Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose round robin when three or more players or sides need scheduled head-to-head matches, published match points and a table rather than elimination. Choose Vegas when four players want one volatile two-team betting game using paired hole scores, agreed point values and house rules.
round robin in brief
A schedule where each player or side meets the others in separate head-to-head matches.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | round robin | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A schedule where each player or side meets the others in separate head-to-head matches. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| Players | Minimum 3 competitors or sides for a meaningful schedule; ideal 4-8, with each participant playing the others in turn. This is an individual field or a field of sides, not one group playing every hole together. | 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 | Each match is scored hole by hole as match play; the overall table uses agreed match points, wins, halves or another competition countback. | 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 | For individual handicap match play, use the competition's stated allowance; WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of the unrounded Course Handicap for individual match play. After Playing Handicaps are calculated, the lowest plays off zero and each opponent receives the difference. A round robin involving teams or another form must not automatically inherit this allowance: the Committee should state the allowance and stroke-index method in the Terms of Competition. | 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 | Only if stakes are agreed: settle after the round-robin table, using the announced value for each match point, win or final placing. The Rules of Golf do not set a round-robin payout or betting convention. | 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 | Slower overall than one stroke-play round for the same field is the usual tendency, because a round robin requires multiple head-to-head matches and scheduling; this is an editorial planning judgement, not a measured statistic. | 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 | Club leagues, social groups and small competitions that want everyone to meet several opponents rather than be eliminated after one loss. | A balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| Weakness | It needs more match slots than a knockout and can create tie-break disputes or uneven schedules when players withdraw, so the Committee must publish the draw, points and tie procedure. | 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. Four entrants Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana in an all-play-all schedule need 6 pairings. That schedule is different from the rotating six-hole partner game sometimes given the same name. 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: Rules of Golf 2023, Rule 3.2 (match play) and Rule 23 (four-ball context only); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C; Committee Procedures, Section 5A(3)-(4). Vegas has no specific Rules of Golf format rule.
Sources: www.golf.org.au , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.golfmonthly.com , golf.com , www.thefriedegg.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do round robin and Vegas score differently?
For round robin: Each match is scored hole by hole as match play; the overall table uses agreed match points, wins, halves or another competition countback. 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 round robin vs Vegas?
round robin: For individual handicap match play, use the competition's stated allowance; WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of the unrounded Course Handicap for individual match play. After Playing Handicaps are calculated, the lowest plays off zero and each opponent receives the difference. A round robin involving teams or another form must not automatically inherit this allowance: the Committee should state the allowance and stroke-index method in the Terms of Competition. 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 round robin instead of Vegas?
Choose round robin when three or more players or sides need scheduled head-to-head matches, published match points and a table rather than elimination. Choose Vegas when four players want one volatile two-team betting game using paired hole scores, agreed point values and house rules.