A horse race is a match play golf stroke play competition between two competitors, typically using individual or teams of horses. A horse race in golf is when you bet on how many strokes it will take you to complete a hole. It’s just a golf tournament format.
Horse Race is the most common name for this format, but there are several others as well. Many people refer to it as ShootOut, while others call it Derby, Rumpsie Dumpsie, and Eliminator (although Eliminator refers to a completely different format).
Each player starts with a stroke handicap, which is determined by their ability level. If you’re an experienced player and your handicap is 10, you’ll need to take 10 strokes to finish the hole. If you’re less experienced and your handicap is 5, it will only take you 5 strokes. In this, horse race golf betting and golf horse race handicapping are major terms.
When playing in a horse race, each player gives the other one their handicap number before they tee off on each hole. One player strokes out first while the other waits at the green, watching them make their shot. Then they switch positions and repeat the process until they reach the end of the hole. At that point, whoever took fewer strokes wins!
Rules of Horse Race Golf
Content Summery
The rules of horse race golf are simple. The goal is to hit your ball into the cup in as few strokes as possible.
The game is played with two teams of two players each on a course of nine or 18 holes. The first team to reach the ninth hole wins the match.
The player who tees off first on each hole begins with one stroke, and all other players begin with zero strokes. A player who plays his or her ball from a hazard is allowed one additional stroke.
Play proceeds around the course in rotation until all players have had an opportunity to tee off, after which play continues in order until one player has completed the hole.
The first team to complete nine holes wins the match (or 18 holes if playing the best ball).
Points are awarded for holing out:
- One point for holing out with a putt;
- Two points for holing out with a putt on the putting green; and
- Three points for holing out with a putt on any other part of the course (except when there is only one hazard between you and the hole).
The only rule is that if you’re betting on someone else’s putt, they have to let you know before they hit their shot whether they’re betting on it or not. If they don’t tell you, then they’re not allowed to win any money off of that putt, even if they make it.
Types of Horse Races in Golf
There are many different types of horse races in golf:
Flat Racing
Flat racing is the most common form of horse racing. It takes place on a level surface and over shorter distances than steeplechasing or hurdling. The track is usually oval-shaped, with turns in different directions at each end, called bends.
Steeplechasing
Steeplechasing is a type of horse race that takes place over jumps instead of flat surfaces. Jumps can be made from logs or fences and include hedges, ditches, and water jumps. Unlike flat racing, there are no turns in a steeplechase, so horses need to jump carefully in order to avoid falling off course or becoming injured by hitting obstacles mid-air.
Harness Racing
Harness racing is the type of horse racing where horses pull vehicles called sulkies that have two wheels. The sulkies are designed so that the driver can steer them from either side of the vehicle. In harness racing, each horse has its own sulky, with no more than one driver per sulky during competition.
Endurance Racing
Endurance racing is a type of equestrian event where horses must complete as many miles as possible within a set period of time or distance without stopping or falling ill. Endurance races are typically held over long distances and are often called long-distance events or ultra-endurance races.
Final Words
The horse race is a hole-by-hole playoff format in which players compete to win holes against one another. The format works best when there are an odd number of players – you do not want any team to have the advantage of a guaranteed “win” on every hole.
FAQs
Q. How do you play a horse race?
In a horse race, each player takes his turn hitting a ball from the tee area. When all players have hit once, everyone moves to the next hole. The player who hits the ball closest to the hole wins that hole. The player with the most holes won after nine holes win.
Q. How do you determine the order of play?
In a horse race, players take turns hitting from the tee area. The player who hit off last is first to tee off on each hole. If there is an odd number of players, one person will be left out of the rotation and will hit last on every hole.
Q. How do you keep score in a horse race?
In a horse race, each player keeps his own score. To determine who wins at the end of nine holes, add up the number of strokes it took each player to finish the course and then subtract two points for each stroke over par.
Q. What are the two types of horse racing?
There are two types of horse racing: flat racing and jump racing. Flat racing is the most common form of horse racing in the United States, where horses race on a track that is completely flat (hence the name). Jump racing, also known as steeplechase or hurdle racing, involves taking obstacles at high speeds.