What’s the best golf format?

What are the best golf formats? Our regular ranting columnist, the Angry Club Golfer, sent a few of your heads spinning recently when he remarkably suggested that Stablefords should be banned at clubs.

But, for those of us with a bit more sense, that moan did get us considering which game we liked the most?

We are remarkably blessed as a sport to have any number of ways of trying to get the ball into the hole.

Best golf formats

• Stroke Play
• Match Play
• Stableford
• Skins
• Foursomes
• Four-ball (aka Better-ball, Best-ball, or 4BBB)
• Greensomes
• Texas Scramble
• Bingo Bango Bongo
• Par Golf
• Bogey Golf
• 6-6-6
• St Andrews Foursomes
• Nassau

What’s your personal favourite? Two of our writers share theirs…

‘Nothing can beat the beauty of match play’

I once tried to convince people that my Captain’s Day would be best served as a par/bogey event – I never did get that one over the line – but though I don’t mind a change from the everyday, there is nothing that can beat the beauty of match play, writes Steve Carroll.

It’s the psychological warfare as much as the shots: to gimme or not, to press the advantage or not. Was it Seve who said “I shake their hand but think, ‘I’m going to bury you'”?

I love all that – the quiet stare, the silence as your opponent squirms but then, whatever the result, the pint in the bar and the deep analysis.

It’s golf at its best and it’s most fundamental – remember the game was essentially born into match play.

‘If you want fun, nothing beats a Scramble’

I played in a Texas Scramble recently for the first time in a long time, and I had forgotten how fun it is, writes Alex Perry.

Traditionalists may not like it, which sees the team pick one position from which to play for each shot, but is there a more social format you can play? As a three or fourball, you’re practically together for the entire round, hitting from the same place, discussing tactics, and, of course, sharing stories and jokes and generally having a nice time.

Then throw in the fact that you can only use a certain number of tee shots from each player and it really starts to pile the pressure on.

Oh we have to use my drive on this hole, do we? Watch me stripe this one down the mi… oh we’re in the trees. Sorry.

Plus you can get around 18 holes in what feels like no time at all.

A wonderful change from the normal grind of a stableford. Inject it into my veins.

What’s your favourite format? Get in touch, or you can tweet us.