The Golf Buddy Trip Glossary: Every Term Explained

A number representing a player's skill level relative to par, used to level the playing field between players of different abilities.

A player's handicap adjusted for the specific difficulty of the course being played that day. This is the number actually used to calculate strokes given.

A ranking (1-18) printed on a scorecard showing which holes are hardest. Handicap strokes are applied starting with the lowest-numbered (hardest) holes first.

A points-based scoring system where players earn points based on their score relative to par on each hole, instead of counting total strokes. Rewards aggressive play since a blow-up hole only costs you the points for that hole, not your whole round.

Standard scoring — total strokes over the round, lowest total wins. The default format most casual rounds use.

Scoring by hole instead of total strokes — whoever has the lower score on a given hole wins that hole, and the match is decided by how many holes each side won. The format behind Ryder Cup–style buddy trips.

A short putt the group agrees counts as made without actually being putted out, usually to speed up play in casual rounds.

A do-over shot, typically allowed once per player per round in casual buddy trip rules, that doesn't count against the score.

Two teams competing across multiple match types (best ball, alternate shot, singles) for cumulative points. The most popular format for multi-day buddy trips. See our full Ryder Cup format guide.

Each player in a pair plays their own ball; the lower of the two scores counts for the team on each hole.

Two players share one ball, taking turns hitting shots. Widely considered the hardest and most chaotic format in team golf.

All players in a group hit a shot, the best one is selected, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. Common in charity/corporate outings since it keeps pace fast and forgives bad shots.

One-on-one match play, typically used as the final session of a Ryder Cup–style trip to decide the overall winner.

A hybrid format — everyone tees off, the best drive is selected, then each player plays their own ball in from there.

A three-part bet: one bet on the front 9, one on the back 9, one on the overall 18. Effectively three separate matches in one round.

Each hole is worth a set dollar amount ("a skin"). Lowest score on a hole wins that skin; ties carry the money over to the next hole, which can stack the pot significantly.

A side bet started mid-Nassau match, usually when someone's down and wants a fresh bet for the remaining holes to try to get back to even.

A rotating-captain game where each player takes a turn as "the Wolf" and chooses to either pick a partner for that hole or play alone against the other three for higher stakes.

A team betting game where each pair's two scores are combined into a two-digit number (lower score first), and the difference between the two teams' numbers determines the payout — can produce huge swings on bad holes.

A points game with three points available per hole: first ball on the green, closest to the pin once everyone's on, first ball in the hole. Rewards different skills than just low score.

Small bonus payouts for specific in-round events — a greenie (closest to pin on a par 3), a sandie (up-and-down from a bunker), a barky (hit a tree and still made par). Usually a dollar or two each, but adds up.

When a hole in a skins game is tied, the money carries over and stacks onto the next hole's skin value.

A draft order that reverses direction each round (1-2-2-1) so no single captain gets a stacked first-pick advantage. See our full guide to draft formats.

Captains bid a fake budget on players one at a time instead of taking turns picking — borrowed from fantasy football.

Team captains manually select their rosters, sometimes constrained by handicap tiers to keep both sides balanced.

Names drawn at random with no draft order at all — simplest option, works best in smaller or more evenly-matched groups.

The award given to the trip's top overall performer, separate from the team/cup winner. See our MVP and trophy ideas post for real examples.

The shared buy-in collected from the group at the start of the trip, distributed to winners of the various games and side bets throughout.

Slang for the clubhouse bar/patio after the round — where most of a golf trip's actual arguments and stories happen.

A nod to Augusta National's tradition — many buddy trips award their own version (often a thrifted or custom jacket) to the overall winner.

Deliberately inflating your handicap to gain an unfair advantage in a handicapped format. The single most common source of golf trip arguments, by a wide margin.

A bundled package combining lodging and golf, common at resort-style golf trip destinations. See our golf trip budget breakdown for real cost ranges.