How to play Split Sixes in golf
Split Sixes (also called the 6-Point Game) is made for a three-ball. There are six points up for grabs on every hole, so every shot counts, and one bad hole only costs you that hole.
- Players
- 3 (or 4)
- Scoring
- Six points on every hole
- Best for
- A three-ball, or a four-ball with a bit of edge
The points on each hole
- Best net score: 4 points.
- Second best: 2 points.
- Highest score: 0.
Most points after 18 holes wins.
Ties
- Two tied for best: 3 points each, and the highest score gets 0.
- Two tied for second: 1 point each, and the best score gets 4.
- All three tied: 2 points each.
In other words, tied players share the points for the places they cover.
An example
Net scores on a hole: Ann 4, Ben 4, Cat 6. Ann and Ben tie for best and get 3 each; Cat gets 0. Next hole: Ann 3, Ben 5, Cat 5. Ann takes 4, and Ben and Cat share second for 1 each.
Handicaps
Played net, the lowest handicap plays off scratch and the others get the difference (strokes off the low). It works gross too, if everyone’s a similar standard.
Men and women on cards with different pars? Whoever’s on the higher-par card gets the difference as extra strokes (the World Handicap System rule), and LiveBirdies does it for you once the pars are in.
Playing with four
It’s a three-player game, but it works with four: the best score still gets 4 and the second best 2, and the other two get 0. Tied players still share the points for the places they cover, so on a rare hole you’ll see points like ⅔ or 1½.
Scoring Split Sixes with LiveBirdies
Enter scores as you go. LiveBirdies gives the strokes off the low, splits the six points on every hole, ties included, and keeps a live leaderboard. Someone has to leave? The host taps “Someone left?” on the Standings tab, and their holes without a score count as pick-ups so the game carries on.