What is Vegas?
Vegas is the team format for anyone who likes drama. Two teams of two go head to head, but instead of comparing scores directly, the team's two scores are combined into a single number. That means the differences can become enormous, and one hole can settle the whole thing. No wonder it is called Vegas.
How to play Vegas
- Both players on the team play their own ball for the whole hole.
- The team's two scores form a number: the lower becomes the tens, the higher the units. A 3 and a 5 make 35.
- The difference between the teams' numbers is the result of the hole, times the stake.
- If anyone scores really high, a 10 or more, the high figure becomes the tens — a safeguard against absurd swings.
Birdies, eagles and flips
This is where Vegas gets sharp. If your team makes a birdie and the opposition does not, their number is flipped, so 46 becomes 64. If anyone makes an eagle or better the hole's difference doubles, and if both players in a team birdie it doubles as well. The bonuses stack, so a hot spell can cost the opposition dearly.
Vegas is played off gross, because the whole number mechanic is built on actual scores. If you want handicap levelling, Four-Ball or a Foursome suits better. Wager Golf builds the numbers, handles the flips and bonuses and keeps the running difference for you.