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Game Format

Low Handicap / High Handicap Golf Format

Low Handicap / High Handicap is a 2-on-2 team golf format where players are matched by ability. On each hole, the two low-handicap players from opposing teams are compared head-to-head, the two high-handicap players are compared head-to-head, and the overall team totals are compared — with configurable points awarded for each category. This structure ensures every player’s score matters and creates three mini-contests on every hole.

At a Glance

Type
Team game (2 vs 2)
Team size
Exactly 2 players per team
Scoring
Stroke play or Stableford (Match play in VS mode)
Handicaps
On by default
Wins
Most points

The Rules
  1. Two teams of two players each compete against each other.
  2. On each team, the player with the lower handicap is designated the “low handicap” player, and the other is the “high handicap” player.
  3. Every player plays their own ball for the entire hole.
  4. After the hole, three comparisons are made:
    • Low handicap: The low-handicap player from Team A vs the low-handicap player from Team B.
    • High handicap: The high-handicap player from Team A vs the high-handicap player from Team B.
    • Team total: Team A’s combined score vs Team B’s combined score.
  5. Points are awarded for each comparison won (1 point each by default). Ties earn no points.
  6. After 18 holes, the team with the most total points wins.
Sweep bonus: An optional sweep bonus can be configured for winning all three categories on a single hole. By default this is set to 0 extra points.

Example Hole

Team A has a 5-handicap and a 20-handicap player. Team B has a 7-handicap and a 18-handicap player. Playing a par 4 with default point values (1 point per category):

Par 4 — Net Scores
Low handicap: Team A’s low player nets 4, Team B’s low player nets 5 → Team A wins (1 pt)
High handicap: Team A’s high player nets 5, Team B’s high player nets 4 → Team B wins (1 pt)
Team total: Team A total 9, Team B total 9 → Tie (0 pts each)
Hole result: Team A earns 1 point, Team B earns 1 point

Point Configuration

You can customize how many points are awarded for each category. The defaults are:

Category Default points
Low handicap wins hole 1 point
High handicap wins hole 1 point
Team total wins hole 1 point
Sweep bonus (win all three) 0 points

A common variation is to set each category to 1 point with a 1-point sweep bonus, making 4 points available per hole. With the defaults, 3 points are available per hole for a maximum of 54 over 18 holes.

Tip: Increasing the sweep bonus adds extra incentive for teams to dominate individual holes, making the game more volatile and exciting.

Handicap Options

Handicaps are enabled by default and are central to how this format works — they determine which player on each team is the “low” and which is the “high.”

Net Score (default)

Each player’s net score is used for the comparisons. Players receive strokes based on their full handicap.

Compare With Lowest (default for VS games)

The lowest handicap player across all four golfers plays at scratch, and the other three receive strokes relative to that player. This is the default when playing as a VS game.

Setting Up in Squabbit

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

  1. Create a new tournament or casual game.
  2. Under format, choose Low Handicap/High Handicap.
  3. Teams are fixed at 2 players per team.
  4. Optionally adjust the point values for low handicap, high handicap, team total, and sweep bonus.
  5. Choose your scoring type: Stroke Play or Stableford.
  6. Add players and assign them to teams — Squabbit automatically determines which player is the low and high handicapper on each team.

During the round, each player enters their own scores. Squabbit automatically compares scores across teams on each hole, assigns points, and shows the running point totals on the scorecard.