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Skins in Golf: How to Play it?

  • 17 February, 2026
  • 5 min. leestijd

Skins in Golf: How to Play it?

Skins is a popular format designed to bring thrill and strategy to a traditional golf round. With its unique rules and exciting carryovers, it adds an extra layer of fun to the game. But what exactly is a skins game in golf, and how to play it? Let’s break it down.

Scorecard of a skins game

What is a "Skins Game" in Golf?

This is a format where golfers play for a prize called "skin" on each hole. Before the round begins, the group of players (or the event organiser in case of a formal event) agrees on a prize amount for each hole. The winner of the hole is the one with the lowest score, and he receives the skin for that hole (prize money of that hole).

Here is an example of a skins game between 3 players with a $10 skin for each hole (each player risking $5 on each hole):

Hole 1

Player A needs 4 strokes to finish the first hole, while Player B and Player C score 5 on the hole.

Hole 2

Players A and C share the second hole’s best score, so they get no skin, and the second hole skin goes to the third hole.

Hole 3

Players A and C again get the same score in the third hole. The skin for the second and third holes both pass to the fourth hole.

Hole 4

Player A scores 5, Player B scores 3, and Player C scores 4. Player B gets the fourth hole with the lowest score and wins the skin for that hole, plus the two carried-over skins from the previous two holes that were tied. Players A and C each pay B $15 ($5 for holes 2, 3, and 4), and B keeps the extra money he had put into the pot for those holes.

Why Play Skins Golf?

Here are the most convincing reasons for its high popularity:

  • A golfer can win at every hole, which keeps him involved from the first tee to the last putt.

  • The tension increases as skin amounts rise, making putts even more thrilling.

  • It is a group game where the players' individual performances determine the skin count of the player.

  • Handicaps allow players of varying skills to compete equally and have a real chance of winning skins.

  • This format is an excellent way to provide a friendly rivalry and small stakes that make the round more challenging and fun.

Also Read: Golf Formats: The Different Types Of Golf Format

How to Play Skins Golf?

Group of players playing skins golf on course

Skins is usually played with a group of 2-4 golfers, with 3 or 4 players being ideal for the most thrilling game.

  • Before starting the game, agree on the value of each skin. This can be anything from bragging rights to a specific monetary amount. The Skins game allows for total customisation; you can choose stakes that are comfortable for you.

  • Use handicaps for a fairer game. The most prevalent method of applying it is to determine net scores for each hole. Each golfer deducts his handicap strokes on the corresponding holes.

  • Always try to achieve the lowest net score on each hole.

  • A player claims a "skin" by being the only one with the lowest net score on a hole. If there is a tie for the lowest net score on a hole among two or more players, the skin for that hole remains unclaimed.

  • If a skin is not claimed on a certain hole because of a tie, its value "carries over" to the next hole. Therefore, the next hole is now worth two skins. If that hole ends in a tie as well, the value continues to carry over, which makes the next holes more valuable.

  • At the end of the 18 holes, every player counts the total number of skins he has won. The player with the most skins is declared the winner of the game. Money players make settlements according to the agreed-upon per-skin value.

How to Handicap Skins?

The skins golf formats can be played either gross or net. In the net skins game, the role of the handicap modifications is to level the playing field. 

Just compare the handicaps of the players in the group and note the difference between each handicap and the lowest of the group. That difference will become how many holes the player gets a stroke over the golfer with the best handicap. Check the scorecard to find out which holes will get the strokes.

Let’s assume that the golfer with a 12-handicap is up against a 4-handicap golfer. The 8 is the difference between the two handicaps. That means the 12-handicap golfer will have 1 stroke on the holes with the stroke index of 1 through 8. If the two golfers score the same on those holes, the 12-handicap will win the hole and the skins connected with it.

Also Know: A Beginner’s Guide To Golf Handicap: How To Calculate & Improve It

Skins Variations

Golfer recording point on scorecard

Some of the most well-known variations of the game are listed below:

Validation

  • When the player succeeds in winning a skin, he must confirm it by scoring the least on the next hole (ties are allowed).

  • Not being able to confirm the skin's score causes it to get stolen by the player with the least score on that hole. That means the golfer now has to win the next hole to get both the stolen skin and the skin for the current hole.

Back it Up

  • In this game, instead of simply collecting the victory prize for each hole, the player has the option of backing it up. The amount of the next skin gets doubled if the player wins it.

  • In case another player wins the hole, he just gets the total original value of the two holes. If no one wins the second hole, only the original value of each skin gets rolled over to the next hole.

4+ Match

  • Some skins games may allow more than four players, up to a dozen. The rules for this variation are mostly the same, except that holes tied by two or more players do not carry on to the next hole.

  • You can also play a 4+ match like a regular skin format with a dedicated golf app to easily calculate the score.

No Carry-Over

  • In situations where holes finish in a tie, one version of the skins game states that there are no carry-overs, meaning that the skin remains unclaimed and is not transferred to the next hole.

Whole Round

  • The players contribute their money to a pot and continue playing for the entire session. Each time a player gets the lowest score for the round, he earns a skin.

  • At the end of the game, the pot money is divided among the players according to the number of skins earned.

Skins in Pro Golf

This is a long-time favourite among local amateur competitions. The golf skin game became an international hit in 1983 when the match-cum-television-show featuring Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson was aired. A local Skins Tour had been planned by the TGA for almost thirty years, and the last one was held in 2008. 

It was an unofficial money event on the PGA Tour from 1983 to 2008, held in either November or December each year at the end of the official PGA Tour season. One of the most famous skins players was Fred Couples, who managed to earn a staggering $4,405,000 and 77 skins in just 11 appearances.