What Is Skins in Golf?

A round of golf focused solely on your final score can feel a bit repetitive. If you and your friends are looking for a way to add a layer of high-stakes excitement to every single hole, the Skins game is your answer. This article breaks down exactly what a Skins game is, how the betting works, and the simple strategies you can use to walk off the 18th green with the cash and the bragging rights.

What Exactly is a Skins Game?

At its heart, a Skins game is a type of hole-by-hole match play competition where every hole has a specific value. Think of it less like a marathon and more like a series of 18 individual sprints. Your total score for the round doesn't matter, what does matter is winning holes outright.

Each hole is assigned a "Skin," which represents a set amount of money or points that all players agree on before the round. To win a Skin, a player must post a lower score on the hole than anyone else in the group. If you make a 4 and everyone else makes a 4 or higher, you win the Skin for that hole. It’s that simple.

But the real drama of a Skins game comes from the ties, or "pushes." If two or more players tie for the low score on a hole, no one wins the Skin. Instead, that Skin’s value is added to the pot for the next hole. This is called a “carryover” or a “rollover.” This process can repeat, causing the value of a single hole to grow significantly and making the pressure ramp up with every consecutive push.

A Simple Skins Game Example

Imagine a four-person group playing for $5 a Skin.

• Hole 1 (Value: $5): Player A makes a 3 (birdie), while Players B, C, and D all make a 4 (par). Player A wins the hole outright and collects the $5 Skin.
• Hole 2 (Value: $5): Players A and B a make a 4, while Players C and D make a 5. Since A and B tied for the low score, no one wins. The hole is a push.
• Hole 3 (Value: $10): The Skin from Hole 2 carries over. Now, Hole 3 is worth $10 ($5 from the original hole + $5 from the carryover). On this hole, Player C makes a 4, and everyone else makes a 5. Player C wins the hole outright and collects the supersized $10 Skin.

As you can see, a player who might be having a rough round overall can still come out as the big winner by getting hot for just one or two high-value holes. This "anything can happen" element is what makes Skins one of the most popular and exhilarating betting games in golf.

How to Set Up Your Own Skins Game (Step-by-Step)

Setting up your own skins game is straightforward. You just need to agree on a few key parameters on the first tee before anyone hits a shot.

Step 1: Get Your Group Together and Use Handicaps (Or Don't)

Skins works best with groups of three or four, as this increases the likelihood of ties and juicy carryovers. Before you start, you have to decide if you’re playing “Gross” or “Net” Skins.

• Gross Skins: This is the simplest format. The actual score you write on the scorecard is the score you use. This is great for groups where everyone is a similar skill level. The lowest score wins, period.
• Net Skins: This is the most common and fair way to play, especially in groups with a wide range of abilities. Net Skins uses player handicaps to level the playing field. On a given hole, a player subtracts any handicap strokes they get from their gross score to get their "net score." The lowest net score wins the Skin. For example, if a 15-handicap player gets a stroke on a hole and makes a 5, their net score is a 4. If a 5-handicap player does not get a stroke and also makes a 5, the 15-handicapoer would win the Skin.

Step 2: Decide on the Value of Each Skin

This is the most critical decision. The value determines the feel of the game. It can be as friendly as a $1 Skin or as serious as a in $20 Skin. A good rule of thumb for your first time is to pick a value where losing all 18 skins wouldn’t ruin your day.

For a typical friendly game, a $2 to $5 value per skin is a great starting point. Remember, with carryovers, a simple $5 game can quickly see single holes being played for $25 or more. Players chip in a set amount at the start (e.g., $10-$20 each) to create the initial pot from which winners are paid.

Step 3: Establish the Payout Rules and How to Handle the 18th

Clarity is your friend. Before you tee off, make sure everyone is on the same page regarding these simple rules:

• How are Skins paid? Usually, you track who wins what, and everyone settles up their debts in the clubhouse after the round.
• What happens if the 18th hole is tied? This is a big one, especially if there’s a massive carryover pot. You have two main options:
  1. The Chip-Off: All the players who tied the 18th hole proceed to a designated area (like the fringe of the practice green) and hit one chip shot. The player whose ball comes to rest closest to the hole wins the entire carryover pot from the 18th. This is an incredibly exciting way to end the match.
  2. Split the Pot: A less dramatic but simpler option is for all tying players to simply split the value of whatever Skins were left.

