Golf is a sport which is played by the rich, or those who have a bit more money than the average joe. Why is that? Simply put, the equipment needed to even start playing golf is expensive. Renting equipment gets old too soon, so people end up buying the stuff they need, from the clothes, to the clubs. Memberships are also not cheap. With that out of the way, golf is also a sport that attracts bettors of all kinds. But, not all golf tournaments are alike, some have different formats. Here are the most prominent and popular golf tournament formats which you should know. 

The Scramble

No, not scrambled eggs, but rather, the scramble, the most popular golf tournament format for fundraising events. It is often played in teams of four and the best ball is selected out of the four shots that the team takes, or as many as they have players. The best thing about this format is that there is no time wasted trying to find balls in various crevices and nooks and crannies where they can get stuck, because you can select the best ball out of them all. Once a best ball is selected, the next golfer goes and shoots until they get as close as a club’s length away from the hole, but not closer. It is an interesting and fun way of playing golf.

Stroke Play

You play all 18 holes and after you play all of them, your score is calculated. You are basically competing against the course itself, as well the other golfers. Whoever has the better score in the end, wins.

Best Ball

This is played in teams of 2, up to 4. Every golfer gets a shot and a team’s lowest scoring ball is selected. Once all the balls are played, the team with the lowest score wins, basically. This way of competing is rather rewarding if you can shoot accurately and score a hole as fast as possible, but it also means that your teammates can cover for your weaknesses, as well as you theirs.

Alternate Shot

This is an interesting mode played by teams of 2. Each player alternates between holes, meaning they alternate between tee shots on each hole. It is an interesting way of playing, especially if you can set up your partner for the shots you know they are comfortable with. That means that you can use each other’s strengths to the fullest.

Match Play

This is one of the most popular types of tournament format. Golfers compete for each hole. The one with the best score wins the hole. Once all 18 are done, the golfer with the most won holes wins the tournament. This format is used for multiple international events.

Golf is an amazing sport and these are some of the tournament formats you can expect to see on television and online.