How to Run a Golf Pool With Friends

For a first pool, choose one tournament and invite a group you already know. A Masters pool gives everyone the same event to follow. You can also run a U.S. Open pool or an Open Championship pool.

If the same group wants to play several events, create a league. Select the tournaments that count toward the season instead of treating every pool as an unrelated contest. Check that the event and player field are available before asking members to make picks.

Tier drafting gives members a choice from each group of golfers. It is a useful starting point for mixed-experience groups because everyone follows the same pick requirements. Salary-cap drafting lets members choose across the field while staying within a budget and meeting the minimum roster size.

A practical starting setup is six tiers, one golfer from each tier, and the best four scores counting. This is a recommendation, not a requirement. Compare the tradeoffs in our tier draft and salary-cap guide before deciding.

Tell members how many golfers to pick, which scores count, what happens after a missed cut or withdrawal, and how ties are handled. Team-building format and scoring are separate choices: a tier team can use stroke-play or prize-money scoring.

For example, six final adjusted scores of −8, −5, −2, +1, +6 and +10 total +2 when all count. With best-four scoring, the team totals −14. Use the scoring guide and copyable rules template so everyone sees the same explanation.

Send the pool or league invitation with the tournament, pick requirements, deadline and time zone. Clubpicks locks picks at the event’s first tee time, not each selected golfer’s individual tee time. Use the displayed pool deadline; a group-chat reminder is not a separate in-app lock. Ask members to confirm that their team was submitted; choosing golfers without completing submission is not the same as entering a team.

League creation is free on Clubpicks. Inviting league members requires a Season Pass, and members join for free. Review current software pricing before inviting the group. Clubpicks does not collect or distribute pool stakes or prizes.

Look for field changes and withdrawals, confirm every member has a legal roster, and explain the visibility setting. A hidden-until-start leaderboard avoids revealing other members’ selections before play begins.

Finalize tier boundaries early. Changing tiers after teams exist can require those teams to be cleared and picked again. Avoid surprising members with rule changes after they have made their choices.

Share the leaderboard link once play starts. Explain that live scores and prize-money projections can change; confirm the event is finalized before treating the standings as final.

After the event, ask whether the group preferred the format and number of counting golfers. Keep those decisions for the next pool, or put the group into a league with a shared schedule.