Scores
Side games
Sixes: rules, scoring and a free calculator
Four players, three matches of six holes each. You get a new partner every six holes, so everyone plays with everyone.
4 players
How Sixes works
- Holes 1 to 6: players 1 and 2 against players 3 and 4.
- Holes 7 to 12: players 1 and 3 against players 2 and 4.
- Holes 13 to 18: players 1 and 4 against players 2 and 3.
- Each match is best ball: the better score of the pair counts on each hole, and the pair that wins more holes wins the match. On nine holes, each match is three holes.
On each hole
- Check whose turn it is to partner whom for this stretch of six holes.
- Play the hole. The better score of each pair is the pair’s score.
- Lower pair score wins the hole. A tie halves it.
- After six holes, the pair with more holes won wins the match. Each winner earns a point from each loser. A halved match earns nothing.
Why people like it
Nobody is stuck with the same partner for the whole round, so a weak day does not sink one pair. It is a fair game for four players of mixed ability.
Because every player has the same three matches, the totals add up to zero, and the winner is the player with the most points at the end.
Some groups call it Round Robin. The rotation is the same.
Common variations
- A halved match can be played off over an extra hole.
- Net Sixes: handicap strokes are given on the hardest holes, so a mixed group plays an even game.
- Playing it over nine holes, with three holes in each match.
Sixes calculator
Add your players and type the strokes for each hole. You get the standings and who won what. It uses the same game engine as the Pocket Looper live card.
Handicap strokes (optional)
| Hole | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
| 9 |
Enter scores to start
Not started
- Holes 1 to 3Player 1 & Player 2 v Player 3 & Player 4: Not started
- Holes 4 to 6Player 1 & Player 3 v Player 2 & Player 4: Not started
- Holes 7 to 9Player 1 & Player 4 v Player 2 & Player 3: Not started
Points
Questions golfers ask
How do you play Sixes in golf?
Four players play three six-hole best ball matches. The partners change every six holes so each player partners each other player once.
How many players do you need for Sixes?
Exactly four.
How does scoring work in Sixes?
Each match is worth a point. A player on the winning pair earns a point from each player on the losing pair. A halved match earns nothing.
Can you play Sixes over nine holes?
Yes. Each match is three holes instead of six, so the same three pairings are played.
More side games
Get this on every shot
Pocket Looper keeps Skins, Nassau, Wolf, Dots, Vegas, Sixes, Quota and more for your group on the live card, keeps the points as you play, and it is free.