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Game Format

Low Ball Low Total Golf Format

Also known as: Indiana Skins

Low Ball Low Total is a 2v2 team golf format where points are awarded on every hole for two separate competitions: the lowest individual score (low ball) and the lowest combined team score (low total). This dual-scoring structure rewards both individual brilliance and consistent team play, making it one of the most balanced and strategic team games you can play.

At a Glance

Type
Team game (2v2)
Team size
2 players per team
Scoring
Points per hole (VS) or stroke play / Stableford (total)
Handicaps
On by default (net score or compare with lowest)
Wins
Most points (VS) or lowest combined total

The Rules
  1. Two teams of two players compete head to head. Each player plays their own ball throughout the round.
  2. On each hole, every player records their individual score.
  3. Low Ball: The lowest individual score from each team is compared. The team with the lower score wins the low ball point.
  4. Low Total: Each team adds up both players’ scores. The team with the lower combined total wins the low total point.
  5. If either comparison is tied, neither team earns that point.
  6. After 18 holes, the team with the most total points wins.
Sweep bonus: Squabbit supports an optional sweep (or “clean sweep”) bonus — extra points awarded when a team wins both the low ball and the low total on the same hole.

Example Hole

Two teams are playing a par 4 with default point values (1 point each for low ball and low total):

Par 4 — Hole 7
1. Team A: Player 1 scores 4, Player 2 scores 5. Low ball = 4, Total = 9.
2. Team B: Player 3 scores 3, Player 4 scores 6. Low ball = 3, Total = 9.
3. Low Ball: Team B wins (3 beats 4) — Team B earns 1 point.
4. Low Total: Tied at 9 — no point awarded.
Hole result: Team A = 0 pts, Team B = 1 pt

Now consider a hole where one team dominates:

Par 3 — Hole 12
1. Team A: Player 1 scores 3, Player 2 scores 3. Low ball = 3, Total = 6.
2. Team B: Player 3 scores 4, Player 4 scores 5. Low ball = 4, Total = 9.
3. Low Ball: Team A wins (3 beats 4) — 1 point.
4. Low Total: Team A wins (6 beats 9) — 1 point.
Hole result: Team A = 2 pts, Team B = 0 pts

How Scoring Works

VS Mode (head to head)

The most common way to play. Two teams compete directly and earn points each hole. You can customize the point values for each category:

Category Default points
Low Ball 1 point
Low Total 1 point
Sweep Bonus 0 points (off by default)

With default settings, each hole is worth up to 2 points. Over 18 holes, there are a maximum of 36 points available. You can increase the sweep bonus to make clean sweeps more rewarding — for example, setting it to 1 makes each hole worth up to 3 points when a team wins both categories.

Total Mode

Low Ball Low Total can also be played without head-to-head matchups. In total mode, each team’s hole score is the sum of their lowest individual score plus the combined team total. The team with the lowest overall score after 18 holes wins. This mode supports stroke play and Stableford subscoring.

Tip: VS mode is the classic way to play Low Ball Low Total. Total mode is useful when more than two teams are playing and you want a single leaderboard rather than head-to-head results.

Handicap Options

Handicaps are enabled by default in Low Ball Low Total. The handicap mode depends on how you set up the game:

Game mode Default handicap usage
VS (head to head) Compare With Lowest — strokes are given off the lowest handicap in the group, so the best player plays at scratch
Total (leaderboard) Net Score — each player receives their full handicap strokes

Both settings are fully customizable. You can switch between Compare With Lowest and Net Score, adjust handicap percentages, or turn handicaps off entirely for a gross-only game.

Setting Up in Squabbit

To create a Low Ball Low Total game in Squabbit:

  1. Create a new game and select Low Ball/Low Total as the format.
  2. Choose whether to play as a VS game (head to head) or a total game (leaderboard).
  3. If playing VS, optionally adjust the point values for low ball, low total, and sweep bonus.
  4. Configure handicap settings if needed (handicaps are on by default).
  5. Add players and assign them to two-person teams.

During the round, each player enters their own score on every hole. Squabbit automatically compares the low ball and low total for each team and calculates points in real time.

Note: In VS mode, each player’s individual score is also tracked on their own scorecard, so you can still see full individual stats alongside the team competition.