Winter Golf: 25 Game Formats to Spice Up Your Rounds

Want to keep up your game despite the cold?
Winter golf can quickly become monotonous… unless you mix things up!
Here are 25 original, fun, or strategic golf game formats, perfect for rounds with friends, club competitions, or practice sessions.

In this guide:

• Golf Classics: Stroke Play, Stableford, Match Play

• Team Formats: Scramble, Shamble, Chapman, 3 in 1…

• Fun & Practice Games: Skins, String, Take Off, Wolf…

The Classics (ideal for purists)

Stroke Play

The standard format: all strokes from tee to green are added up.
Winner: the lowest gross or net score.

Stableford

Points are awarded based on net performance on each hole.
Perfect for speeding up play and encouraging risk-taking.

Match Play

A hole-by-hole duel: ideal for creating excitement, even with only two players.
Inspired by major events like the Ryder Cup.

Team Golf Formats (cohesion and strategy)

Scramble (2 to 4 players)

All players hit, the best ball is chosen, and the process repeats.
Perfect for beginners or relaxed atmospheres.

Shamble / Texas Shamble

A more strategic variant of the scramble, where each player finishes their own ball.
Ideal for mixing fun and progression.

Four Ball, Foursome, Greensome, Chapman, Patsome, Hollywood…

Various formats to work on coordination, vary roles, and share the score.

Fun Formats & Winter Games (guaranteed fun)

Eclectic, Ringer Score

Course replayed over several days, keeping the best score hole by hole.
Motivating for long winter periods.

Skins

Each hole has a value to win… or to increase on the next one.
Ideal for friendly wager games (or a small bet?).

String, Flag, Take Off, Clubs in Prison, 3 Less…

These are fun variations that test your creativity, strategy… and fair play!

Bingo-Bango-Bongo, No Errors, Bisque, 5-3-1, Wolf…

These less common but highly effective games will energize your rounds with 3 or 4 players.

Why vary golf game formats?

• To stay motivated in winter, even in cool weather

• To work on different aspects of the game (long, short, mental, strategy)

• To strengthen cohesion and atmosphere in your group

• To organize more original friendly competitions

Practical Tips

• Announce the chosen format before the round

• Specify local rules, handicap usage, and tie-breaking method

• Feel free to print the rules or share them via WhatsApp for clarity

Conclusion: This Winter, Have Different Fun on the Course

Whether it's 5° or 25°, golf remains a game. And like any game, it deserves to be reinvented to endure.

Alternate formats, try new setups, and transform your winter rounds into true moments of golfing pleasure.

📩 TeeVasion supports you with personalized accessories to make every format even more fun (markers, flasks, tournament goodies...).