How to Play the 3-Point Game
The 3-Point Game is a golf format for groups of four golfers who pair off into two teams for a 2-vs.-2 competition. On each hole, three points are awarded, one point each for three different accomplishments. And in this game, partners rotate every six holes so that each golfer partners every other member of the group.
In the 3-Point Game, the four golfers are each playing their own balls into the hole throughout. It's normal stroke play, in other words, for each golfer.
But as our four golfers have paired off into two teams, they are always playing as another golfer's partner. And this is the way the three points available on each hole are awarded:
- On each hole, 1 point goes to the side that has the lowest individual, gross score among the four golfers;
- 1 point goes to the side with the lowest total net score (necessitating the use of handicaps);
- And 1 point goes to the side with the lowest total gross score.
At the end of the round, each of the four golfers tallies her total points earned (which will likely involve counting a lot of half-points), and the high point-scorer is the winner.
An alternate way to award the three points is this:
- The side that includes the lowest individual score among the four golfers earns 1 point;
- The side that does not include the highest individual score among the four golfers gets 1 point;
- And the side with the lowest combined score of its two partners earns 1 point.
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