Chances are you’ve heard the term One and Done mentioned during a golf broadcast or seen it pop up in online forums, but you might not be entirely sure what it means. This popular fantasy game adds a thrilling layer to watching the golf season, turning every tournament into a strategic decision. This article will break down exactly what a One and Done golf pool is, how it works, and, most importantly, provide you with the coaching and strategy tips to give you a real shot at winning your league.
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What Exactly is a One and Done Golf Pool?
At its core, a One and Done golf pool is a season-long fantasy game that is simple in concept but rich in strategy. The rules are straightforward: for each designated PGA Tour event in the season, you pick one golfer. Whatever official prize money that golfer earns in that tournament is added to your season total. The person in your pool with the highest cumulative earnings at the end of the season wins.
Here’s the catch, and where the name comes from: once you pick a golfer for a tournament, you cannot use that same golfer again for the rest of the entire season. He is "one and done."
If you pick Scottie Scheffler for the first event of the year, The Sentry, you get whatever he earns that week. But then, you can't pick him again, not for The Masters, The PLAYERS, the U.S. Open, or any other event. This single rule creates a fascinating puzzle that lasts the entire golf season. You have to be smart about when to deploy your best players and when to save them for a bigger payday down the road.
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Getting started in a One and Done pool is easy. The challenge comes from the week-to-week decision-making. Here's how to get up and running.
1. Find or Start a Pool
The first step is simply joining a game. Many golf buddies run private pools using a simple shared spreadsheet, which is a great, low-key way to play. If you're looking for something more automated, websites like RunYourPool.com or OfficeFootballPool.com are popular choices that handle all the logistics, from tracking picks to updating a live leaderboard. They make it easy to invite friends or join a public pool.
2. Understand Your Pool's Specific Rules
While the basic premise is consistent, different pools can have slight variations. Before the season starts, make sure you're clear on the specific rules of your league. Pay attention to:
The Schedule: Which tournaments are included? Does your pool follow the PGA Tour's "wrap-around" season (starting in the fall) or a traditional calendar year (starting in January)?
Pick Deadline: Almost all pools require you to submit your pick before the first player tees off on Thursday morning. Don't be that person who forgets and gets a zero for the week!
Missed Picks: What happens if you forget to make a pick? Some pools give you a zero, while others might assign you the last-place finisher who made the cut.
Reading the rules carefully from the beginning prevents any confusion or frustration later on.
3. Make Your Weekly Pick
This is where the fun begins. Each week, you'll look at the tournament field - the list of golfers competing - and choose your single player. You'll weigh factors like a player's current form, their history at that specific course, and your overall season strategy (which we'll cover in-depth below). Once you've made your choice, you submit it before the deadline and get ready to cheer them on.
4. Track Your Winnings
Your score is simply the official prize money your selected golfer earns. For example, if you pick Xander Schauffele for the PGA Championship and he wins, the full winner's share (let's say $3.3 million) is added to your total. If he finishes 10th and wins $500,000, that's your score for the week. If he misses the cut, you get a big, fat $0.
Most online platforms will track this for you automatically, but if you're using a spreadsheet, the setup is simple:
| Tournament | Your Pick | Pick's Winnings | Your Season Total | |--------------------|----------------|-----------------|-------------------| | The Sentry | Viktor Hovland | $690,500 | $690,500 | | AT&T Pebble Beach | Ludvig Aberg | $1,320,000 | $2,010,500 | | The Masters | Jon Rahm (MC) | $0 | $2,010,500 | | U.S. Open | ... | ... | ... |
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Anyone can play One and Done, but winning requires a plan. Simply picking your favorite player each week won't cut it. As a coach, I tell players that winning is about developing a sound philosophy and sticking to it. Here are some of the most common and effective strategies to consider.
The Core Dilemma: When to Use the Studs?
The single biggest strategic question in One and Done is managing your roster of elite players - think Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, etc. These players are the most likely to get you huge paydays, but you can only use each one a single time. This creates a classic risk-reward scenario and two primary philosophical approaches.
Strategy 1: The "Top-Loaded" or "Fast Start" Approach
This aggressive philosophy involves using your top-tier players early in the season, particularly during the West Coast Swing (January-February). The idea is to front-load your best talent to build a massive lead. People who use this strategy like the psychological advantage of being at the top of the leaderboard and forcing others to play catch-up.
