Every weekend group eventually hits the wall: stroke play feels stale, Nassau gets predictable, and Stableford is starting to lose its juice. Draft 18 is the format we built to break the loop.
Draft 18 is a brand-new draft-style format where each player selects holes before the first tee shot. You play all 18 holes normally, keep a real scorecard, and at the end of the round, your score on the selected holes you drafted is what wins or loses the game.
The twist: harder holes are worth more points than easier ones. Way more.
Here’s exactly how to play.
What is Draft 18?
Draft 18 is a points-based golf game that runs underneath a normal round. Everyone keeps a traditional scorecard.
Nothing changes about how you actually play golf — tee it up, play your ball, record your strokes, and apply penalties the same way you always would. (For a quick penalty reference on the course, keep our golf course penalty cheat sheet handy.)
The game happens in two phases: the draft, and the points race.
The Draft. Before the first tee shot, every player selects an equal amount of holes using a snake draft. Those holes become your “counting card.” Higher difficulty holes (based on the scorecard handicap) are worth more points – so draft wisely.
The Battle. Play the round, total your points on drafted holes only. Most points wins.
Everything else is just the math.
Draft 18 Rules and Scoring
Obviously, one of the biggest things to focus on is the hole selection in Draft 18. This game is unique because strategy starts before you even tee up on hole 1.
Setting the Draft Order
Two standard methods work:
- Highest handicap first. Balances mixed-skill groups by giving less experienced players first crack at the holes they want.
- Reigning champ picks last. Works great for recurring groups where the winner has to earn their repeat.
The Snake Draft
Draft 18 uses a snake draft. First person to select in round 1 becomes the last person to pick in round 2, first again in round 3, and so on.
For 2 players or 2 teams: draft 9 holes apiece.
For 3 players: draft 6 holes apiece.
For 4 players: draft 4 holes apiece. The remaining two holes are wildcard holes that everyone can score on.
The Point Values (The Math)
Every scorecard has a column labeled “HCP” or “Hdcp” ranking the 18 holes by difficulty. The #1 handicap hole is the HARDEST. The #18 handicap hole is the EASIEST. Universal on every scorecard.
In Draft 18, the hardest hole is worth the most points. One formula handles this cleanly:
Base Point Value = 19 − Handicap Rank
- #1 handicap hole: 19 − 1 = 18 points
- #5 handicap hole: 19 − 5 = 14 points
- #10 handicap hole: 19 − 10 = 9 points
- #18 handicap hole: 19 − 18 = 1 point
Scoring a Hole
Each hole has four possible outcomes which dictate how many points you score.
| Score | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Birdie or better | Base value + 5 |
| Par | Base value |
| Bogey | ½ base value (rounded down) |
| Double bogey or worse | 0 |
Quick examples:
- Par on the #1 handicap hole: Base 18 → 18 points
- Birdie on the #5 handicap hole: 14 + 5 → 19 points
- Bogey on the #10 handicap hole: 9 ÷ 2 = 4.5 → 4 points
- Double on any hole: → 0 points
(if throwing out bad holes sounds appealing, see how Three Little Pigs makes your three worst holes disappear entirely).
Winning the Game
Most points across your drafted holes wins. If you happen to have a tie: compare point totals from the hardest-ranked drafted hole upward until the tie is broken.
Using Handicaps (Strongly Recommended)
Draft 18 plays way better with handicaps applied — especially in mixed-skill groups. Without them, a scratch golfer drafting hard holes will smoke a 20-handicap by the 4th hole.
With handicaps on, points are awarded based on net score versus par. A 15-handicap who gets a stroke on the #3 handicap hole and makes an actual bogey plays a net par — full base value.
If you need a refresher on how your golf handicap is calculated or want to compute your course handicap fast, our free golf handicap calculator handles the math across every format on our site.
Draft 18 Game Variations
Commissioner’s Draft. One player assigns holes to every player. Good for teaching rounds, charity events, or mixed-skill groups. The holes should be split up in sequential order so that each player/team receives roughly equal scoring opportunities.
