Playing a round of golf with your friends is one of the best experiences the game offers, and thankfully, it’s one of the easiest to arrange. This article breaks down exactly how to set up a game locally, from picking a format that works for everyone to mastering the friendly etiquette that keeps the good times rolling. We’ll cover step-by-step instructions for popular games that level the playing field and make the round fun for golfers of all skill levels.
The best AI golf app: Caddie is your personal AI golf coach. Get expert-level golf advice instantly, 24/7 to help you play like a pro. Try it free →
Getting Your Group on the Course
Before you can decide who owes whom a drink after the 18th, you need to get the logistics sorted. Organizing a group outing is straightforward, but a little planning goes a long way in making sure everything runs smoothly.
1. Choosing the Right Venue
Most local play for casual groups happens at public or municipal courses. These are courses owned by a town, city, or county, and they are open to everyone. They’re generally more affordable and have a more relaxed atmosphere, which is perfect for a friendly get-together.
Daily-Fee Courses: These are privately owned but open to the public for a daily green fee. They often offer a higher level of conditioning and better amenities than a municipal course.
Resort Courses: If you're near a holiday destination, resort courses are another option, though typically more expensive.
Private Clubs: Getting on a private course usually requires an invitation from a member. If someone in your group is a member somewhere, that’s your golden ticket!
Once you have a course in mind, it's time to book. For a standard group of four (a "foursome"), you can often book online through the course’s website or a third-party service like GolfNow. However, for groups larger than four, or to ensure you get the exact time you want, calling the pro shop directly is always your best bet.
Pro Tip: When coordinating with friends, use a simple text or WhatsApp group to float a few potential dates and times. Get a consensus before you book to avoid cancellations and rescheduling headaches. Most courses require a credit card to hold a tee time and may charge a no-show fee, so confirming with your group first is important.
Get pro-level golf advice instantly, 24/7
Ask Caddie anything. From “what club should I use?” to “how do I play this shot?” and get instant answers.
Choosing the Perfect Game: Formats for Friendly Rounds
This is where the real fun begins. Playing a standard round is great, but adding a little competitive format can turn a regular Saturday into a memorable battle for bragging rights. The key is to pick a game that suits your group’s skill level and competitive spirit.
The Scramble: Perfect for Fun and Teamwork
If you have a mix of beginners and experienced players, a scramble is the ultimate no-pressure game. It emphasizes teamwork and gets rid of a lot of the stress associated with individual bad shots.
How a 4-Person Scramble Works:
All four players in the group hit a tee shot.
Everyone walks or drives up to the balls and decides which single tee shot is in the best position.
The other three players pick up their balls and drop them within one club-length of the best shot's location (no closer to the hole).
All four players then play their second shot from this "best shot" spot.
You repeat this process for every shot - including putts - until the ball is in the hole.
You write down one team score for the hole.
The beauty of the scramble is that everyone contributes. The long hitter might provide the big drives, the great iron player handles the approach shots, and the best putter can seal the deal on the greens. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the course without the pressure of a personal scorecard.
Match Play: The Classic Head-to-Head Duel
If your group is more competitive, match play is a fantastic choice. Instead of competing for the lowest total score over 18 holes (stroke play), you’re competing to win individual holes. It can be played one-on-one or as a two-on-two team game (known as Four-Ball match play).
How Match Play Works:
Each hole is a separate contest worth one point.
If you score a 4 and your opponent scores a 5 on Hole #1, you win the hole and go "1 up."
If you both score a 5, the hole is "halved" (tied), and the score remains the same.
You keep a running tally throughout the round. If you are "2 up" with only 1 hole left to play, you've won the match 2&,1 because your opponent can't catch you.
Match play is exciting because a single blow-up hole doesn't ruin your entire round. If you make a 9 on a par 4, you simply lose that one hole and start fresh on the next tee. This keeps the match competitive even if one player has a disastrous moment.
Best Ball (Four-Ball): A Blend of Team and Individual Play
Best Ball is another popular team format, most often played with two-person teams (four players total, or a "Four-Ball"). It’s a nice middle ground between a scramble and individual stroke play.
How It Works:
Every player plays their own golf ball from tee to green on every single hole. You are playing the hole just as you normally would.
At the end of the hole, you compare your score with your partner's score.
The lower of the two scores becomes your team's score for that hole. For example, if you make a 5 and your partner makes a 4, the team score is a 4.
The team with the lowest total Best Ball score after 18 holes wins.
This format is great because it lets you play your own game but provides the safety net of a teammate. If you hit a bad drive and struggle on a hole, your partner has a chance to save the day and post a good score for the team.
Leveling the Playing Field with Handicaps
If your group has players with widely different skill levels, using handicaps is the best way to make any game fair. A handicap is a number representing a golfer’s potential ability and allows players of all levels to compete against each other. For a friendly round, you don’t need an official handicap. You can use a general idea.
