Money games · 4 (two pairs) players
Vegas: how to play
Also known as Las Vegas
Pair your scores into one number. Big swings every hole.
Vegas is a two-against-two game where each team's two scores are glued together into a single number, lowest digit first. A 4 and a 5 make 45; a 3 and a 6 make 36. The difference between the two teams' numbers is the number of points won on the hole, so a hole can swing by a dozen points at a time.
The twist is the birdie rule: make a gross birdie and the other team's number flips, high digit first, so their 45 becomes 54. It is fast, brutal and brilliant for a fourball that likes a wager. Golf Daddy builds the numbers and runs the totals as scores go in.
Score Vegas in Golf Daddy
Pick Vegas on the first tee and the app applies the strokes, keeps the live leaderboard and settles the points for the whole group. Free on iPhone and Android.
Vegas rules
- 1.Partners' scores pair into one number, low digit first (4 and 5 = 45).
- 2.The team with the lower number wins the difference between the two numbers.
- 3.A gross birdie flips the other team's number high digit first (45 becomes 54).
- 4.Both scores from both teams must be in before the hole counts.
- 5.Points accumulate through the round; settle on the difference at the end.
How handicaps work
With handicaps the numbers are built from net scores, so a 6 with a shot goes in as a 5. The birdie flip still needs a gross birdie. Golf Daddy applies each player's strokes and forms the net numbers automatically.
Worked example
Your team makes 4 and 5 (45); the other team makes 5 and 7 (57). You win 12 points. If one of your 4s had been a birdie, their number would flip to 75 and you would win 30.
Tips and variations
- Keep the stake tiny: at 10p a point a bad hole can still cost a few pounds.
- Agree whether a double-digit score (10 or more) is capped at 9; most groups cap it.
- It pays to protect your partner: one 8 in the pair turns a 48 into an 84 against you.
Vegas FAQs
How do you combine scores in Vegas golf?
Put the lower score first and the higher score second to make a two-digit number. A 4 and a 6 is 46, never 64, unless the other team made a birdie and flipped it.
What does a birdie do in Vegas?
It flips the opposing team's number so the higher digit comes first: their 46 becomes 64. It is the biggest swing in the game.
Can you play Vegas with handicaps?
Yes. The numbers are built from net scores, which keeps the game fair between pairs of different standards.
Related formats
All golf formats and games →Play Vegas this weekend
Download Golf Daddy and let the app do the maths while you do the talking. Guests who haven't got the app can play too.