Acey Deucey is a per-hole golf betting game for 3 to 6 players where two bets are settled on every hole — one for the low score (the Ace) and one for the high score (the Deuce).
It also goes by Aces and Deuces or Ace and Deuce.
Every other player pays the Ace. The Deuce pays every other player. The math is simple. The bleeding, when it starts, isn’t.
Acey Deucey at a Glance
Acey Deucey works best in a foursome but scales from 3 to 6 players. On every hole, two pots get settled:
- The Ace — lowest score on the hole. Every other player pays them.
- The Deuce — highest score on the hole. They pay every other player.
Standard ratio is 2-to-1: the Ace pot is worth twice the Deuce pot. Set the bet values on the first tee. $2 Ace, $1 Deuce is a common starting point.
OTHER BETTING GAMES WORTH RUNNING
These pair well with Acey Deucey:
- The Bounty — original Golf Games Hub format with a jackpot that rolls over until someone claims it
- Snake — three-putt and you owe everyone, the snake passes around all day
- Wolf — rotating-partner pressure where one player picks teammates after the tee shots
Game Setup
Lock these in before the first tee:
- Players: 3 to 6. Foursome is the sweet spot.
- Bet values: Set the Ace bet first, then make the Deuce bet half of that. Typical: $2 Ace / $1 Deuce.
- Handicaps: Apply strokes by hole stroke index. Pull each player’s course handicap through the free golf handicap calculator before round one. If the math feels fuzzy, here’s how a golf handicap is calculated.
- Carry-overs: Decide whether ties roll to the next hole. Most groups do. It speeds up the bleed.
STRATEGY TIP
Don’t play this with mismatched handicaps unless you apply strokes. A 3 vs. an 18 in straight-up Acey Deucey is robbery in slow motion. The skill spread becomes the entire game.
Acey Deucey Rules & Scoring
Two separate bets settle on every hole. They pay out independently and stack on each other:
1. The Ace bet. The lowest score on the hole (the Ace) collects the Ace bet from every other player — including the Deuce.
2. The Deuce bet. The highest score on the hole (the Deuce) pays the Deuce bet to every other player — including the Ace.
That stacking is the part most groups miss the first time around. The Ace doesn’t just win the Ace bet from each opponent — they also pick up the Deuce payment from the high scorer. The Deuce doesn’t just pay each opponent the Deuce bet — they also owe the Ace bet on top. Net scores apply if the group is using handicaps.
Example — Hole 5, Par 4 (foursome with $2 Ace / $1 Deuce):
- Player A: 4 (Ace)
- Player B: 5
- Player C: 5
- Player D: 7 (Deuce)
Ace bet settles: B, C, and D each pay $2 to A → A collects $6.
Deuce bet settles: D pays $1 to A, B, and C → D pays out $3.
Net for the hole:
- Player A: +$6 (Ace bet) + $1 (Deuce payment from D) = +$7
- Player B: −$2 (Ace paid to A) + $1 (from D) = −$1
- Player C: −$2 (Ace paid to A) + $1 (from D) = −$1
- Player D: −$2 (Ace paid to A) − $3 (Deuce paid to A, B, C) = −$5
3. Ties = no payout on that bet. No outright Ace or no outright Deuce on a hole means that pot doesn’t settle. With carry-over rules, the unpaid pot rolls to the next hole.
STRATEGY TIP
Avoiding the Deuce is worth more than chasing the Ace. A par may not always win the Ace, but it almost never makes you the Deuce. Steady golf wins this format. Hero golf gets you in trouble.
Acey Deucey Variations
A few worth knowing:
Acey Deucey with Carry-Overs. Ties on a hole double the pot for the next hole. Bets stack until someone breaks the tie. Standard at most groups — it adds tension to the back nine.
Team Acey Deucey. Pair off into 2v2 and use each team’s better-ball score for the hole. This only works with large groups (6+). Ace and Deuce settle between the teams instead of individuals.
Aces Only. Drop the Deuce entirely and only play the Ace pot. Lighter format, faster math, less bleed. Good for groups testing the format for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No Ace is awarded for that hole. The pot either dissolves or carries to the next hole, depending on the rule set. Lock the rule in before the first tee. Ace still gets paid if there wasn’t a tie on that bet.
Yes — and you should, if the group has any handicap spread. Apply each player’s course handicap by hole stroke index. The USGA’s World Handicap System guidance covers the official allowances.
Standard ratio is 2-to-1, but it’s negotiable. Some groups run 1-to-1 (equal pots), and a few flip it to make the Deuce more painful than the Ace is rewarding.
Final Thoughts
Acey Deucey is one of the cleanest per-hole betting games in golf — fast to set up, no team management, every hole live, and the worst player on the hole pays for it.
Run the standard 2-to-1 Ace/Deuce ratio with carry-overs. Apply handicaps. Then play steady golf.
Avoid the Deuce. Win the round.
