Split Sixes is a three-player golf game where 6 points get distributed on every hole based on who scores best. Low score takes 4, middle gets 2, high gets nothing. Play 18 holes, tally your points, and settle the difference between each pair of players. It's also called English, Cricket, or the 6-Point Game depending on where you play.
If you've got a threesome and want something with more structure than Skins but less bookkeeping than Wolf, Split Sixes is the game. Every hole matters equally, every player earns points based on where they finish, and nobody can win or lose it all on a single lucky putt.
How Points Work
Six points per hole. Every hole. No carryovers, no bonus pots, no missing points. The player with the lowest net score gets 4, the middle score gets 2, and the worst score gets 0. After 18 holes, 108 total points have been distributed — always.
Here's where Split Sixes earns its reputation: getting shut out on a single hole (0 points) doesn't ruin your round the way losing a skin does. You're only 4 points behind the low scorer on that hole and 2 behind the middle. The game rewards grinding out middle-of-the-road play. A steady stream of 2-point holes keeps you competitive.
Ties: Every Scenario
Ties happen constantly in golf, so the point-splitting rules matter. Four scenarios, and every one distributes exactly 6 points.
All different scores — 4-2-0. Justin shoots net 3, Jason net 4, Evan net 5. Justin gets 4, Jason gets 2, Evan gets 0. Clean.
Two tied for low — 3-3-0. Justin and Jason both net 4. Evan shoots net 5. The top two prizes are averaged: (4+2)/2 = 3 each. Evan gets nothing. Both low scorers are rewarded equally.
Two tied for high — 4-1-1. Justin nets 3, Jason and Evan both net 5. Justin takes the full 4. The bottom two prizes are averaged: (2+0)/2 = 1 each.
All three tie — 2-2-2. Everyone nets par. Six divided three ways. Nobody gains ground, nobody loses it. Unlike Skins where ties create carryover drama, Split Sixes just splits and moves on.
Walkthrough: Five Holes
Justin (5 handicap), Jason (12 handicap), Evan (20 handicap). Playing net, off-low-man — Justin plays scratch, Jason gets 7 strokes, Evan gets 15. Stakes: $1 per point.
| Hole | Par | Justin Gross (Net) | Jason Gross (Net) | Evan Gross (Net) | Tie? | Justin | Jason | Evan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 (4) | 5 (4) | 6 (5) | Low tie | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | 5 | 5 (5) | 6 (5) | 7 (6) | Low tie | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 (3) | 4 (4) | 5 (4) | High tie | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 5 (5) | 5 (4) | 5 (4) | Low tie | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 | 4 (4) | 5 (4) | 5 (4) | All tie | 2 | 2 | 2 |
After 5 holes: Justin 12, Jason 12, Evan 6. Justin and Jason are neck and neck. Evan's behind because holes 1 and 2 buried him — two consecutive 0-point holes while the other two tied for low. But he's only 6 points back with 13 holes to go. Plenty of game left.
Notice hole 4: Jason and Evan both get strokes, their gross 5s become net 4s, and Justin's gross 5 stays a 5. The handicap strokes flipped the rankings. That's why net scoring matters in a mixed-ability threesome.
Settlement
Pairwise. Each pair of players settles independently based on point differential.
Full 18-hole example at $1 per point:
| Player | Total Points |
|---|---|
| Justin | 42 |
| Jason | 38 |
| Evan | 28 |
Three settlement lines:
Justin vs Jason: 42 − 38 = 4 points. Jason pays Justin $4. Justin vs Evan: 42 − 28 = 14 points. Evan pays Justin $14. Jason vs Evan: 38 − 28 = 10 points. Evan pays Jason $10.
Net: Justin +$18, Jason +$6, Evan −$24. Zero-sum. Every dollar won is a dollar lost.
The math is always clean because every hole distributes exactly 6 points and no points are ever created or destroyed. If your three totals don't add to 108, someone miscounted. That's the beauty of point-based games — understanding settlement becomes straightforward.
Track Split Sixes automatically with Stick — point distribution, tie splitting, handicap strokes, and pairwise settlement all calculated in real time. Download on the App Store →
Blitz: Sweep All 6
When one player beats both opponents by 2 or more net strokes on a hole, that player takes all 6 points. The other two get nothing.
Justin shoots net 3. Jason and Evan both shoot net 5. Justin beat both by 2 — blitz fires and he takes all 6 instead of just the 4 he'd normally get. The 2 bonus points come from the middle player, who drops from 2 to 0.
Any tie blocks blitz. If Jason had shot net 4, Justin only beats him by 1 — not enough. Standard 4-2-0 distribution. The threshold is strict: you must beat both players by 2+, not just one.
Blitz adds a big-play mechanic to a game that's otherwise about consistency. Turn it on before the round. It creates a risk/reward dynamic on par 5s and short par 4s where one player might go for it while the other two play safe.
Birdie Double
When any player makes a net birdie on a hole, all points on that hole double. The 4-2-0 becomes 8-4-0. The 3-3-0 tie split becomes 6-6-0. Even the all-tie scenario goes from 2-2-2 to 4-4-4.
This stacks with blitz. A blitz on a birdie hole is worth 12 points to one player — two full holes' worth of points on a single hole. It happens rarely but swings the game when it does.
Birdie double uses net scoring when handicaps are on. Evan at a 20 handicap getting a stroke on a par 4 turns his gross 5 into a net 4 — that's par, not birdie. But his gross 4 becomes a net 3, and that triggers the double. High-handicap players can trigger doubles on their stroke holes, which keeps the game fair even when ability levels are spread wide.
