How does Vegas work in golf?
Vegas is a 2 v 2 game where each team's two scores are joined into a two-digit number, and the difference between the numbers is the points on the hole. Here is the scoring, birdie flips and why swings get big.
Making the team number
Vegas is played by two teams of two. On each hole, each team puts its two scores together with the lower score first. A 4 and a 5 make 45; a 4 and a 6 make 46.
The team with the lower number wins the hole by the difference. 45 against 46 is worth one point; 45 against 56 is worth eleven.
| Team A | Team B | Numbers | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5 | 4 and 6 | 45 v 46 | 1 to Team A |
| 4 and 5 | 5 and 6 | 45 v 56 | 11 to Team A |
| 4 and 10 | 5 and 5 | 410 v 55 | 355 to Team B |
Birdie flips
With birdie flips on, when one team makes a birdie, the other team's number is flipped so the higher score goes first. A 5 and a 6 turns from 56 into 65, adding to the swing.
If both teams make a birdie on the same hole, nothing flips.
Why Vegas swings so much
A double-digit score on a hole puts a three-digit number on the card, which is why Vegas is usually played for a small amount per point and why many groups play it net with handicap strokes on the hardest holes.
Doing this on BirdieConnect
BirdieConnect plays Vegas 2 v 2 with birdie flips on or off. Pick the sides yourself or let the app pair the lowest and highest handicaps against the middle two. The card shows each team's number and any flips hole by hole, and the points become money in the settle-up at your chosen value per point.
Common questions
- How many players do you need for Vegas?
- Exactly four, as two teams of two.
- What is a birdie flip in Vegas?
- When one team birdies, the other team's number is reversed so their higher score comes first, making their number bigger.
- How are Vegas teams picked?
- Any way you like. A common way to balance them is pairing the lowest and highest handicaps against the middle two.