6-6-6 Golf Game: Three Formats in One Round
6-6-6 is the mega-format that refuses to choose: the 18 holes are split into 3 segments of 6 holes, and you play a different game on each — one segment of Skins, one of Stableford, one of La Chouette, for example. Each segment has its own ranking, independent of the other two: on hole 6, each player scores points by finishing place — with 4 players: 4, 3, 2, 1 — and everything starts again from zero on hole 7 for the next segment, under the rules of a completely different game. Tied players all take the best place. At the end, the player with the most points over the 3 segments wins the round. It is a brilliant way to test several styles of play in a single outing, and to take the sting out of a bad segment: it never costs more than a few places, however many strokes you drop in it, and a second place always earns something.
How to play 6-6-6, segment by segment
6-6-6 is the app's final challenge: it unlocks once you have played 15 different formats. That is deliberate — playing three formats back to back in the same round means knowing them, and the progress counter is shown in the catalogue.
- Before playing, choose a different game for each segment of 6 holes, from the individual formats you have already played — nobody should be learning a rule halfway round the course.
- A rules recap is shown before each segment, to refresh your memory as you move on to a new format.
- Play each segment under the rules of its game. Each segment has its own ranking, completely independent of the other two.
- At the end of the segment, each player scores by finishing place: with 4 players 4, 3, 2, 1; with 3 players 3, 2, 1. Tied players all take the group's best place.
- Repeat over the 3 segments (holes 1-6, 7-12, 13-18).
- Final ranking: the player with the most points over all the segments wins the round.
A threeball: Nadia, Rémi and Fatou. Segment 1 (holes 1-6), Skins: Nadia 1st, Rémi 2nd, Fatou 3rd → 3, 2 and 1 pts. Segment 2 (holes 7-12), Stableford: Nadia and Rémi finish tied at the top, Fatou 3rd → 3 pts each for Nadia and Rémi, 1 pt for Fatou. Segment 3 (holes 13-18), La Chouette: Fatou dominates, Nadia 2nd, Rémi 3rd → 3, 2 and 1 pts. Round total: Nadia 8 pts, Rémi 6 pts, Fatou 5 pts — Nadia wins the 6-6-6 without winning the last segment: her places of honour count, and a single segment is never enough to turn everything around.
6-6-6 in teams: two against two
With 4 players, 6-6-6 can also be played in teams. Two teams of 2 are formed at the start and stay the same for the whole round; each segment is then played in a team format — Four-Ball, Texas Scramble, Greensome, Foursomes, Shamble, The Total (Aggregate)… — or as a Mexicaine. Patsome already strings together three set team formats (Better Ball, Greensome, Foursome): 6-6-6 in teams lets you choose all three.
- Points for a team segment: 4 points for each player on the winning team, 2 for each player on the losing team, 4 for everyone on a tie.
- A Mexicaine segment is scored by player (4, 3, 2, 1), since its teams change on every hole depending on where the balls lie.
- The final ranking is by team — and by player if the Mexicaine is on the menu, as two partners can then finish with different totals.
Nadia and Rémi against Fatou and Hugo. Segment 1, Four-Ball: Nadia and Rémi win it → 4 pts each, 2 pts each for Fatou and Hugo. Segment 2, Greensome: Nadia and Rémi again → 4 and 2. Segment 3, Texas Scramble: Fatou and Hugo hit back → 4 for them, 2 for Nadia and Rémi. Total: Nadia and Rémi 10 pts, Fatou and Hugo 8 pts.
How to put together your 3-segment menu
The whole idea of 6-6-6 lies in choosing the three games, before you set off: a classic scoring game (Stableford, Stroke Play), a betting game (Skins) and a points game (La Chouette, Nines) make a balanced trio that tests different qualities — consistency, nerve, the ability to seize your chances. Nothing stops you repeating a style, but the point of the format is precisely to mix them up. Also think about the number of players each chosen game needs: some formats require a specific number (La Chouette is played with exactly 3, for example), so check before putting your menu together.
Why golfers love 6-6-6
- Three rounds in one. Nobody gets bored, and a style of play that doesn't suit a player never lasts more than 6 holes.
- A bad segment is never fatal. Everything starts again from zero on hole 7 and hole 13: the round stays open right to the end.
- Ideal for settling things between very different styles. The player who wins on stakes, the one who wins on consistency and the one who wins on points each have their own segment to shine in.
A strategy tip: put the game you know least in the first segment, while everyone is still fresh enough to take in its rules — that leaves two segments to climb back up the leaderboard.
Frequently asked questions
What is 6-6-6 in golf?
It is a mega-format that splits the 18 holes into 3 segments of 6 holes, with a different game chosen for each segment (Skins, Stableford, La Chouette…). In every segment, each player scores points by finishing place — with 4 players: 4, 3, 2, 1 — and the player with the most points over the 3 segments wins the round.
How are the points for each segment awarded?
Each segment has its own ranking, based on the rules of the game chosen for that segment. Each player scores according to their place in that ranking: with 4 players, 4 points for first, 3 for second, 2 for third, 1 for last; with 3 players, 3, 2, 1. Tied players all take the group's best place.
Which games can you choose for each segment?
Individually, the app's individual formats that suit your number of players and that you have already played at least once — Skins, Stableford, La Chouette, Stroke Play… In teams, the team formats and the Mexicaine (but not Patsome, Sixes or Handicap Scramble). Exclusions depending on length: no Bingo Pitch & Putt over 18 holes, and on the short formats no Bingo Bango Bongo (individual or Team) and no Wolf. The choice is made before the round starts, and a rules recap is shown before each segment to refresh your memory.
How many players is 6-6-6 for?
2 to 4 players individually, exactly 4 in teams. The number of players that works also depends on the games chosen for each segment: some formats (such as La Chouette) require their own number of players, so check before putting your menu together.
Can you play 6-6-6 in teams?
Yes, with 4 players: two teams of 2, the same for the whole round, and a team format for each segment (Four-Ball, Texas Scramble, Greensome…) or the Mexicaine. A team segment earns 4 points for each player on the winning team and 2 for the other team (4 for everyone on a tie). The final ranking is by team, or by player if the Mexicaine is on the menu.
Every format on a single page: step-by-step rules, a worked example, the points scale and a strategy tip — to read the night before a round or to print. The free sample covers 10 formats, including the 5 you can play for free in the app; 6-6-6 is in the complete guide.
Download the free sample →PDF · 14 pages · direct download, no email needed · the complete guide covers all 41 formats
Put together your 6-6-6 without recalculating a thing
The Game of Swing app moves from game to game automatically: a rules reminder before each segment, the segment ranking and the running points total live. 6-6-6 is waiting in the catalogue of 41 formats — with 5 free games to get you started.
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