Step 4: Keep Track of the Game on the Scorecard

Designate one person to be the scorekeeper. It doesn't need to be complicated. On a standard scorecard, you can easily track everything.

A Sample Scorecard for Skins

Add a row at the bottom of your scorecard like this:

• Hole Purse: Track the value of the hole. Start with your base value (e.g., $5). If there's a push, add that value to the next hole’s starting purse.
• Hole Winner: After scores are compared, write the initials of the winner in this box. If it’s a push, write "Push."

At the end of the round, tally up who won what value. For example, Player A won $15 in Skins, Player C won $25, and Player B won $10. Total won is $50. If you each put $20 into an $80 pot to start, the remaining $30 goes toward the "showdown" for the 18th if needed.

Common Skins Game Variations

While the basic format is fantastic, you can add a few twists to make it even more interesting.

Validations: Upping the Ante

If you really want to increase the pressure, you can play with "validations". In this version, to officially collect your Skin, the winner of a hole must, at a minimum, tie for the low score on the very next hole. This is called "validating" the win.

• Example: Player A wins Hole 5, which is worth $10. To keep that $10, they must have the outright low score or tie for the low score on Hole 6. If they fail and make a bogey while others make par, they do not validate their win. The $10 from Hole 5 goes back into the pot and carries over to Hole 7.

This rule rewards consistency and can lead to huge swings in momentum.

Nine-Hole Carryovers (The Junk Rule)

Some groups play a rule where any Skins left over after the 9th hole automatically carry over to the start of the back nine or are decided by a chip-off at the turn. Similarly, any money left on the 18th is either carried over into the 19th hole bar tab or decided by a final chip-off. This just makes sure no money is left on the table.

Simple Strategy: How to Win at Skins

Skins is a different game that requires a different mindset. Your goal isn't just to post a good overall score - it's to win individual holes. This calls for a more aggressive and targeted strategy.

Go for the Kill: Pars Are (Usually) for Pushes

In standard stroke play, a string of pars is a recipe for a solid round. In Skins, a string of pars will likely win you nothing. Since it often takes a birdie to win a hole outright, you need to be more aggressive. This means:

• Hitting a driver on a hole where you might normally play it safe with a hybrid.
• Taking dead aim at a pin, even if it’s tucked, instead of playing to the center of the green.
• Trying to run a chip shot up close to the hole instead of just making sure you get it onto the green.

You have to take calculated risks to make birdies. A bogey doesn't hurt you nearly as much in Skins as it does in stroke play, so play with a birdie-or-bust mentality, especially on holes you're comfortable on.

Know When the Pots Get Big

Pay close attention to carryovers. After two or three pushes in a row, a hole can be worth five or six times its original value. These are the holes where you need to heighten your focus. Conversely, if a an easy hole where someone always gets a shot is coming up, you know it's less likely to be won by you, so you might play it more conservatively. Let your aggression be dictated by the size of the prize.

Play Your Opponents

Always be aware of what others are doing. If you hit your drive into the trees but look up and see the rest of your foursome hit it into even worse trouble, suddenly your game plan changes. A safe punch-out and a simple bogey might be enough to win a Skin that you otherwise thought was lost. On the other hand, if your opponent stripes one and has 10 feet for birdie, you know you need to get aggressive with your own approach if you want a chance to tie and push the Skin.

Final Thoughts

The Skins game is a fantastic way to break up the monotony of stroke play, transforming every hole into its own dramatic event filled with risk and reward. By focusing on winning holes instead of your total score, it forces you to adopt a more aggressive, confident, and frankly, more enjoyable style of golf.

While the emotional thrill of Skins comes from your performance under pressure, making smart strategic choices is how you give yourself those winning opportunities in the first place. For those key moments - deciding whether to fire at a tucked pin protecting a big carryover, or figuring out the best play from a tricky lie - having expert guidance can make all the difference. We built Caddie AI to provide that course-management sanity check, giving you a smart shot strategy or a specific club recommendation in seconds. It allows you to commit to your aggressive plays with confidence, which is exactly the skill you need to dominate your next Skins game.