How to Play Low Ball Low Total: The 2-vs-2 Golf Game Where Every Shot Matters

Low Ball Low Total is a 2-vs-2 team format where two points are up for grabs on every hole: one for the lowest individual score (low ball) and one for the lowest combined team score (low total).

It’s the perfect format for foursomes who want a team game with a little more action than standard best ball. Every stroke matters, every hole has stakes, and the math stays simple enough to track on a paper scorecard between sips of beer.

Low Ball Low Total at a Glance

Low Ball Low Total (sometimes written “Low Ball/Low Total” or just “Low-Low”) is a points-based team game for four golfers split into two teams of two. On every hole, the teams compete for two separate points — one based on each team’s best individual score, and one based on the total of both partners’ scores combined. Most points after 18 holes wins.

It’s beloved by regular foursomes because it rewards both clutch individual play and steady team golf. There’s nowhere to hide, but there’s also always a way back into the match.

Before you head to the tee box, you need to nail down a few setup details that’ll shape the entire round.

Game Setup

Low Ball Low Total has very few moving parts, but the few decisions you make on the first tee matter.

Number of Players

Low Ball Low Total requires exactly 4 golfers, split into 2 teams of 2. You can technically run it with two players if each person plays two balls per hole, but the social tension of a real 2-vs-2 is what makes the format sing.

Picking teams

The most common method is to pair the lowest handicap with the highest, and the two middle handicaps together. This keeps things competitive. You can also draw cards, toss tees in the air, or let the previous round’s loser pick — whatever your group does to keep things fair (and entertaining).

Handicaps

Low Ball Low Total absolutely should be played with handicaps unless all four players are within a stroke or two of each other.

The standard method is to play off the lowest handicap in the group — that player plays scratch, and the other three get the difference in strokes, applied to the hardest handicap holes on the scorecard.

If you don’t want to hand-calculate strokes for everyone, run the group through the course handicap calculator before the round so everyone knows exactly which holes they’re getting a pop on.

Setting Stakes

Most people play Low Ball Low Total for bragging rights but you can also put a little money on the line.

Most groups play for a flat dollar amount per point (think $1 or $2 a point), or set a total match value and let the final point differential decide who pays.

Both work — pick whichever fits your group’s appetite.

Scorecard Management

Make sure you have a scorecard with room to track two points per hole per team. A scoring app works fine too, but honestly, the paper card with hash marks is part of the fun. And if you haven’t already, a quick pre-round review of basic on-course etiquette keeps your match moving at the pace the group behind you expects.

Now that the teams are set and the strokes are sorted, let’s get into how the game actually plays out.

How to Play Low Ball Low Total

In Low Ball Low Total, every player plays their own ball for the entire hole — this is straight stroke play, no scrambles, no alternate shots, no funny business. After everyone holes out, you compare scores and award the two points.

Point #1 — Low Ball

Compare each team’s lowest individual score on the hole. The team with the better low ball score wins this point.

Point #2 — Low Total

Add both partners’ scores together for each team. The team with the lower combined total wins this point.

A team can sweep both points (worth 2), split them (1 each),lose both or push both. That’s it. That’s the whole game.

A Quick Example

Let’s say Team A is Adam and Brett. Team B is Charlie and Dave. Here’s how Hole 4 plays out (a par 4):

Player	Score
Adam	5
Brett	4
Charlie	4
Dave	6

Low Ball: Brett’s 4 ties Charlie’s 4. Tie — no point awarded for low ball(more on ties below).

Low Total: Team A = 9, Team B = 10. Team A wins the point.

Result: Team A 1, Team B 0 on hole 4.

Now imagine the next hole, where Adam shoots 4, Brett shoots 5, Charlie shoots 5, and Dave shoots 7. Team A wins low ball (4 vs 5) and low total (9 vs 12). Team A sweeps both points and goes up 3-0 in the match. Or, if you choose to play carryovers, Team A would be up 4-0.

Handling Ties

There are three accepted ways to handle a tied point, and your group should agree before the round:

1. No Point Awarded — The most common method. Tied = nobody gets it. Clean and simple.
2. Halved — Each team gets half a point. Slightly messier scoring but nothing gets wasted.
3. Carryover — Tied points carry forward to the next hole, where they’re worth double. This adds drama but can swing matches wildly.

Winning the Match

The team with the most total points after 18 holes wins. If you wagered per point, settle up the difference. If you wagered a flat match total, the team with more points wins the whole pot. Ties at the end of the round can either be split or settled with a sudden-death playoff hole — your call.

Low Ball Low Total is simple at its core, but a few smart variations can completely change how a round feels.

Game Variations

Once your group has the basics down, these tweaks keep the format fresh:

Birdies Double the Point. Any point won with a birdie counts as two points. Eagles count as three. This rewards aggressive play and adds a real jolt of excitement when somebody pours in a 20-footer for bird.

Low Ball, Low Total, Low High (3-Point Version). Add a third point on every hole for the team with the better high ball (the better of each team’s worst score). Now nobody can mail in a hole — even your blowups are in play. This is essentially a hybrid with the Low Ball/High Ball format and turns every round into 54 points up for grabs.

Net Scoring with Strokes. Instead of using gross scores, use net scores after applying handicaps. This is the most forgiving variation for mixed-skill foursomes and is highly recommended any time the handicap spread in your group is more than a few strokes.

Front/Back/Total Nassau Layer. Run a Nassau on top of Low Ball Low Total — separate point totals for the front nine, back nine, and full 18. Now you’ve got three matches running at once with extra opportunities for comebacks and presses.

