Format that's fair where 3 can play against 4

[Kennysarmy]

We've got 7 turning up to play on Friday in a little friendly roll up, was meant to be 8 but one has dropped out!

I was thinking we could play a team format when it was going to be two teams of 4!

The only thing I can think of is to do a bowmaker with 2 scores to count on each hole, where the team with the extra player just has to rotate a player who takes no part in every 4th hole.

Anyone got any better suggestions?

 

[ScienceBoy]

No show 4th player plays to mean team handicap each hole. Should only score a few points for the team but not too much to skew the result.

 

[Robin Hood]

We play 2 to score and 3-ball get 5 points added at end.
However we have had many discussions about whether it should be 3,4,5 or even 6 points added on.

 

[rulefan]

4 man team - 3 best of 4 to count
3 man team - 2 best to count plus 2nd best again.

 

[patricks148]

we do 2 scores to count 3/4 for the 4 ball and full for the 3's

 

[jim8flog]

Play a 3 man team game.

with the 4 man team each player's score does not count in successive rotation ie player 1's score does not count on the first hole, player 2's does not count on the second and so on.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Play a 3 man team game.

with the 4 man team each player's score does not count in successive rotation ie player 1's score does not count on the first hole, player 2's does not count on the second and so on.

I think that's what I said

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Use one of the four ball team's players as a ghost player for the three ball. I'm not sure how it works.

Maybe if scoring 3 best stableford points from the four on each hole, the 3 ball's ghost player scores the lowest stableford points of the three who scored for the four ball team. The ghost player score might not count towards the 3-ball score for a hole if all the three ball's s/ford scores were better than the ghost player's on the hole. The ghost player's score only comes in when his score is better than the poorest score of the three ball.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Use one of the four ball team's players as a ghost player for the three ball. I'm not sure how it works.

Maybe if scoring 3 best stableford points from the four on each hole, the 3 ball's ghost player scores the lowest stableford points of the three who scored for the four ball team. The ghost player score might not count towards the 3-ball score for a hole if all the three ball's s/ford scores were better than the ghost player's on the hole. The ghost player's score only comes in when his score is better than the poorest score of the three ball.

I see what you're trying to do, but I think we'd spend far too long in the clubhouse afterwards trying to work out who'd actually won and lost and that would eat in to valuable cake eating time

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I see what you're trying to do, but I think we'd spend far too long in the clubhouse afterwards trying to work out who'd actually won and lost and that would eat in to valuable cake eating time

Indeed - though all you'd do would look at the lowest of the 3 scores of the four ball - and if that is better than the lowest of the three ball's scores then one replaces the other.

In any case - I'll add that I've got no idea how well it works in practice as I've only just invented it

 

[Humpy]

I would do all scores to count with one of the fourballs score being added to that of the threeball. And when I say added, that would be total score not each hole. So if the fourball all score 30 points (i.e. 120 in total) and everyone in the threeball score 28 points their gross score would be (28 * 3) + 30 = 114. Keeps it nice and simple.

Alternatively, find another friend.

 

[2blue]

No show 4th player plays to mean team handicap each hole. Should only score a few points for the team but not too much to skew the result.

Are you meaning 'Team score'?

 

[jim8flog]

I think that's what I said

sorry! by the time I came up with an idea I had forgotten what you said. At my age both of those things go side by side.

 

[3offTheTee]

All to score. 4 man team divide total score by 4, 3 man team divide total score by 3. If team 3 wins the player with the best score takes any extra cash after dividing by 3.

There was a debate at our place when playing this format is there an advantage, not financially, playing as a 3 or a 4. My opinion is there is no difference. All depends on the day.

 

[nickjdavis]

Play skins... All throw in a fiver.

£1.50 a skin and pick a couple of nearest the pin holes for £4.00 each.

Any holes rolling over on 18 go to the player with the highest stford score.

 

[duncan mackie]

Just forget the team aspect and stick to a range of individual scoring elements to keep everyone included on each tee (regardless of what went before). Front 9, back 9, par 3s, par 4s, par 5s, nearest pins - or card skins back in the bar afterwards which is always good for focus and fun going through the cards later!
2 uneven teams is the worst possible situation - doesn't matter how you set it up the set up will be blamed for the result father than the play. Ultimate no win situation.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Play skins... All throw in a fiver.

£1.50 a skin and pick a couple of nearest the pin holes for £4.00 each.

Any holes rolling over on 18 go to the player with the highest stford score.

Skins I like, but not £1.50 a skin - with 7 of us and 18 holes that could work out with someone winning £1.50 x 6 x 18 = £162!

Bit rich for us, but 10p a skin might work and would extend the fun in to the bar afterwards as we go through each hole one by one working out who wins some money!

 

[fundy]

Skins I like, but not £1.50 a skin - with 7 of us and 18 holes that could work out with someone winning £1.50 x 6 x 18 = £162!

Bit rich for us, but 10p a skin might work and would extend the fun in to the bar afterwards as we go through each hole one by one working out who wins some money!

Think he means each of you put a fiver in total each so £35 in the pot which is then distributed at £1.50 a skin (£27 total) then the couple of nearest the pins pay out the other £8 (£4 each)

So really if you win a skin youre winning 25p off each of the players

Not sure its easy to play skins across 2 groups though

 

[Kennysarmy]

Think he means each of you put a fiver in total each so £35 in the pot which is then distributed at £1.50 a skin (£27 total) then the couple of nearest the pins pay out the other £8 (£4 each)

So really if you win a skin youre winning 25p off each of the players

Not sure its easy to play skins across 2 groups though

Not easy in what way? I'm envisaging that we all just play as normal with the excitement coming later in the bar....

 

[fundy]

Not easy in what way? I'm envisaging that we all just play as normal with the excitement coming later in the bar....

part of the fun of skins is knowing where you stand each hole and what is needed to either win a skin or stop someone else win one and roll it over, so you get players cheering for each other to stop the skin being won etc (tactics change a little, bit like they would in matchplay). if youre happy to work them out afterwards then wont be an issue i guess