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Golf darts: rules and strategy · Score Darts
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Home/Articles/Golf darts: rules and strategy

Golf at the dartboard: 9 or 18 holes, lowest wins

Golf darts rules: each hole = one number, 3 darts, best hit counts (triple=eagle, double=birdie, single=par, miss=bogey). 9 or 18 hole formats.

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Golf darts transposes the logic of golf onto the dartboard: each number becomes a hole, each turn a swing, and your best impact counts as your score for the hole. A quiet mode with no mental math stress, where consistency beats power.

Contents

  1. The idea: 1 hole = 1 number
  2. Scoring: best dart counts
  3. 9 or 18 hole formats
  4. Strategy and pacing
  5. Who is it for?

The idea: 1 hole = 1 number

The course follows the dartboard numbers in order. Hole 1 = number 1, hole 2 = number 2, and so on. On each hole, each player throws 3 darts at that number. The hole score is determined by the best of the three darts (not the sum).

As in golf, the LOWEST score wins

All hole scores are added up. At the end of 9 or 18 holes, the lowest total wins the round. It's a game of regularity: you're better off scoring four straight singles than one triple and two misses.

Scoring: best dart counts

On each hole, only the best of your 3 impacts matters. The scale is inspired by golf:

HitGolf nameHole score
Triple of the numberEagle1 point
Double of the numberBirdie2 points
Single of the numberPar3 points
No hit on the numberBogey5 points

Example: on hole 7, you throw single 7 + miss + double 7. Your best dart is the double → you score 2 points (birdie). The other two darts don't count.

Watch out for the bogey: if none of your 3 darts hit the hole's number, you take 5 points. That's almost double a par - a bad hole hurts a lot.

9 or 18 hole formats

You pick the format when creating the game, just like real golf:

9-hole course

  • Holes 1 to 9
  • About 12-15 minutes for 2 players
  • Ideal for discovery or with newcomers
  • Par expected: around 27 (9 pars)

18-hole course

  • Holes 1 to 18
  • About 25-30 minutes for 2 players
  • The full golf format, more tactical
  • Par expected: around 54 (18 pars)

Strategy and pacing

Unlike 501 or Cricket where you try to maximise points, here the goal is to avoid bogeys. Three angles that work:

1. Secure par before going for more

Your first two darts should focus on landing a single to secure par. Once par is locked, the third can go for a double or triple to attempt birdie or eagle.

2. The small numbers are the worst

Holes 1, 2, 3 are dreaded: the sectors sit away from the natural line of sight, and a miss = bogey worth 5 points. Many players lose the whole round in the first three holes.

3. Count, don't react

After 9 holes, do the math: if you're 3 points behind, you have to hunt for birdies. If you're ahead, play conservative (lock the pars) - your opponent will crack on some hole.

Who is it for?

You'll love it if...

  • You know golf and enjoy the analogy
  • You prefer consistency over occasional big scores
  • You want a change of pace from 501/Cricket without diving into technical modes
  • You want to work every number on the board

Skip it if...

  • You want checkout-finish pressure
  • You enjoy mental math of remaining scores
  • The "lowest wins" logic feels backwards

Where to play

Score Darts ships Golf as a native mode with both formats (9 and 18 holes), solo, multi-player or team. In team mode, each team shares a scorecard and the best dart of the active player counts for the team.

Head over to score-darts.com or the iOS/Android apps.

More modes worth exploring

  • Full tour of dart variants
  • Yahtzee darts, another strategic mode
  • ATC Turbo, to improve on multiplier zones

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