Nines Golf Game
Also known as: Baseball, 4-3-1, 5-3-1
Nines is one of the best golf games for a threesome. On every hole, 9 points are distributed among the three players based on who had the lowest, middle, and highest net score. After 18 holes the points always total 162 (9 × 18), and the player with the most points wins. It’s a simple, competitive format that keeps all three players engaged on every hole.
At a Glance
- Type
- Individual game
- Players
- Exactly 3
- Scoring
- Points (9 per hole)
- Handicaps
- On by default (net score)
- Wins
- Most total points
The Rules
- Three players play their own ball throughout the round, recording individual stroke scores on each hole.
- After each hole, 9 points are divided among the three players based on their net scores (gross scores adjusted for handicap strokes received on that hole).
- The player with the lowest net score earns 5 points.
- The player with the middle net score earns 3 points.
- The player with the highest net score earns 1 point.
- After all 18 holes, the player with the most total points wins.
Point Distribution
The 9 points are always fully distributed. Here is how they break down for every possible outcome:
| Scenario | Points awarded |
|---|---|
| All three scores different | 5 – 3 – 1 (best, middle, worst) |
| Two tied for best | 4 – 4 – 1 |
| Two tied for worst | 5 – 2 – 2 |
| All three tied | 3 – 3 – 3 |
Example Hole
Three players are playing a par 4. Player B receives one handicap stroke on this hole:
Ties on a Hole
When two or more players tie on a hole, the points for the tied positions are combined and split evenly:
Two tied for best (4-4-1)
The first and second place points are pooled (5 + 3 = 8) and split between the two tied players, giving each 4 points. The remaining player gets 1 point.
Two tied for worst (5-2-2)
The second and third place points are pooled (3 + 1 = 4) and split, giving each tied player 2 points. The outright winner gets 5 points.
All three tied (3-3-3)
All 9 points are split evenly — each player receives 3 points.
Blitz Variant
Nines Blitz is an optional setting that raises the stakes. When Blitz is enabled, if the lowest score on a hole is two or more strokes better than the second-lowest score, that player takes all 9 points and the other two players receive 0.
Setting Up in Squabbit
To create a Nines game in Squabbit:
- Create a new game and add exactly 3 players.
- Under format, choose Nines.
- Handicaps are enabled by default using net score. You can turn them off if you prefer to play with gross scores.
- Optionally enable Nines Blitz in the game settings if you want the blitz variant.
- Each player enters their own stroke score on every hole. Squabbit automatically calculates the point distribution.
At the end of the round, Squabbit displays each player’s total points. The leaderboard ranks players from most to fewest points.