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Game Format

Low Ball/High Ball Golf Format

Also known as: Low/High, Best Ball Worst Ball

Low Ball/High Ball is a classic 2v2 team golf game that puts two points up for grabs on every hole. Teams compare their lowest individual scores and their highest individual scores, earning a point for each comparison they win. It’s a simple, competitive format that keeps all four players engaged on every shot and rewards consistent team play.

At a Glance

Type
Team game (2v2)
Team size
2 players per team
Scoring
Points per hole (stroke play or Stableford subscoring)
Handicaps
Off by default; Compare With Lowest when enabled
Wins
Most total points

The Rules
  1. Four players form two teams of two.
  2. Every player plays their own ball throughout each hole.
  3. After the hole, each team identifies their low ball (lowest score) and high ball (highest score).
  4. The two teams’ low balls are compared — the team with the lower score earns 1 point.
  5. The two teams’ high balls are compared — the team with the lower score earns 1 point.
  6. If a comparison is tied, neither team earns a point for that comparison.
  7. After all holes are played, the team with the most total points wins.
2 points per hole: With one point available for the low ball and one for the high ball, there are 2 points up for grabs on every hole. Over 18 holes, that means 36 total points are in play.

Example Hole

Team A (Alice and Bob) vs Team B (Carol and Dave) on a par 4:

Par 4 — Hole 7
1. Alice scores 4, Bob scores 6. Team A’s low ball is 4, high ball is 6.
2. Carol scores 5, Dave scores 5. Team B’s low ball is 5, high ball is 5.
3. Low ball: Team A’s 4 beats Team B’s 5 — Team A wins 1 point.
4. High ball: Team B’s 5 beats Team A’s 6 — Team B wins 1 point.
Hole result: Team A 1 pt, Team B 1 pt (split)

Notice how Bob’s double bogey cost Team A the high ball point, even though Alice won the low ball. This is what makes Low Ball/High Ball compelling — one great score isn’t enough if your partner struggles, and a consistent team can outscore a team with one star player.

How Scoring Works

Point Values

By default, 1 point is awarded for winning the low ball and 1 point for winning the high ball. In Squabbit, you can customize these values:

Comparison Default points
Low Ball (best scores compared) 1 point
High Ball (worst scores compared) 1 point
Sweep Bonus (winning both low and high) 0 points (off by default)
Sweep bonus: You can enable the sweep bonus to award extra points when a team wins both the low ball and high ball on the same hole. For example, setting the sweep bonus to 1 means a team that sweeps a hole earns 3 total points (1 low + 1 high + 1 sweep) instead of 2.

Subscoring Options

The individual scores used for comparison can be calculated using:

  • Stroke Play (default) — raw stroke counts are compared. Lower strokes win.
  • Stableford — Stableford points are compared instead. Higher points win.

Handicap Options

Handicaps are off by default. When enabled, the default handicap usage is Compare With Lowest, which subtracts the lowest handicap in the group from everyone’s handicap so that the best player plays at scratch.

Compare With Lowest Example
Alice has a 10 handicap, Bob has a 20 handicap, Carol has a 14 handicap, Dave has an 18 handicap.
The lowest handicap is 10 (Alice), so 10 is subtracted from everyone.
Alice plays at 0, Bob plays at 10, Carol plays at 4, Dave plays at 8.
Net scores are used for both the low ball and high ball comparisons.

This approach keeps the comparisons fair without inflating scores. You can change the handicap usage or percentage in the game settings.

Setting Up in Squabbit

To create a Low Ball/High Ball game in Squabbit:

  1. Create a new game and add four players.
  2. Under format, choose Low Ball/High Ball.
  3. Assign players to two teams of two.
  4. Optionally enable handicaps and adjust the point values for low ball, high ball, and sweep bonus.
  5. Start the round and enter each player’s individual score on every hole.

Squabbit automatically compares the low balls and high balls, calculates points, and tracks the running total. Each player’s individual contribution is visible on the scorecard so you can see who earned which points.

Tip: Low Ball/High Ball can also be used as the format within a Nassau game, where points are awarded separately for the front 9, back 9, and overall 18.