How 6-6-6 works
- Holes 1 to 6 are the first game.
- Holes 7 to 12 are the second, usually a different format.
- Holes 13 to 18 are the third.
Each six is its own match with its own result. A team that loses the first six starts the second all square, so nobody is out of it after a bad start.
Common versions
- Ryder Cup style: 2-Man Best Ball, then Alternate Shot, then Singles.
- Best ball, scramble, singles: the same, with a Scramble in the middle six.
- Rotating partners: Best Ball all round, with new partners every six (A and B against C and D, then A and C against B and D, then A and D against B and C). Everyone partners each of the other three once, which makes it a favorite for a regular foursome.
Some groups play the middle six with both players driving, picking the better drive and alternating from there. It still scores like alternate shot: one ball and one score per team on each hole.
How it is scored
Each six is played as match play. The usual way to count it is a point for every six won and half a point for a six that ends all square. In the Ryder Cup version, a foursome plays one best ball match, one alternate shot match and two singles matches, so there are 4 points on the table.
Some groups prefer a point for every hole won instead, which keeps every hole worth playing even after a six is decided.
Handicaps in a 6-6-6
Use everyone’s full 18-hole handicap and the course’s own stroke indexes. In each six, a player gets a stroke on the holes there where they would get one over 18 holes. Over the three sixes they get exactly their 18-hole strokes, no more and no less.
Dividing a handicap by three doesn’t work, because the hardest holes aren’t spread evenly. Here is a 12 handicap on one real course, getting a stroke on every hole rated 1 to 12:
| Holes | Stroke indexes | Strokes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | 13, 9, 5, 17, 3, 11 | 4 |
| 7–12 | 7, 15, 1, 8, 4, 12 | 5 |
| 13–18 | 6, 14, 2, 16, 10, 18 | 3 |
Twelve strokes in all, just not four in every six.
Handicap choices
- Alternate shot: the pair plays off the average of the two handicaps.
- Off the low man: many groups have the lowest handicap in each match play to scratch and everyone else play off the difference.
- Straight up: play a six gross if your group would rather not use handicaps for that format.
Running a 6-6-6 on LeaderboardLive
- Create a Ryder Cup event and add your players to the two sides.
- Add three rounds in Manage, under Rounds & Formats. Set Holes to Holes 1–6, Holes 7–12 and Holes 13–18, and pick each six’s format.
- Pair the matches for each six in the match builder. Partners can change from one six to the next.
- Send the scoring links: one per match, and one group link that scores both singles matches in a foursome.
Scorers enter gross scores. The strokes for each six, the match status and the cup points work themselves out, and the board shows every match live. Cards show each six as its own block with its own total.
FAQ
Can you play 6-6-6 on a 9-hole course?
It needs 18 holes. On a 9-hole course, play each loop of the nine as its own round instead.
Do strokes carry over from one six to the next?
No. Each six starts all square, and each player only gets the strokes that fall on that six’s holes.
What happens if a six ends all square?
It is halved. With a point per match, each side gets half a point.
Can the scorer change between sixes?
Yes. Every match has its own scoring link, so anyone in the group can pick up the next one.
Is it free on LeaderboardLive?
Each six is its own round, so a 6-6-6 day counts as three rounds, which is a one-time $40 for that event. Events of one or two rounds are always free.