Pros: You get an immediate, powerful start. Seeing your name rack up millions in winnings while others play it safe can feel great and put pressure on your opponents.
Cons: The bill always comes due. When the major championships and high-purse FedExCup Playoff events arrive late in the season, you'll be left with a depleted roster of B- and C-list players, nervously watching as your competitors cash in with the studs you've already burned.
Strategy 2: The "Save the Best for Last" Approach
This is the more conservative and, many would argue, mathematically sound approach. The logic is simple: the biggest prize funds are in the four majors, The PLAYERS, and the three playoff events. This strategy involves using solid, mid-tier golfers for most of the season to stay in the hunt, while saving your absolute best players to maximize your potential earnings in those eight-to-ten marquee tournaments.
Pros: You align your strongest assets with your biggest opportunities. You have your best-of-the-best players ready to go when tournament purses are at their peak.
Cons: Patience is required. You will likely fall behind early in the season and have to watch someone else ride a hot streak to the top of the leaderboard. This requires discipline and trusting your long-term plan, even when you're in 10th place in April.
The "Horses for Courses" Balanced Strategy: The Real Pro's Playbook
While the first two strategies represent popular philosophies, the most successful One and Done players typically use a more nuanced, flexible approach. This strategy isn't just about when to use a stud, but which stud to use at which tournament. Instead of randomly picking a great player, you try to find the perfect player for that week's specific test. This means doing a bit of homework.
Here are the key factors to analyze for your weekly pick:
1. Course History
Some players just love certain courses, and certain courses love them back. Does a player have a history of top performance at this specific venue? For example, Scottie Scheffler at Augusta National or Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow Club. These players have proven they can navigate that particular layout. A quick search for a player's past results at the tournament is often the most predictive data point you can find.
2. Current Form
Course history isn't everything. A player with great history but who has missed three straight cuts is probably not a confident pick. How has the golfer been playing lately? Are they coming off a string of top-10 finishes? Are their ball-striking stats trending in the right direction? Picking a player who is currently in-form gives you a much better chance of cashing in.
3. Player Skillset vs. Course Demands
Think like a coach or caddie. Analyze the course itself. Is it a long, wide-open course that will favor the Tour's biggest bombers? Or is it a short, tight track where accuracy and wedge play are more important? Is it a classic course with slick, undulating greens that will reward an elite putter? Match the player's strengths to the specific challenge of the golf course. Collin Morikawa's elite iron play makes him a threat at any course that demands precision approaches, like Muirfield Village.
Expert Tips to Gain an Edge
Create a Pre-Season Plan: Before the year begins, map out the entire schedule. Identify the marquee events with the biggest purses and "pencil in" players you might save for them. This roadmap will keep you from making impulsive decisions in the heat of the moment.
Don't Be Afraid of Sleepers: Finding a rising star or a veteran on a hot streak for a regular-season event is a massive strategic win. Cashing in with a player like Wyndham Clark or Sahith Theegala can get you valuable money while allowing you to save your big guns.
Track Your Opponents' Picks: Pay attention to who your competition has used. If you are one of the few people who has saved Jon Rahm for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, you have big leverage that week. Knowing who is off-limits for others can inform your own decisions.
Never Panic and Chase: If your pick misses the cut, it can be tempting to burn a top player the next week to "make up the ground." This is called chasing, and it's a surefire way to derail a sound season-long strategy. Accept the loss, trust your plan, and move on.
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One and Done pools transform the golf season into an engaging, strategic contest that tests your knowledge and discipline. By moving beyond just picking big names and adopting a "horses for courses" strategy, you analyze player form, course history, and purse size to make thoughtful, informed decisions each week that give you a genuine edge.
Mastering a "horses for courses" plan in your One and Done pool means synthesizing a lot of information for every pick. We designed our app to simplify just that with Caddie AI. When you're struggling to choose between two golfers for your weekly pick, you can get instant insights on course history, recent form, and key stats to identify the sharper play. It helps remove the guesswork, letting you make confident, strategically sound picks every single week.
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.
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