2 par-3s · 8 par-4s · 3 par-5s — par 53 (a traditional 18 is usually par 70–72)
Take any 18-hole course and play it your way — pick your holes, add practice reps, and finish in about 3 hours. Same course, better format.
“It's regular golf, just 13 holes — not a new game. It's your own course design: three par-5s, eight par-4s, two par-3s. You can play with more confidence and more competition. Give yourself a little break in the rules — favor yourself a bit — and let's have fun together.”
A faster, custom 13-hole format that fits your busy life — without losing the fun of the game.
You spend enough on golf. We're uniting players to bring in major sponsors and partners to fund our tournaments in the near future.
| Hole played | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counts as | PR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | PR | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Par | warm-up optional |
4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | par-3 required |
4 | 3 | 5 | 53 |
You play 15 holes, but only 13 count — an optional warm-up on hole 1, a required practice par-3 mid-round, and your score comes from the 13 in between. Full breakdown on the Rules page.
The complete golf experience — in about three hours.
Most golfers lose confidence and focus somewhere around the 14th or 15th hole — roughly four hours in. So we stop while it's still fun. Play a competitive 13, have a good time together, and if you've still got the time, the course is yours to keep going.
Our goal isn't to replace 18-hole golf. It's to help every golfer enjoy the game with confidence and competition — another option for when you:
Every shot counts across a tight, competitive 13. No dead-legged back nine.
Warm-up and practice holes let you get reps on a real fairway — not a driving-range mat.
Four skill tiers mean you compete against players at your level — and meet new golf buddies.
Long enough to feel complete, short enough that you actually finish — every time.
One card that helps golfers understand each other before the first tee: your tier color, handicap, and home city. It's how we match you with players at your level — because that's when golf is at its most fun.
Set up a free player profile, find golfers at your level nearby, and post your first 13-hole game.
Every rule you already know still applies. We change one thing — the number of holes that count — and add practice holes so you get real reps in before it matters.
Three situations cover almost everything you'll run into on the card. Here's each one, drawn out.
You play 15 holes but only 13 count. The 13 are built to par 53 with just two par-3s — so if the routing gives you a third par-3, that extra one becomes a practice hole, marked PR and off your score. Your one optional warm-up is PR too.
Example: this player took hole 1 as a warm-up (an 8) and hole 12, a third par-3, as practice (a 3). They shot 68, but with both PRs removed the official score is 57 — four over par.
The warm-up is optional and you decide after playing it. Snowman on the opener? Call it your warm-up — the 8 disappears and your round officially starts at hole 2. Striped it for a par instead? Keep it, and it counts as hole 1 of your 13. Only the very first hole ever qualifies — no rescuing disasters later in the round.
Your 13 scoring holes can include at most three par-5s. If the course hands you a fourth, that hole gets shortened into a par-4 — everyone simply plays it from the forward tee box. Same hole, same green, one tee up. That keeps the card at par 53 and rounds moving on schedule.
| Hole played | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counts as | PR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | PR | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Par | warm-up optional |
4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | par-3 required |
4 | 3 | 5 | 53 |
Each example starts with the original 18-hole card, then shows a practical 14-hole route: 13 scoring holes at par 53, plus one practice hole that does not count.
The original course is an 18-hole, par-72 layout. For the 13-hole version, players use holes 1–14. Hole 1 is the optional warm-up, while the next 13 holes become the official scoring round.
Original: 18 holes · Par 72
Revised: 14 holes played · 13 holes scored · Par 53
Main change: Hole 1 is marked PR and does not count. Holes 2–14 count as scoring holes 1–13.
This example proves the practice hole does not always need to be first. On The Ike, hole 9 becomes the practice hole because it is the third par-3 reached during the route.
Original: 18 holes · Par 72
Revised: 14 holes played · 13 holes scored · Par 53
Main change: Holes 1–8 count, hole 9 is PR, and holes 10–14 finish the 13-hole score.
Shake off the rust on the very first hole you hit — it never counts. Only the first hole qualifies, so a bad opener can simply become your warm-up.
Your 13 scoring holes must contain exactly two par-3s — so the third par-3 most courses have in this stretch is always played as practice.
3 Par-5s, 2 Par-3s, 8 Par-4s (swap a Par-5 → Par-4 for Par 52). Maximum two practice holes per round: one optional, one required.
Play across holes 1 through 16 of a standard course layout. Your 13 scoring holes are 3 Par-5s, 2 Par-3s, and 8 Par-4s — a total of Par 52 or 53.
Most courses have a third par-3 in that stretch; that spare one becomes your mid-round practice hole.
This whole format exists to get you more real reps on a real course. The very first hole you hit can be taken as an optional warm-up — shake off the rust, and it won't count toward your card. Only the first hole; had a bad opener? Just call it your warm-up.
The spare mid-round par-3 is different — it's always a practice hole. Your 13 scoring holes must contain exactly two par-3s, so a third par-3 can never count. Maximum two practice holes per round: one optional, one required.
If two players are level after 13 holes, the round is decided on a next-hole Par-3, closest-to-the-pin challenge. Nearest ball to the flag takes it. Every game produces a winner.
