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Game Format

Ryder Cup Golf Format

Also known as: Presidents Cup, Team Match Play, Cup Match

The Ryder Cup format is the ultimate team golf competition. Two large teams face off over multiple rounds of matches, with each match earning points toward the team total. Organizers can mix and match different game formats across rounds — alternate shot in the morning, best ball in the afternoon, singles match play on the final day. It’s the format used in the actual Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, and it works just as well for your club championship or weekend group.

At a Glance

Type
Team tournament (2 teams)
Teams
2 large teams, split into smaller match groups each round
Scoring
Points for match wins, losses, and ties
Match formats
Alternate Shot, Best Ball, Scramble, Match Play, and 20+ others
Wins
Team with the most total points

The Rules
  1. All players are divided into two teams.
  2. The tournament is played over one or more rounds. Each round contains a series of matches between 1 or 2 players from each team.
  3. For each round, the organizer chooses the match format — for example, alternate shot, best ball, or singles match play.
  4. The winner of each match earns points for their team. A tie splits the points.
  5. After all rounds are complete, the team with the most total points wins the cup.
Flexibility: Unlike the professional Ryder Cup which follows a fixed schedule, Squabbit lets you choose any number of rounds, any match format per round, and custom point values — so you can tailor the event to your group.

Point System

Each match awards points to the winning team. The default point values are:

Result Points
Win 1 point
Tie ½ point
Loss 0 points

These values are fully configurable. You can set any point value for wins, ties, and losses to suit your event.

Front 9 and Back 9 Points

In addition to the overall match result, you can optionally award separate points for the Front 9 and Back 9. When enabled, each nine-hole segment becomes its own mini-match with its own win/loss/tie point values. This adds more opportunities to earn points and keeps matches competitive even when one side has a big lead overall.

Per-Hole Points

You can also enable per-hole points, where each individual hole awards win/loss/tie points to the team. This is great for maximizing the number of points in play and rewarding consistency across all 18 holes.

Tip: Combining full-match, nine-hole, and per-hole points lets you create layered scoring systems. For example, 3 points for the overall match, 1 point each for the Front 9 and Back 9, and 0.5 points per hole won.

Match Formats

Each round of your Ryder Cup event can use a different match format. Squabbit supports over 20 formats, including all the classics used in professional cup events:

Classic Cup Formats

Format Description
Singles Match Play 1 vs 1 — each hole is won, lost, or tied based on individual scores
Alternate Shot 2-person teams take turns hitting the same ball, alternating shots each hole
Best Ball (Fourball) Each player plays their own ball; the lower score on each team counts
Greensomes Both players tee off, pick the best drive, then alternate shots from there
Chapman Both players tee off, swap balls for the second shot, then pick the best ball and alternate from there

Additional Supported Formats

Beyond the classics, you can also use: 1-2-3 Best Ball, Ambrose (handicap scramble), Best Balls, ChaChaCha, LIV, Lone Ranger, Low Ball/High Ball, Low Ball/Low Total, Low Handicap/High Handicap, One Gross One Net, Nassau, Scotch, Scramble, Shamble, 6-6-6, Team Average, Team Quota, Vegas, and Worst Ball.

Mix and match: A common setup is to run alternate shot matches on the first day, best ball (fourball) matches on the second day, and singles match play on the final day — just like the real Ryder Cup.

Example Event

A 12-person Ryder Cup event with two teams of 6, played over 3 rounds:

Round 1 — Alternate Shot (3 matches)
1. Match A: Team USA pair wins → 1 pt USA
2. Match B: Tied → ½ pt each
3. Match C: Team EUR pair wins → 1 pt EUR
After Round 1: USA 1.5 – EUR 1.5
Round 2 — Best Ball / Fourball (3 matches)
4. Match D: Team USA pair wins → 1 pt USA
5. Match E: Team USA pair wins → 1 pt USA
6. Match F: Team EUR pair wins → 1 pt EUR
After Round 2: USA 3.5 – EUR 2.5
Round 3 — Singles Match Play (6 matches)
7–12. All 6 players from each team play 1 vs 1 singles. USA wins 4 matches, EUR wins 1, and 1 match is tied.
Final Score: USA 8 – EUR 4. Team USA wins the cup!

Setting Up in Squabbit

To create a Ryder Cup tournament in Squabbit:

  1. Create a new tournament and select Ryder Cup as the format.
  2. Add all players and assign them to one of the two teams.
  3. For each tournament round, choose the match format (e.g., Alternate Shot, Best Ball, Singles Match Play).
  4. Optionally configure point values for wins, losses, and ties. You can also enable Front 9, Back 9, and per-hole point bonuses.
  5. Set up matches within each round — pair players from each team against each other.
  6. As matches are played, enter scores in the app. Squabbit calculates match results and team point totals automatically.
Note: The Ryder Cup format in Squabbit requires a tournament (not a casual game), since it spans multiple rounds with different match formats. You can create as many rounds as you like and use a different game type in each one.