Skins is pure drama. You either win the hole outright and pocket the skin, or you get nothing. When holes tie, skins carry over, building massive pots that explode when someone finally wins one clean.

The format works for any group size and creates moments where a single hole is worth 5, 6, or 7 skins because of a long carryover streak.

Basic Skins Rules

Each hole is worth one skin. To win the skin, you must have the lowest score on that hole with no ties. If two or more players tie for low score, no one wins the skin and it carries over to the next hole.

Example through 5 holes:

Hole 1: Player A makes 4, everyone else makes 5. Player A wins 1 skin.
Hole 2: Player B and Player C both make 4, Player A and Player D make 5. Tie for low score, so the skin carries over.
Hole 3: Player D makes 3, everyone else makes 4 or worse. Player D wins 2 skins (hole 2 carry + hole 3).
Hole 4: All four players make par. No winner, skin carries over.
Hole 5: Player A makes birdie, everyone else makes par. Player A wins 2 skins (hole 4 carry + hole 5).

After 18 holes, count total skins won. Typical bet structures:

$5 per skin
$10 per skin
$20 per skin

With 18 skins available, a $10 per skin game means $180 total in play.

How Carryovers Create Drama

The carryover rule is what makes Skins electric. When 4 or 5 holes tie in a row, the next player to win a hole takes a massive pot.

I have seen a 7-hole carryover where the winner took $140 on one hole in a $20-per-skin game. That single birdie paid for the entire round.

The pressure mounts. Everyone knows there is a big carryover riding on the next hole. Conservative players start taking risks. Aggressive players tighten up. The dynamic shifts hole-by-hole based on carryover size.

Skins Strategy

Early in the round: Play your normal game. Do not force birdies just to collect skins. The carryovers will come.

During a carryover streak: This is where strategy splits. Some players gamble harder, going for flags and risky lines. Others play safer, knowing a solid par might win if others get aggressive and blow up.

Read your opponents. If three players hit it in the water going for a tucked pin, your safe bogey wins the carryover. If everyone plays conservative and makes par, you need to take a risk to break the tie.

Late in the round: If one player has accumulated most of the skins, others need to get aggressive. If skins are distributed evenly, playing smart and avoiding big numbers keeps you in the money.

Par 3s are gold. Tee shots determine outcomes. One good iron shot can steal a 3-hole carryover from players scrambling with wedges.

Skins Variations

Gross Skins (No Handicaps): Straight up scores. Best for groups with similar skill levels. A 5 handicap versus a 15 handicap in gross skins is not fair.

Net Skins (With Handicaps): Apply full handicaps. The 15 handicap gets strokes on hard holes. Their net 3 on a stroke hole beats a scratch player's 4. This is the fairest version for mixed-ability groups.

Defender Skins: The winner of a skin becomes the Defender and must defend it on the next hole. If someone beats the Defender, they steal all accumulated skins. If the Defender wins again, the pot grows. This can create massive swings.

Automatic Skins: Certain achievements automatically win the skin regardless of score:

Eagle: Automatic skin
Hole-in-one: Automatic 3 skins
Birdie on hardest handicap hole: Automatic 2 skins

These bonuses add excitement and reward exceptional shots.

Escalating Skins: Skins increase in value every 6 holes. Holes 1-6 worth 1 skin each, holes 7-12 worth 2 skins each, holes 13-18 worth 3 skins each. This keeps back-nine tension high.

Common Skins Mistakes

Not clarifying carryover rules before starting: Some groups play that carries go to the next hole only. Others play that all unclaimed skins accumulate until someone wins one. Decide this on the first tee.

Forgetting handicap strokes: In net skins, you must apply handicaps correctly. If Player A gets a stroke on hole 5 and makes 5, their net 4 might win the skin. Double-check the scorecard handicap ratings.

Abandoning strategy during carryovers: A 4-skin carryover is exciting, but if you start spraying drives trying to force birdies, you will blow up and hand skins to the steady player.

Not tracking who won which skins: After 18 holes, everyone needs to remember who won what. Use a scoring method that records skins in real-time, not just hole scores.

Playing skins with huge skill gaps and no handicaps: A scratch player will dominate a 20 handicap in gross skins. Use handicaps or play different games.

Playing Skins in Large Groups

Skins works great with 5, 6, or even 8 players because you do not need partnerships. More players means more carryovers since ties are more likely.

In a group of 6, it is common for 10+ holes to carry over because someone always makes the same score as someone else. When a player finally wins a hole clean, they take a huge pot.

Money management tip for large groups: Lower the per-skin value. In a 6-player game, $5 per skin means $30 per hole potentially going to one player. Over 18 holes, swings can get big.

Skins with Match Play Scoring

A hybrid format: play match play scoring (win/lose/tie) instead of stroke play. To win a skin, you must beat all opponents in match play on that hole.

If you make net birdie and everyone else makes net par, you win the skin. If you and one other player both make net birdie, it carries over.

This speeds up play since you can pick up once you are out of contention for the hole.

Why Skins Works

Skins creates highlight moments. One hole can change the entire outcome. A player who struggled all day can birdie the 18th hole with a 5-skin carryover and win the most money.

The carryover mechanic builds suspense naturally. Every tied hole raises stakes for the next one.

Unlike cumulative games where leaders pull away, Skins resets every hole. You are never out of it until the final putt drops.

Getting Started with Skins

First time playing Skins:

Decide gross or net (net for mixed abilities)
Set per-skin value ($5 is a good start)
Clarify carryover rules (carries to next hole only, or accumulates all unclaimed skins)
Track skins won after every hole
Settle up after 18

Scorekeeping: A simple notes app works, but dedicated scoring like Mulligan Money (launching Spring 2026) tracks carryovers automatically and calculates payouts instantly.

Join the Mulligan Money waitlist for early access to Skins tracking with real-time carryover totals and automatic settlement.

Skins turns every hole into a potential windfall. The format rewards shot-making, punishes ties, and keeps everyone hunting for that next birdie to break a carryover streak.