In a quota game you play against your own target, not against the other golfers’ scores. You have a quota: the points you are expected to score. You earn points on every hole, add them up, and take away your quota. What is left is your plus/minus, and the best plus/minus wins the round.
Because each player chases a different target, a golfer who scores few points can beat one who scores many. That is what lets a mixed group play one game together.
A worked example
These numbers are an example. Four golfers play, each with a different quota.
| Player | Quota | Points | Plus/minus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player A | 30 | 31 | +1 |
| Player B | 24 | 27 | +3 |
| Player C | 18 | 17 | −1 |
| Player D | 12 | 16 | +4 |
Player B has a quota of 24 and scores 27 points, so finishes at +3. Player D scores only 16 points, the fewest in the group, but beats a quota of 12 by four. Player D wins the round at +4.
The rules your group sets
The idea is the same everywhere, but the details vary from group to group. Agree these before you play, and write them down.
How you earn points
Your group decides how many points each hole score is worth. There is no single scale every group uses, so settle yours first and keep it the same from round to round. Quotas only stay fair if the points behind them are counted the same way every time.
Best plus/minus or most points
You can rank a round two ways. By plus/minus, the golfer who beats their quota by the most wins. By points, the golfer with the most points wins and quotas play no part. In the example above, Player D wins on plus/minus and Player A, with 31 points, wins on points.
Ties
Two golfers can finish on the same plus/minus. GreenRoster shows them as tied for the place. If your group wants a tie-break, agree it before the round, not after.
How quotas change
A quota follows your form. After each round it is worked out again from your recent points totals, so a run of good rounds raises it and a run of poor ones lowers it. Groups differ in how many rounds they count; see how to calculate a golf quota.
Have your recent points totals to hand? Work out your quota with the free calculator.
New players and guests
A new player has no rounds to average, so give them a starting quota the group agrees is fair. They keep it until they have played enough rounds. A guest playing a single round needs a quota for that day too.
Prizes
What the winner gets is up to your group. Customs differ, so agree the stakes and how they are shared before the first tee shot.