Back to Games & Formats
Game Format

Scotch (Umbriago) Golf Game

Also known as: Umbriago

Scotch is a team points golf game where teams compete to earn points on each hole by achieving specific events — things like greenies, sandies, birdies, lowest score, and fewest putts. The events and their point values are fully customizable, making it one of the most flexible team side games you can play. The team with the most points at the end of the round wins.

At a Glance

Type
Team game
Team size
2–4 players (most commonly 2)
Scoring
Points (highest total wins)
Handicaps
Off by default; optional net scoring
Wins
Most points

The Rules
  1. Players are divided into teams (typically two players per team).
  2. Before the round, the group agrees on which events earn points and how many points each event is worth.
  3. Each player plays their own ball on every hole.
  4. After each hole, points are awarded to teams based on which events their players achieved.
  5. By default, if both teams earn points for the same event on the same hole, the points cancel out (no one gets credit).
  6. The team with the most total points at the end of the round wins.
Cancellation rule: By default, if both teams achieve the same event on a hole (e.g., both teams have a player who makes birdie), the points cancel out and neither team scores for that event. This keeps the game competitive and prevents blowouts. You can turn this off if you prefer.

Common Events

Scotch supports both team events (comparing teams against each other) and individual events (awarded to whichever player achieves them, earning points for their team). Here are the most commonly used events:

Team Events

Event Description
Low Combined Team with the lowest combined score on the hole wins
High Ball The highest scores from each team are compared — the team whose high score is lower wins
Fewest Combined Putts Team with the fewest total putts on the hole wins

Individual Events

Event Description Default Pts
Greenie Hit the green in regulation +1
Sandie Make par or better after hitting from a bunker +1
Birdie or Better Score birdie, eagle, or better on a hole +1
Lowest Score The player with the lowest score on the hole earns points for their team +1
One Putt One-putt the green +1
Chippie Chip in from off the green +1
Par Scramble Miss the green in regulation but still make par +1
Three Putt Three-putt the green (penalty) −1

Additional events include closest to the pin, longest drive, barkie (up and down after hitting a tree), hole in one, eagle or better, par or better, bogey, double bogey, and more.

Customizing Events

One of the best things about Scotch is that you can tailor it to your group. In Squabbit, you can:

  • Add or remove events — choose from the built-in list or create your own custom events.
  • Change point values — make rare events like eagle or hole in one worth more points, or increase the penalty for three-putts.
  • Use negative points — events like three-putts and double bogeys default to −1 point, penalizing the team.
  • Create custom events — add any event your group plays (e.g., “water ball” for −2 points) and manually toggle it on each hole.
Tip: A popular setup is to use Low Combined, Greenies, Birdies, and Sandies as the events for a 2v2 match. Adjust from there based on your group’s skill level and preferences.

Example Hole

Two teams of 2 are playing with these events: Low Combined (1 pt), Greenie (1 pt), Birdie or Better (1 pt), and Three Putt (−1 pt).

Par 4 — Hole 7
Team A: Player 1 scores 4 (par, hit green in regulation). Player 2 scores 5 (bogey).
Team B: Player 3 scores 3 (birdie). Player 4 scores 6 (double bogey, three-putted).
Low Combined: Team A = 9, Team B = 9. Tied — points cancel out. No one scores.
Greenie: Player 1 (Team A) hit the green in regulation — Team A earns +1.
Birdie or Better: Player 3 (Team B) made birdie — Team B earns +1.
Three Putt: Player 4 (Team B) three-putted — Team B gets −1.
Hole 7: Team A = 1 pt, Team B = 0 pts

Game Settings

Scotch in Squabbit has several optional settings you can toggle to change how the game plays:

Points Cancel Out

On by default. When both teams earn points for the same event on the same hole, the points cancel out and neither team scores. Turn this off to let both teams keep their points.

Umbriago (Double Points)

When enabled, if one team wins every event on a hole, their points for that hole are doubled. This rewards dominant holes and adds excitement. You can also set a minimum Umbriago points floor so that a doubled hole is always worth at least a certain amount.

Multiply Points by Hole Number

When enabled, each hole’s points are multiplied by the hole number (hole 1 = 1x, hole 18 = 18x). This makes later holes dramatically more valuable and keeps the game competitive until the very end.

Handicaps

Handicaps are off by default. When enabled, score-based events (birdies, pars, lowest score, etc.) use net scores, making the game fairer for players of different skill levels.

Setting Up in Squabbit

To create a Scotch game in Squabbit:

  1. Create a new tournament or casual game.
  2. Under format, choose Scotch/Umbriago.
  3. Set your team size (default is 2 players per team).
  4. Add the events you want to play. Tap an event from the built-in list to enable it, or create a custom event.
  5. Adjust point values for each event as desired.
  6. Optionally enable Umbriago (double points), hole number multiplier, or handicaps.
  7. Add players and assign them to teams.

During the round, Squabbit automatically detects most events (birdies, greenies, putts, etc.) based on the scores and stats you enter. For manual events like closest to the pin or custom events, you can toggle them on each hole.

Note: Each player plays their own ball and enters their own score on every hole. Squabbit calculates team points automatically based on the events you configured.