Skins Golf Game: Rules, Carry Over and Strategy
Skins is the most thrilling game format in golf: every hole is worth a stake — a “skin” — won by the player who alone makes the lowest score. The whole flavour of the game lies in the carry over rule: if the lowest score is tied, nobody wins the skin and it carries over to the next hole. Stakes then build up from hole to hole, and a simple par 3 can suddenly be worth three or four holes' winnings. The result: there is never a dull moment, a player trailing far behind can turn everything around with a single shot, and the pressure rises with every halved hole. Made popular on American television by the “Skins Game” featuring Palmer, Nicklaus and Player, it is played by 2 to 4 players — and it could not be simpler to score.
▶ The rule in 60 seconds, in French with English subtitles — the Game of Swing channel
How to play Skins, hole by hole
- Every hole is given a value: 1 skin. All players play their own ball, as in a normal round.
- Compare the scores on the hole. The player with the lowest score wins the skin — provided they are alone in front.
- Tied for the lead? Carry over. The skin is not awarded: it passes to the next hole, which is then worth 2 skins (and so on, for as long as holes are tied).
- Repeat until the 18th hole. Every hole puts everything back in play: the total number of strokes doesn't matter, only skins count.
- The player with the most skins wins the game.
Three players. Hole 1: Julie 4, Marc 4, Paul 5 → Julie and Marc are tied for the lead, nobody wins: the skin carries over. Hole 2 (so worth 2 skins): Paul makes a 3, alone in front → Paul wins 2 skins in one go. End of the round: Julie 7 skins, Paul 6, Marc 5 — Julie wins, even though Marc handed in the best card on total strokes.
The carry over, the engine of suspense
This is the rule that gives the game all its spice. On an ordinary hole, a tie between two players is enough to make the next hole bigger — and the bigger it gets, the more players attack, and the more mistakes creep in. It is not unusual for a third of a round's skins to be decided on just two or three holes. A tip for your group: announce the value of the hole out loud on the tee (“this one's worth 3 skins!”) — that's when the round becomes unforgettable.
In the app, the “Limited rollover” option lets you cap the build-up: past the threshold you choose, the extra skins are burned and the stake goes back to 1. Handy for keeping a game balanced — nobody scoops 8 skins in one go on the first hole they win.
Why Skins is so popular
- Every hole starts from scratch. An 8 on the previous hole carries no weight: you only need to win the hole in front of you. Ideal for inconsistent players.
- A comeback is always possible. With carry overs, a player who is behind can make up the deficit with a single winning hole.
- Scoring is trivial. One score per player per hole, no points scale: it is one of the simplest formats to count — and the app even takes care of the carry overs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a skin in golf?
It is the stake attached to each hole. The player who alone makes the lowest score on the hole wins the skin. If the best score is tied, the skin carries over to the next hole.
What happens when a hole is tied?
That's the carry over: the skin is not awarded and is added to the next hole's skin, which is then worth 2 skins — then 3, 4… for as long as players share the best score. This is the mechanism that creates the game's big pressure moments.
How many players can play Skins?
From 2 to 4 players, each with their own ball. The more players there are, the harder it is to be alone in front — and the more the carry overs pile up.
What happens to a carry over still unclaimed on the 18th?
It is lost. If the best score on the last hole is tied again, the accumulated skins go to nobody — they are neither replayed nor given to the lowest total of strokes. The final leaderboard only counts skins actually won, and that is also what the Game of Swing app does.
Do you have to play for money?
Not at all: a skin is just a unit of account. You play for the coffees, for points, for pride… The Game of Swing app counts the skins and handles carry overs automatically, with no money involved.
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. Skins is in it, along with the 4 other formats you can play for free in the app.
Download the free sample →PDF · 14 pages · direct download, no email needed · the complete guide covers all 41 formats
Play your next Skins game without doing any maths
Enter the scores: the Game of Swing app spots the winner of each hole, handles the carry overs and shows who's leading live. Skins is one of the 5 free games.
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