Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Eleven is a casual golf betting game in which each player selects their best 11 hole scores, usually net, from the round. Players declare after each hole whether to keep that score, creating a tactical choice about when to bank a score and when to wait for a better result.
How it matters in match play
Eleven is not a Rules of Golf match-play format. It normally compares each player's aggregate of 11 selected net hole scores, rather than awarding holes won, lost or halved against one opponent. A group may run it alongside a friendly match, but the Eleven settlement remains a separately agreed side game.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Eleven |
| Category | betting |
| Applicable rule | No dedicated official rule established |
| Related concepts | Net Score, Hole Score, Round Score, Handicap Competition, Side Bet |
Worked example
Alex selects 11 net Hole Scores totalling 77, Ben 79, Chris 82 and Dana 85; under an agreed $20 winner and $10 second-place settlement, Alex receives $20 from Dana and Ben receives $10 from Chris.
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How does the golf game Eleven work?
Each player chooses whether to keep each hole's score after playing it, then counts their best 11 scores, normally as net scores. The lowest 11-hole total wins. Agree the declaration procedure, any last-hole requirement and the payout before teeing off.
Is Eleven an official match-play format?
No. The Rules of Golf describe match play as opponents competing by holes won, lost or tied. Eleven is a casual betting game based on selected-score totals, so its declarations, settlement and any tie-break are house rules rather than a standard match-play result.
How many golfers can play Eleven?
Four players is the usual practical group in the published description, but it can be adapted for two or three. With fewer players, agree the payout lines in advance; do not assume the four-player winner-and-second-place arrangement transfers unchanged.
What handicap allowance does Eleven use?
There is no standard World Handicap System allowance specifically for Eleven. If it is run as a formal Handicap Competition, the Committee should state the allowance and calculation method; for a casual game, record the agreed net-score method rather than presenting a borrowed allowance as official.
Who pays whom in Eleven?
There is no universal settlement. One published version pays the lowest total from the worst total and pays second from third at half the winner's amount, but groups can agree another Side Bet, stake or payout before play.
Can players choose not to take a hole score?
Yes, that declaration choice is central to the described game: players decide after each hole whether to keep the score. Write down the decision promptly and agree whether the final hole is compulsory, because those details are variations rather than Rules of Golf requirements.