Money Draft. Assign a dollar value per point and settle up at the end based on point differentials.
Double Points Back Nine. Any drafted hole on 10–18 awards double points.
Draft 18 Season. Points accumulate across multiple rounds and the leader holds the title until someone knocks them off.
Tips and Strategies
Hole selections is where Draft 18 is won or lost.
Winning Strategies
- Draft your strengths, not your fears. A par on the #2 handicap hole is worth 17x a par on the easiest hole. Drafting only easy holes caps your ceiling before you tee off.
- Understand the bogey math. A bogey on a HCP 1–5 hole scores 7–9 points. A bogey on a HCP 15–18 hole scores 0 or 1. Hard holes forgive bogeys far more than easy holes.
- Mix your hole types. Two par 3s, two par 4s, two par 5s reduces variance. Stacking all par 5s looks sexy until the driver goes missing.
- Watch what your opponents pick. If someone drafts all par 3s, you know where their game is. Adjust.
- Grab at least one safety hole. Your first or second pick should be a realistic par from the fairway. That’s your floor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Stacking all hard holes. They’re worth the most points — and the doubles and triples that zero them out.
- Ignoring the handicap column. Picking by hole number (“I love the 4th”) is the rookie move. The handicap column is the entire scoring system.
- Forgetting your draft position. Picking fourth overall? The top hardest holes will be gone. Plan around what’s realistic.
- Skipping handicaps in a mixed-skill group. Gross Draft 18 between a 5 and a 20 handicap is robbery, not a game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play Draft 18?
Draft 18 works with 2, 3, or 4 players. Three player groups pick 6 holes each. Two-player groups get 9 picks each. Four-player groups pick 4 each, with the remaining 2 holes as wildcard holes.
Do we still keep a normal scorecard?
Yes. Every player plays 18 holes and keeps a traditional scorecard. Draft 18 sits on top of the normal round — shoot your career best and finish second in Draft 18, you still shot your career best.
What if we don’t know each hole’s handicap ranking?
Every printed scorecard lists a handicap column (“HCP” or “Hdcp”) ranking all 18 holes 1 (hardest) through 18 (easiest). Be sure to use the ranking for the tees you’re actually playing.
Can you play Draft 18 with handicaps?
Yes, and it’s strongly recommended for mixed-skill groups. Apply handicap strokes normally, then score based on net score relative to par. The scoring table stays the same.
Can I trade drafted holes mid-round?
No. Once the draft ends, your holes are locked. Trading opens the door to gamesmanship and kills the weight of the initial draft.
Final Thoughts
Draft 18 turns the handicap column — the most ignored number on the scorecard — into the whole game. Draft smart, grind on your holes, and let the rest of the round be the rest of the round.
Put it in the rotation this weekend. By the 5th hole, your group will already be arguing about who picks first next time.
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 Draft 18 has your attention, these points-based formats belong in your regular rotation.
Want fate to call the shots instead of your draft order? Three Blind Mice goes full chaos mode — three holes are chosen at random after the round and those scores alone decide the winner.
Quota — Every player gets a personal target based on their handicap, then earns points for bogeys, pars, birdies, and eagles across the round. Beat your number, you win. Fall short, you pay. Like Draft 18, it rewards the player who executes their own round regardless of what the rest of the group is doing — your battle is with your own math, not the guy in your cart.
Skins — Pure hole-by-hole pressure. Every hole has a set value, lowest score wins the skin, and tied holes roll the pot forward to the next hole. Skins pairs perfectly with Draft 18 as a side game — one format rewards your drafted holes, the other rewards every single hole outright. Stack them both and there’s never a meaningless shot.
The Bounty — A rolling jackpot format where every hole carries a bounty, the lowest score wins it outright, and ties roll the pot over (usually doubling it) until somebody cashes in. By hole 15, that $1 starting bet can be sitting on an ugly pile of money.
We add new games every week, so come back again soon. Your new favorite golf game awaits!
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