Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Snake when players want an informal putting side bet with agreed three-putt and stake conventions. Choose Stableford when a field wants individual stroke play scored as points against a Committee-set fixed target, normally par, with the applicable handicap allowance confirmed.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Stableford in brief
Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target on each hole.
Table
| Comparison | Snake | Stableford |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. | Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target on each hole. |
| Players | 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. | Minimum 1; ideal for an individual field of 3 or more competitors. A committee can also run Stableford for a side, but this record describes individual Stableford. |
| Scoring unit | 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. | Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target. |
| Handicap method | 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. | For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition. |
| Money settles how | 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. | There is no inherent money settlement. If players agree a side stake, settle at the end of the round by the agreed total-points result or an agreed value per point; write the amount and ties rule before play. |
| Pace | 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. | Often faster than ordinary stroke play, because Rule 21.1 allows a player to stop a hole when the score will produce zero points; this is a qualified tendency, not a measured time claim. |
| Best for | 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. | Groups wanting a forgiving points competition where one poor hole need not determine the result, and fields that prefer comparing totals rather than settling hole-by-hole. |
| Weakness | 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. | The points total can hide the underlying stroke difference, and the result depends on the Committee clearly setting the fixed target, handicap allowance and any tie or stake terms. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. 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. With par 4 as the target on three holes, scores 4, 5 and 3 give Alex 6 ordinary Stableford points; scores 5, 4 and 4 give Ben 5.
Rule reference: Rule 21.1 (Stableford); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Snake and Stableford score differently?
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. For Stableford: Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target.
How do handicaps apply in Snake vs Stableford?
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. Stableford: For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition.
When should I choose Snake instead of Stableford?
Choose Snake when players want an informal putting side bet with agreed three-putt and stake conventions. Choose Stableford when a field wants individual stroke play scored as points against a Committee-set fixed target, normally par, with the applicable handicap allowance confirmed.