For example, if you typically shoot around 90 (18 over par) and your friend shoots around 100 (28 over par), your friend has a 10-shot advantage. In a net stroke play game, you just subtract their handicap strokes from their final gross score. So, a score of 98 with a 28-handicap becomes a net 70. This system allows everyone to feel competitive and have a real chance at winning.
Plan every shot like a pro
Describe your situation and Caddie AI helps you pick your target, shot shape, and club with confidence.
How you conduct yourself on the course is just as important as the game you play, especially with friends. Following a few simple guidelines ensures everyone has a great time.
1. Keep a Good Pace
The golden rule of playing with others is to keep up the pace of play. Avoid slow play with these simple habits:
Play "Ready Golf": As long as it's safe, the person who is ready to hit should hit. Don't always wait for the person furthest away.
Plan Your Shot in Advance: While others are hitting, figure out your yardage and what club you're going to use.
Limit Search Time: Nobody enjoys looking for a lost ball for five minutes. Agree on a shorter, friendlier time limit like two or three minutes.
2. Agree on "Friendly" Rules Beforehand
Are you playing a "breakfast ball" (a mulligan on the first tee)? Are you allowing "gimmes" (short putts that are automatically conceded)? Decide on these informal rules on the first tee. It prevents debates later on and keeps the mood light.
3. Be a Great Golfing Partner
Friendly competition is excellent, but your main job is to be a supportive friend. Cheer for their good shots. Provide encouragement after a bad one. And unless they specifically ask, steer clear of giving unsolicited swing advice. We all have enough swing thoughts in our heads already! Celebrate the good shots together and move on quickly from the bad ones.
Play Golf like a Pro with Caddie
Learn and improve your golf game as you play. Get pro-level tips, strategy and guidance anytime.
Playing golf locally with friends is truly one of the game's greatest joys. By picking a fun format like a scramble or match play and establishing a few friendly rules upfront, you can create a memorable experience for everyone, regardless of their final score or handicap.
Even with the perfect format, there will always be those debatable on-course situations or tricky shots where no one in your group feels 100% sure about the best play. That’s where it helps to have an impartial expert in your pocket. I designed my app, Caddie AI, to be your on-demand golf expert, ready to give you strategic advice or analyze a tough situation. You can snap a photo of a strange lie in the rough and get an instant recommendation on how to play the shot, helping you turn a potential disaster into a great escape and settle friendly debates with expert help.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
Other posts you might like
Can You Use WD-40 on Golf Grips?
Got a can of WD-40 in the garage and eyeing your slick, grimy golf grips? It’s a tempting thought. That iconic blue and yellow can is a handyman's best friend, famous for fixing squeaks, loosening bolts, and driving out moisture. So, it makes sense to wonder if it can work its wonders on your tired grips. This article gets straight to the point, explaining exactly why you should keep that can far away from your golf clubs, what the proper method for cleaning them is, and how to know when a simple cleaning just won’t cut it.
Walking off the tee after a wild slice, that sinking feeling in your stomach is a universal part of golf. You watch your ball sail toward thick trees or white out-of-bounds stakes, and the immediate thought is, Now what? This is precisely where knowing the provisional ball rule can save you time, strokes, and a long, frustrating walk back to the tee. This guide will walk you through exactly what a provisional ball is, when to use it, and answer the core question: just how many of them can you actually play?
Dreaming of teeing it up for a college golf team but don't have a scholarship offer in hand? The thought of walking on might seem like a long shot, but it is absolutely a pathway to collegiate golf. This guide provides a no-nonsense, realistic roadmap for aspiring players, covering everything from the scores you need to shoot to the exact steps you need to take to get a coach’s attention.
A rainy forecast doesn't automatically mean canceling your tee time. You can absolutely play golf in wet and rainy conditions, but you need to know that it is a completely different game requiring specific gear, adjusted strategies, and a healthy dose of patience. This guide a will walk you through everything you need to know to not just survive a round in the rain, but to actually enjoy it and score well.
Thinking about changing your golf clubs often brings up a big question: should you stick with one brand for your entire set? The short answer is no. In fact, you can and absolutely should mix golf club brands to build a bag that's perfectly suited to your game. This guide will walk you through why it's a great strategy and how to do it smartly, transforming your bag from a generic set into a personalized toolkit.
Thinking you need to get your golf swing as shallow as possible might feel like chasing the secret sauce of the pros, but it’s a path that can lead you right into a frustrating two-way miss. Yes, a golf swing absolutely can be too shallow. This article will break down what a shallow swing plane actually is, the benefits of getting it right, the warning signs that you’ve gone too far, and - most importantly - how to dial it back to that just right spot.
