Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
Free tool: Open the calculator →
When each fits
Choose match play to settle a head-to-head contest by holes won rather than by the final qualifying three-putt. Choose Snake as an optional putting wager alongside a round, agreeing the stake and three-putt conventions before starting.
match play in brief
Players win individual holes; the match goes to whoever is ahead when the result is decided.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Table
| Comparison | match play | Snake |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Players win individual holes; the match goes to whoever is ahead when the result is decided. | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. |
| Players | Minimum 2 for an individual head-to-head; ideal 2, or a larger individual field arranged as separate matches. It is not one shared score against the whole field. | 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 | holes | 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 individual match play, the recommended WHS allowance is 100%. Apply it to each player's unrounded Course Handicap to calculate the Playing Handicap. The player with the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest Playing Handicap, with strokes allocated by hole as specified by the Committee or Terms of Competition. | 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 | Match play has no automatic money settlement. If players agree a stake beforehand, it can settle as one amount for the match; any per-hole side bet or carry-over is a house rule that should be written down before starting. | 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 | Often faster than stroke play, because the match ends once one player leads by more holes than remain and concessions can shorten holes; it can be the same or slower when matches are close, contested or extended. | 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 | Two players who want every hole to matter, a direct contest between unequally skilled golfers using handicaps, or a club knockout with clearly stated Terms of Competition. | 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 player can be eliminated before 18 holes, and a disputed handicap, concession or house-money rule can create friction unless the terms are agreed first. | 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. In a scratch singles hole, Alex scores 4 and Ben 5, so Alex wins that hole under Rule 3.2. 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: Rules of Golf Rules 3.1a, 3.2a, 3.2b; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C and Rules 6.1-6.2. Snake has no governing Rules of Golf format or WHS allowance.
Sources: www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.golfdigest.com
Common questions
How do match play and Snake score differently?
For match play: holes 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 match play vs Snake?
match play: For individual match play, the recommended WHS allowance is 100%. Apply it to each player's unrounded Course Handicap to calculate the Playing Handicap. The player with the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest Playing Handicap, with strokes allocated by hole as specified by the Committee or Terms of Competition. 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 match play instead of Snake?
Choose match play to settle a head-to-head contest by holes won rather than by the final qualifying three-putt. Choose Snake as an optional putting wager alongside a round, agreeing the stake and three-putt conventions before starting.