Nines Golf Game: Rules of the 9-Point Game for 3 Players
Nines shares out 9 points on every hole between 3 players, on a simple scale: 5 points for the best score, 3 points for the second, 1 point for the last. That last place still earning 1 point is the heart of the game: nobody ever plays for nothing, even when they lose the hole. When scores are tied, the scale adjusts so the total always stays at 9: two players tied for first get 4 points each (1 for the last), two players tied behind get 2 points each (5 for the first), and a hole where everyone makes the same score gives 3 points to each. The format is played with exactly 3 players, each playing their own ball, and it is wonderfully simple to score: one score per player per hole is all it takes, and the app handles the maths and the ties. A quick, light-hearted game that keeps everyone mathematically in contention right up to the 18th hole.
How to play Nines, hole by hole
- Play as a threeball, each with your own ball. The scale shares out 9 points between exactly three players.
- Note down the 3 scores on the hole.
- All scores different: 5 points for the first, 3 points for the second, 1 point for the last.
- If scores are tied, apply the scale (table below): the hole always adds up to 9 points.
- Add up over 18 holes. The player with the most points wins the round.
The full Nines points scale
| Situation on the hole | Split | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 3 different scores | 5 pts · 3 pts · 1 pt | 9 |
| Top 2 tied | 4 pts each · 1 pt for the last | 9 |
| Bottom 2 tied | 5 pts for the 1st · 2 pts each for the others | 9 |
| All tied | 3 pts each | 9 |
A round between Anaïs, Karim and Louise. Hole 1: Anaïs 4, Karim 5, Louise 6 → Anaïs 5 pts, Karim 3 pts, Louise 1 pt. Hole 2: Karim makes 3, alone ahead of Anaïs 4 and Louise 4, tied behind → Karim 5 pts, Anaïs 2 pts, Louise 2 pts. Hole 3: Anaïs 4, Karim 4, Louise 5 → two tied for first: Anaïs 4 pts, Karim 4 pts, Louise 1 pt. After three holes: Karim 12, Anaïs 11, Louise 4 — exactly 27 points shared out, 9 per hole.
Over 18 holes, the round shares out 162 points in total, an average of 54 points per player — a handy benchmark to know whether you have beaten the group average. A typical finish:
| 🥇 Karim | 🥈 Anaïs | 🥉 Louise |
|---|---|---|
| 62 points | 57 points | 43 points |
Nines or La Chouette: what is the difference?
The two games are alike — exactly 3 players, each with their own ball, a points scale on every hole — but they do not share out the same total. La Chouette splits 6 points per hole (4-2-0 with no ties), while Nines splits 9 (5-3-1 with no ties). The difference shows most in last place: in Nines, the last player on the hole always gets at least 1 point, which slightly softens the gaps and keeps a round competitive for longer. Choosing between the two is mostly a matter of taste — many groups alternate from one round to the next.
Why golfers love Nines
- The last player on the hole still walks off with 1 point: gaps open up slowly, and everyone stays mathematically in the game for a long time.
- A format that stays competitive until the 18th. Unlike a game where the last player scores nothing, here every hole matters for all three players.
- Scoring is a breeze. Three scores, one simple scale: it is one of the quickest formats to count, and the app checks the 9-point total on every hole.
A strategy tip: a steady par is often enough to take the 3 points in the middle. Save your attacking play for the holes where the other two are in trouble — that is where the 5 comes cheap.
Frequently asked questions
How are the 9 points shared out on each hole?
When the 3 scores on the hole are all different, the scale is 5 points for the best, 3 points for the second and 1 point for the last. The hole always adds up to 9 points, whatever happens.
What happens when scores are tied in Nines?
Two players tied for first: 4 points each, 1 point for the last. Two players tied for last: 5 points for the first, 2 points each for the other two. Everyone tied: 3 points each. The total is always 9.
What is the difference between Nines and La Chouette?
Both are played with exactly 3 players, but the scale is not the same: La Chouette shares out 6 points per hole (4-2-0 with no ties), Nines shares out 9 (5-3-1 with no ties). Nines gives more value to last place, which always earns at least 1 point.
How many players is Nines for?
Exactly 3 players. The whole scale — 9 points to share out per hole — is built for three, like La Chouette, which uses a different scale (6 points) for the same number of players.
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; Nines is in the complete guide.
Download the free sample →PDF · 14 pages · direct download, no email needed · the complete guide covers all 41 formats
Your next threeball is a game of Nines
Enter the 3 scores: the Game of Swing app applies the 9-point scale, ties included, and shows who is leading live. Nines is waiting in the catalogue of 41 formats — with 5 free games to get you started.
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