Handicaps
Off-low-man, same as Nassau and Nine Point. Lowest courseHandicap plays scratch, everyone else gets the difference. Strokes are allocated by stroke index — hardest holes first. See our guide on handicaps in golf betting for the full breakdown.
Skip the handicaps if everyone's within a few strokes. Turn them on if there's a 10+ stroke spread. Without net scoring, the lowest handicap takes 4 points on almost every hole and the game is over by the turn.
There's no partial handicap option (50%, 80%) — it's full strokes or none. Pick before the first tee and don't change mid-round.
Split Sixes vs Nine Point: Which One?
Both are three-player point games. Both settle pairwise. The difference is the point distribution:
| Split Sixes | Nine Point | |
|---|---|---|
| Low score | 4 | 5 |
| Middle | 2 | 3 |
| High | 0 | 1 |
| Per hole | 6 | 9 |
| 18 holes | 108 | 162 |
The real difference: in Nine Point, the worst player on a hole still gets 1 point. In Split Sixes, they get nothing. That makes Split Sixes more punitive — bad holes cost you more. It also means the spread between first and third on any given hole is wider (4 vs 0 in Split Sixes, compared to 5 vs 1 in Nine Point).
We like Split Sixes for competitive threesomes where everyone's close in ability. Nine Point is friendlier for mixed groups because even the high scorer stays in the game. Either way, the mechanics are identical — Stick handles both with the same engine.
Variations
Nassau structure. Settle the front 9, back 9, and full 18 as three separate matches with independent stakes. The engine supports this, but it's uncommon for Split Sixes — most groups just run a straight 18.
"Nasty" penalty. If you score 0 points on a hole (worst score outright), you owe an extra fixed penalty — usually $1. Adds a sting to bad holes beyond just the lost points. Common house rule. Stick doesn't track this automatically, but it's easy to tally at the end.
Three-way tie carryover. When all three players tie, instead of splitting 2-2-2, some groups carry the 6 points to the next hole. Next hole is now worth 12. Adds drama but three-way ties are rare enough that this barely comes up.
Running Junk alongside. Greenies, sandies, barkies on top of the 6-point game. Tracked as a separate game in Stick.
Strategy
The math behind Split Sixes creates a specific rhythm. You don't need to win every hole — you need to avoid 0-point holes.
A player who scores middle on every hole for 18 holes earns 36 points. A player who alternates between winning (4 points) and losing (0 points) also averages 36 — but with more variance and more stress. Consistent play is the baseline strategy.
When blitz is on, the par 5s and short par 4s shift the equation. If you can separate from both opponents by 2+ strokes, you take 6 instead of 4. That's a 50% bonus. But going for it and coming up short often means getting shut out. The safe play — landing in the middle — guarantees 2 points. The aggressive play either gives you 6 or 0.
Don't chase points after a bad stretch. Three straight 0-point holes puts you 12 points behind the leader, but there are still 15 holes left — that's 90 points in play. One good run of 4-point holes and you're right back in it. Unlike Match Play where a deficit compounds, Split Sixes resets every hole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Split Sixes in golf?
Split Sixes is a three-player golf betting game where 6 points are distributed on every hole based on score. Low score gets 4 points, middle gets 2, high gets 0. After 18 holes (108 total points), each pair of players settles the point differential at an agreed dollar-per-point rate. Also called English, Cricket, or the 6-Point Game.
What's the difference between Sixes and Split Sixes?
Completely different games. Sixes is a four-player rotating partnership game using best-ball match play across three six-hole segments. Split Sixes is a three-player individual game where 6 points are distributed per hole. Different player counts, different mechanics, different settlement. The names overlap because both involve the number six, but they share nothing else.
What's the difference between Split Sixes and Nine Point?
Both are three-player point games with pairwise settlement. Split Sixes distributes 6 points per hole (4-2-0) for 108 total. Nine Point distributes 9 points per hole (5-3-1) for 162 total. The key difference: in Split Sixes the worst player on a hole gets nothing. In Nine Point they still get 1 point. Split Sixes is more punitive, Nine Point is more forgiving.
How do ties work in Split Sixes?
Two tied for best score: each gets 3 points, worst gets 0 (3-3-0). Two tied for worst: best gets 4, tied players get 1 each (4-1-1). All three tied: 2 points each (2-2-2). Every scenario distributes exactly 6 points. No carryover, no tiebreakers — just averaged prizes for tied positions.
What is a blitz in Split Sixes?
A blitz happens when one player beats both opponents by 2 or more net strokes on a single hole. Instead of the standard 4-2-0 split, the blitz winner takes all 6 points. Any tie — even a two-way tie for second — blocks the blitz. Turn it on before the round as an optional variation in Stick.
How do you settle Split Sixes?
Each pair of players settles independently. Count total points for each player, then multiply the point differential by the dollar-per-point stake. With three players (A, B, C), you run three settlements: A vs B, A vs C, B vs C. The result is always zero-sum. At $1 per point, a 10-point lead over someone means they owe you $10.
Is English the same as Split Sixes?
Yes. English, Cricket, 6-Point Game, and Split Sixes all refer to the same three-player game with 4-2-0 point distribution. The name varies by region — "English" is common in certain parts of the U.S. and internationally. The rules are identical regardless of what your group calls it.
Can you play Split Sixes with 4 players?
Track Split Sixes with Stick
Split Sixes is simple enough to track on a scorecard — until someone forgets whether the 3-3-0 on hole 7 went to the right players, or your running total doesn't add to a multiple of 6. Stick distributes points automatically on every hole, applies handicap strokes, triggers blitz when it's earned, doubles birdie holes, and settles pairwise with a line-item breakdown at the end.