Add each hole's point difference to a running team total and settle the final difference at the end; presses, birdie or eagle multipliers and payment splits are optional house rules and must be agreed first. |
| Pace | Usually the same as match play or slower than ordinary stroke play, as each hole still uses match-play scoring but calling, accepting and recording doubles adds decisions. This is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. | Slower than ordinary stroke play in practice because each hole requires two-digit pairing, possible score flips and point arithmetic; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured statistic. |
| Best for | Two golfers who want head-to-head match play with a negotiated money side game, or four golfers already comfortable with two-sided match play and clear pre-round limits. It suits players who enjoy risk decisions and can keep the stake modest. | A balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| Weakness | The stake can escalate quickly, and unclear choices about acceptance, carryovers, timing, concessions or four-ball sides can create arguments. The group must agree a cap or stop rule if players do not want an unexpected liability. | A single birdie flip or high score can create a very large swing, and different groups use different rules for handicaps, 10-plus scores, eagles and presses. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. For an accepted single hammer on an agreed $2 hole stake, the stake becomes $4. If Alex wins the hole, Ben pays Alex $4 under that expressly chosen house rule. Under a selected no-flip Vegas rule, Alex 4 and Ben 5 form 45; Chris 5 and Dana 6 form 56. At $1 per point per side, the 11-point difference pays $11 from the second side to the first. Agree caps and multi-digit-score handling.
Rule reference: R&A Rules of Golf Rule 23 (four-ball context only); WHS Appendix C (four-ball match-play recommendation only). Hammer and Vegas are informal games, not named Rules of Golf formats.
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Hammer and Vegas score differently?
For Hammer: The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play. For Vegas: Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money.
How do handicaps apply in Hammer vs Vegas?
Hammer: Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay. Vegas: Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game.
When should I choose Hammer instead of Vegas?
Choose Hammer when two golfers want head-to-head match play with a negotiated, escalating hole stake and can agree clear limits. Choose Vegas when four golfers want a volatile two-team points game built from paired scores and are prepared to document handicaps and betting variations.