When it comes to outdoor sports, golf is one of the most widely played games. Though it might look easy, golf is often difficult for many people to become good at, and has a number of different rules and ways of playing. For example, one of the many ways you can play golf is through Skins.
A skins game of golf is a form of golf in which players are awarded for each hole, rather than for the combination of all of the holes. While in normal golf, the winner is determined by who scores the furthest below par for all holes, a skins game is determined by who wins the most holes.
Skins are often a favorite way of playing among inexperienced golfers but are fun regardless of your skill level or experience. Read on to learn more about how a game of skins works, how you play, and why people play it.
Playing Golf Skins
When playing golf skins, the rules and objectives are very similar to a classic game. Ultimately, the players are trying to use their club to knock their golf ball into a hole down the range with the least number of strokes.
Skins vs Regular Golf
In classic games of golf, players golf through a full 18 holes; in skins, this is not necessarily the case. As long as you play at least one hole, players can determine how long or short they want their game to be.
For example, some skins players will play only 9 holes, while other players might extend the game, making it last through 36 holes (though these games often last for a very long time).
Another difference between a game of skins and classic golf is that the number of strokes ultimately doesn’t matter. Players are simply trying to be the first one to get it in the hole. If they do this under or at par, that’s great, but the only thing that matters is who gets it in first.
How To Win In Skins
To determine who wins a game of golf skins, players calculate how many holes each person won. If all of the holes are worth the same number of points then the person who won the highest number of holes wins.
Sometimes, players will make different holes worth different amounts of points, so if you win an easy hole you might get 1 point, if you win a harder hole, you might win 2 points. If this is the case, whoever has the highest number of points wins.
Others, rather than playing with points, will play for money. All players will contribute money to a “pot” and whoever wins the hole wins that amount of money. If no one wins and people tie on the hole, then that amount of money is added to the next hole, with the sum total adding up for every hole no one wins until someone wins a hole. This system can also be implemented with points.
Strategy and Playing Differences Between Skins and Classic
As you might imagine, with different rules and different incentives, skins is a different style of game. While in a game of regular golf, the strategy is generally to act more conservatively and play the game safer, skin games often result in a much more aggressive form of gameplay.
Since all that matters is that you win the hole, people are more likely to take risks in order to win. If you are aiming for par, you might not win, so the thought is, why play it safe?
Skins Strategy Continued
Since people tend to play more aggressively, the erratic golf player often does better than someone who is consistently average. If you are able to get lucky every few holes, you can do incredibly well. Meanwhile, someone who consistently gets par, though likely to do well in a classic game of golf, is less likely to win in a game of skins because someone is likely to beat par.
Another difference between playing a game of skins golf and classic golf is that people of varying levels are able to compete with some degree of levelness. Even if you are very inexperienced at golf, the fact that your strokes do not impact the final outcome of the game creates a level ground between players.
Generally, skins golf is played by groups of varying skills that are greater in number than three players. It is a popular game for those who are just playing for fun, rather than its more serious counterpart, classic golf.
Professional Golf’s Use of Skins – Do Professionals Play Skins?
Though most major golf tournaments are not played as skins, skins have been used in the past by major golf organizations. From 1983 to 2008, the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) had an unofficial skins game as a money event during the PGA tour. Typically, the game occurred at the end of the PGA Tour season, during the months of November or December.
Since then, other groups have used skins games. Famously, during Thanksgiving weekend of 2018, Bryan Zuriff organized a skins match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson known as “The Match”. The game, a skins format competition, had the two famous golfers play for a total of $9 million. Though criticized by some as making golf less respectful, the game had about 5.8 million viewers.
In recent years, The Match has been played to raise money for charity. This year, Phil Mickelson will team with Charles Barkley to compete against Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
Final Thoughts
Though slightly different from classic golf, the skins format has quickly grown to be a common favorite among golf players. Due to stroke totals not being as important during the game, those who might not be as skilled are just as likely to win as skilled players. Skins is also an aggressive form of gameplay.
Skins, though not the typical measurement of a player’s gameplay, have also become more popular in recent years due to the PGA’s use of the game in its tournaments. If you are just coming to golf, skins is highly recommended!