Snake vs Stableford par

Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)

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Table

Comparison	Snake	Stableford par
One line	A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.	An ambiguous label usually intended to mean Stableford scored against par, not a separate official format.
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 as an individual field of 2 or more. It can also be played by a side, but ‘Stableford par’ needs the Committee or group to define the format before play.
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.	Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead.
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 an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms.
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.	No inherent money settlement. If players agree a stake, settle it using the pre-agreed basis, such as total points or a per-point amount; write that house rule down before starting.
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 when played as Stableford, because a player may stop a hole once the result will be zero points; this is a rules-based pace feature, 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-based individual competition and a clear handicap framework, provided they state whether ‘par’ means Stableford’s usual target of par or the separate Par/Bogey form.
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 name is not sufficiently precise: Stableford and Par/Bogey use different scoring systems, so players can disagree about points, hole results, handicaps or settlement unless the terms are written first.

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. On a par-4 hole, a score of 4 earns 2 points in ordinary Stableford or a tied-hole result in Par/Bogey. Confirm which meaning the label intends.

Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 21.1 (Stableford) and Rule 21.3 (Par/Bogey); Rule 3 (competition forms); WHS Appendix C. Snake is an informal side game without a standard Rules of Golf or WHS format definition.

Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org

Common questions

How do Snake and Stableford par 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 par: Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead.

How do handicaps apply in Snake vs Stableford par?

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 par: For an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms.

When should I choose Snake instead of Stableford par?

Choose Snake when three or four players want a putting side bet, with the last three-putt holder paying an agreed pot alongside another round. Choose Stableford par when players want an individual points competition, but define whether it means Stableford against par or Par/Bogey and state the scoring and handicap terms.

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