Skins is a form of competition where players compete for each hole individually.
The total scores do not matter.
All that matters is winning holes outright.
Skins are usually played in threesomes or foursomes.
Typically, each hole is worth a specific dollar amount, and each hole can only have one winner.
Winning a skin means that a player won the hole and the corresponding prize.
When a hole is tied, the hole and prize carry over.
This means that if no one wins a hole, that hole is “carried over” to the next hole, and that hole is now worth double.
How Does Skins Work?
Let’s say four players are playing together in a foursome.
They agree that each hole will be worth $10, and holes will carry over.
Take a look at the example scorecard below.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | |
| Player A | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Player B | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 39 |
| Player C | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 40 |
| Player D | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 49 |
Player A wins hole 1 outright and therefore wins $10.
Players B and C tie for the low score on hole 2, so no one wins that hole, and that $10 carries over to the next hole.
Now hole 3 is worth $20.
Players A and B tie for the low score on hole 3, so again, no one wins that hole, and it carries over.
Now hole 4 is worth $30!
Player B wins hole four, and $30, with a low score of 3.
Through four holes, Player B has won $30, Player A has won $10, and Players C and D have won $0.
Then, nobody wins holes 5, 6, 7, and 8. Those holes all had at least two people tied for the low score.
Player D then wins hole 9, and because no one has won a hole since hole 4, he wins $50.
This brings up another reason skins can be such a great game: sometimes, you only need one good hole.
Player D is clearly the worst player.
He shot between 9 and 13 strokes worse than everyone else in stroke play and didn’t even tie for the low score on a hole.
But, because everyone else kept tying for low score and because he had a great hole and birdied hole 9, he won 5 skins.
Summary of the 9 hole skins game:
Player A won 1 skin and a total of $10.
Player B won 3 skins and a total of $30.
Player C won 0 skins and a total of $0.
Player D won 5 skins and total of $50.
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Other Versions Of Skins
No Carry Over
In this version, holes do not carry over.
If players decide that each hole is worth $10, they are always worth $10, regardless of ties.
If two or more players tie for low score on a hole, no one wins that hole, and the next hole is only worth $10.
Varying Value
In this version, like in the former PGA Tour Skins Game, different holes have different values.
Typically, the hole value will increase as play goes on.
For example, holes 1-5 might be worth $1, holes 6-10 worth $2, holes 11-15 worth $3, and 16-18 worth $5.
How Do You Play Skins With Handicaps?
Typically, all players will adjust based on the lowest handicap.
Let’s say these are the handicaps of the players from the table above:
Player A: 2
Player B: 6
Player C: 5
Player D: 15
Player A had the lowest handicap, so all other players will subtract Player A’s handicap from theirs.
Player B will get 4 strokes, Player C will get 3 strokes, and Player D, the lone mid-handicapper, will get 13.
Why Play Skins?
Playing skins allows all players to play their own ball and record a 9 or 18-hole score and the opportunity to compete for each hole.
Skins allow players to still win some money even if they aren’t playing well.
In skins, one lousy hole won’t take a golfer out of contention.
As demonstrated in the example above, any player can win any hole.
And depending on carryovers, that one hole could be worth a lot.
Skins is also a game that lends itself well to other side games such as greenies and sandies.
Related: What Is A Scramble In Golf?