The Bonus Press. If a team falls behind by 4 or more points, they can call a “press” that doubles all remaining points until they catch up. Adds a comeback mechanism and keeps things interesting when one team starts running away with it.

Variations are fun, but the real edge comes from understanding how to actually play this format strategically.

Tips & Strategies

Low Ball Low Total rewards smart, situational golf more than raw ball striking. The same risk-versus-reward thinking Golf.com covers in its course-management strategy applies on every hole — except here you’re weighing it for two points, not one. Here’s how to play it well.

Winning Strategies

Communicate before every shot. Especially around the green. If your partner is putting first for a chance at the low ball point, you need to know whether to play aggressively for your own number or play safe to lock in the low total point.

Lock in low total first. When in doubt, the smart play is to make sure your team posts a clean combined number. Two pars beats a birdie-and-double every time when the total point is on the line.

Let the lower handicap take the risks. If your partner has already posted bogey, the better player should consider firing at tucked pins to grab the low ball point.

Read the match situation constantly. Down 4 with 5 holes left? You need both points on multiple holes, which means somebody has to make some low scores. Up 4 with 5 holes left? Play conservative golf and let the other team try to make hero shots.

Use the handicap holes wisely. If you’re getting a stroke on Hole 7, that’s a hole where you should be playing more aggressively — your net score gives you a free cushion that the other team doesn’t have.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Both partners going for the low ball at the same time. Classic mistake. Both players fire at the flag, both miss, both make bogey, and you hand the team total point to the other side without a fight. One player should always be playing for the safe number.

Mailing in a hole after a bad start. If you put your tee shot OB, it’s tempting to just pick up. Don’t. Even a 7 might be the score that wins the low total point if your partner is grinding out a 4. Always finish the hole.

Forgetting to track which holes give strokes. A stroke on the right hole can swing both points. Groups that don’t pre-mark the handicap strokes routinely give away points by accident.

Treating it like a best ball. This isn’t Four-Ball — your high score absolutely matters here. Playing it like best ball is the fastest way to lose.

Conceding putts you shouldn’t. In Low Ball Low Total, every stroke goes on the card. There are no concessions. A 3-foot putt your buddy “gives” you that you would’ve actually missed just cost your opponents a point.

Most groups have a few questions the first time they try this format — here are the ones that come up most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you play Low Ball Low Total with 3 players?

Not really — the format is built around 2-vs-2 team scoring. With 3 players, you’d need one player playing two balls, which gets clunky. If you’ve got an odd number, look at Wolf or Bingo Bango Bongo instead.

How do you handle ties in Low Ball Low Total?

Most groups award no point on a tied score, but you can also halve the point or carry it over to the next hole at double value. Decide before the first tee shot — don’t try to negotiate it after the fact.

Do you need handicaps to play Low Ball Low Total?

You don’t need them, but you should use them unless all four players are within a stroke or two of each other. The standard method is to play off the lowest handicap and give the other three players strokes equal to the difference, applied on the hardest handicap holes. Make it easy on yourself, use our dynamic handicap calculator which can be used for any format.

What’s the difference between Low Ball Low Total and Low Ball High Ball?

Low Ball Low Total uses each team’s combined total as the second point. Low Ball High Ball uses each team’s worst individual score as the second point. Both are 2-vs-2 formats with two points per hole, but Low Ball High Ball puts more pressure on the weaker player while Low Ball Low Total rewards consistent team scoring.

Is Low Ball Low Total the same as Best Ball?

No. Best Ball (or Four-Ball) only counts each team’s lowest score on every hole — your partner’s bad score doesn’t matter. In Low Ball Low Total, both players’ scores count toward the team total point, so every stroke matters.

How long does a round of Low Ball Low Total take?

Same as any normal stroke play round — about 4 to 4.5 hours for 18 holes. The format doesn’t add any extra time because everyone plays their own ball normally.

Final Thoughts

Low Ball Low Total is one of those formats that just clicks the first time your group plays it. It rewards good golf, punishes mental checkouts, keeps the math simple, and gives every hole real stakes.

If your regular foursome has been stuck in a rut, this is the game you bring out next weekend to shake things up.

Set the stakes, draw your teams, and get after it, and enjoy.

Other Golf Games You’ll Love

Golf Games Hub is home to every golf game imaginable. Explore our various collections of golf games:

• Traditional Golf Games
• Fun & Social Golf Games
• Points-Based Golf Games
• Betting Golf Games
• Drinking Golf Games

If Low Ball Low Total is your speed, these formats deserve a spot in your regular rotation.

Bounty — Every hole has a prize, and it’s yours if you win it outright. Tie the hole and the bounty rolls over, building into a bigger and bigger pot until someone finally cashes in. It’s part Skins, part pressure cooker—where momentum swings fast and one clutch hole can change the entire round.

Four-Ball — The classic 2-vs-2 best ball format where only your team’s low score on each hole counts. It’s lower pressure than Low Ball Low Total because your bad holes get tossed, which makes it perfect when you want a relaxed team game where the high handicapper still gets to be a hero.

Sixes — Also called Hollywood, this is the format where your partner changes every six holes. You’ll team up with everyone in your group throughout the round, which makes it perfect for foursomes that don’t want to be stuck with the same partner for 18 holes.

Skins — Every hole is its own mini-match worth a “skin.” Tie a hole and the skin carries over, building up pressure (and pots) until somebody finally wins one outright. It’s the most addictive way to play for money in golf.

We add new games every week, so come back again soon. Your new favorite golf game awaits!

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