House rules vary. This is the common way to play Vegas. Settle the details (points, stakes, handicaps) on the first tee, before anyone has hit a shot they'd like to renegotiate.
How team numbers work
- Pair up into two teams of two.
- Each player plays their own ball and holes out.
- Make the team number by putting the lower score first: a 4 and a 5 becomes 45; a 3 and a 6 becomes 36.
- Subtract. The team with the lower number wins the difference in points: 45 against 52 wins 7 points.
The birdie flip
The most common add-on: if a player makes a birdie, the other team's number flips so the higher digit goes first. If your partner birdies and the other team makes 4 and 6, their 46 becomes 64. Some groups also flip on an eagle and double the points. Agree before you start.
Scores of 10 or more
A 10 makes a three-digit number (a 4 and a 10 is 410), and the swing can be huge. Many groups cap scores at double par or a triple bogey for Vegas purposes. Settle this on the first tee.
Tips
- Keep the stake per point very small. A single blow-up hole can produce a 40 or 50 point swing.
- Partners should play different strategies on a hole: one safe, one aggressive.
- Use the calculator below; mental Vegas math after a long day gets creative.
Example. Par 4. Team 1 makes 4 and 5 = 45. Team 2 makes 3 (birdie) and 6 = 36. Because of the birdie, Team 1's number flips to 54. Team 2 wins 54 − 36 = 18 points.
The scorecard
Vegas card
Official-ish scorecardEnter par and each score. Lower digit goes first; an opponent's birdie flips your number. Everything stays in your browser; nothing is saved or sent. Your secrets are safe.
Questions people actually ask
Who goes first in a Vegas number?
The lower score: 4 and 6 is 46. A birdie by the opponents flips it to 64.
Is Vegas suitable for beginners?
It's easy to learn but the swings are large. Play for points, not money, until everyone's comfortable.
Can you play Vegas with handicaps?
Yes, using net scores, but agree how strokes interact with the birdie flip (most groups use gross birdies for the flip).
Playing for money? Keep it friendly and legal where you live. The best stake is one nobody minds losing.