Any putt inside a foot and a half is an automatic gimme — no need to hole out, no need to ask. The one exception: a birdie putt must be holed out, no gimmes. It keeps pace up and keeps the round friendly. Respect the group, respect the clock.
Stroke, skins, match, best-ball — all standard PGA formats are on. The only requirement is that play ends with a clear winner or winning team.
Points build your ledger. Every game you log adds to your performance history and moves you up the local and overall rankings.
One free membership — the SD Card — and four color tiers that keep every match fair and competitive. Here's how it all works.
Every member gets one, and it's free. Your SD Card is your identity across the whole movement — it's what shows on the notice board when you post a game, and it's there so players can understand each other before the first tee.
It carries the four things that matter: your tier color, your 18-hole handicap, your home city, and your diamond status if you've taken the age-57 tee move. Knowing who you're playing keeps every match fair — and playing people at your own level is what makes 13 holes genuinely fun.
What does SD stand for? Honestly — nothing. It's just the name, and we like it that way.
Your SD Card carries one of four colors, set by your regular 18-hole handicap. Colors decide who you're matched with and which tee box you play.
| Group | Handicap (18-hole) | Tee box · men | Age 57+ exception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Under 5 | Blue tee | May move to White · locked 6 months |
| Gold | 6 – 11 | Blue tee | May move to White · locked 6 months |
| Blue | 12 – 18 | White tee | — |
| Yellow | 19 and up | White tee | — |
Four color tiers keep matches fair and competitive. Your tier comes from your regular 18-hole course handicap — no special 13-hole number needed. Find someone at your level, make a new golf buddy, and settle it over 13 holes.
A Black or Gold player aged 57+ may choose to play the White tees. Once chosen, the tee status is locked for six months and a diamond icon appears on their profile so opponents know their status at a glance.
We don't ask you to prove your handicap to join. But if your winning record shows you're playing below your tier, the system will automatically upgrade your color group. Play honest, play at your level.
Women play from the forward (red) tees, following standard PGA tee guidance. Everything else is identical — the same four color tiers, the same handicap ranges, and the same six-month lock apply to every member.
Tier changes lock for 6 months. You can update your profile any time, but your color group can only be changed twice a year — it keeps competition stable and fair for everyone in your bracket.
Women's tee assignment. The tee boxes in the table above are the men's assignments. Women members play from the forward (red) tees in line with standard PGA guidance — tiers, handicaps, and all other rules are exactly the same.
Notice boards are organized by nation, then state, then city — so you only see games near you. Post that you're looking, or jump into someone else's round.
New to the 13-hole movement? Here's everything you'd want to know before you post your first game.
Yes. It's regular golf under standard rules — we just score 13 holes instead of 18. Nothing about the swing, the scoring, or the etiquette changes. Think of it the way cricket thinks of T20: the real game, in a shorter, sharper format.
Nine often feels too short — you leave wanting more. Eighteen takes so long that many golfers never actually finish, and walk off feeling like they came up short. Thirteen sits in the sweet spot: long enough to feel like a complete, competitive round, and short enough that you finish it every time.
13-hole golf is built around getting you more real practice. The very first hole you hit is an optional warm-up — take it to shake off the rust and it won't count (only the first hole qualifies, so a bad opener can simply become your warm-up). The spare par-3 in the middle of the round is a required practice hole, because your 13 scoring holes must contain exactly two par-3s. That's a maximum of two practice holes — one optional, one required. You play 15 holes; 13 count.
On the courses you already play. You use holes 1 through 16 of any standard course. No new courses to build — the format simply layers warm-up and practice holes onto a normal round.
Not to join. You self-select your color tier when you sign up. But if your winning record shows you're consistently playing below your bracket, the system will move you up automatically. It keeps matches fair without paperwork.
There are no ties. If players are level after 13 holes, it's settled on a sudden-death Par-3: closest ball to the pin wins. Every round crowns a winner.
Creating a player profile is free. You'll pay only your normal green fees at whatever course you play — and part of the movement is pushing courses for discounted twilight rates on 13-hole blocks.
Set up your free profile and find a 13-hole game near you this weekend.
Player profiles aren't built yet — the account system is still in the works, and we'd rather do this properly than launch something half-finished. So for now, sign-ups happen by email. Fill in the boxes below and we'll put together a complete, ready-to-go message for you to send to 13holegolf@gmail.com. Nothing to write yourself. Free to join, always.
Fill in your details, then hit the button. We'll write the whole email for you — address, subject, and all your info — so all you do is copy it across and press send.
Or just write to us directly: 13holegolf@gmail.com
We've written it all out for you. Just three steps: 1. Copy the message. 2. Open your email. 3. Paste it and send to 13holegolf@gmail.com. That's it — we'll take it from there.
No passwords. Enter the email your membership is under and we'll send a one-tap sign-in link.
Not a member yet? Head to the Join tab first — your login works once your membership is added.
Sign-in link sent to .
Tap it and you'll land right back here, signed in.
You're signed in as , but there's no membership on this email yet.
Once it's approved, your SD Card shows up here.
Paste your keys in the script at the bottom of this file to go live. Preview a demo member:
This is your live SD Card. It updates itself — when your tier or status changes, the card changes with it.