Green on 19
Team points

How to Play Vegas

Also called: Las Vegas · Vegas two-digit game

Vegas is a 4-player, 2-vs-2 game. Each team turns its 2 scores into a 2-digit number with the lower score first, then compares numbers. The difference becomes points, so one bad hole can create a large swing.

Best for

Experienced foursomes that want team strategy and can tolerate larger hole-by-hole swings.

Handicaps

Possible, but the group must agree whether scores are net before forming each 2-digit number.

The clean version

Vegas Rules

  1. 1

    Form 2 teams of 2 and set a value per point.

  2. 2

    After each hole, arrange each team's 2 scores from low to high to form a 2-digit number; 4 and 5 becomes 45.

  3. 3

    Subtract the lower team number from the higher team number.

  4. 4

    The team with the lower number wins that many points from the other team.

  5. 5

    Apply birdie flips, doubles and score caps only if everyone agreed to them before the round.

Before the first tee

Set Up the Game

  • Set teams and point value
  • Choose gross or net scores
  • Decide whether birdies flip the opponent's number
  • Set a maximum score or maximum loss per hole

Worked example

How the Scoring Works

Team A scores 4 and 5 for 45. Team B scores 5 and 6 for 56. Team A wins 11 points. At $0.50 per point, that hole is worth $5.50 per agreed settlement unit.

A dispute-resistant starting point

Green on 19 Default Contract

Set teams and point value Choose gross or net scores Decide whether birdies flip the opponent's number Set a maximum score or maximum loss per hole

Exact scoring math

Vegas Formula

Team number = 10 × lower score + higher score. Points equal the post-flip difference, capped at the contracted hole maximum.

Settle it before it starts

Disputes and Edge Cases

Lock ties, timing, multipliers, handicap use and maximum loss before tee-off. The written round contract controls any house-rule variation.

Mix it carefully

Can Vegas Be Played With Other Games?

Small overlays are manageable. Adding open-ended doubling to an already volatile number game is hard to control.

Best complementary games

Dots / JunkRead the companion guideSnakeRead the companion guideSkinsRead the companion guide

House-rule territory

Popular Variations

  • Birdie flip reverses the opponent's digits
  • Eagle doubles the result
  • Maximum 9 or double-par score cap
  • Rotate partners every 6 holes

Play smarter

Strategy Without the Spreadsheet

  • Protect against the high digit; a partner's cleanup score matters enormously.
  • Use a per-hole cap when the group has uneven handicaps.
  • Confirm whether a birdie flip happens before or after applying net strokes.

Quick answers

Vegas FAQ

Why is Vegas considered risky?

Scores become place values, so the difference between 45 and 65 is 20 points rather than 2 strokes.

What is the birdie flip in Vegas?

A common variation lets a birdie reverse the opponents' number, turning 46 into 64, for example.

Can Vegas be played with 3 golfers?

Not cleanly. The standard game needs 2 teams of 2.