How to play Rabbit (golf game): rules and examples
Rabbit is a game where one player holds the rabbit at a time, and whoever holds it when the nine ends collects from everyone else. The rabbit changes hands whenever someone wins a hole outright.
- Players: 2 to 5 players
- Also called: rabbit, catch the rabbit
- Teams: Every player for themselves
- Scores needed: Every player's score on each hole
Each golfer's score on every hole. The rabbit moves by itself.
Hold the rabbit when the nine ends.
How to play Rabbit
- No one holds the rabbit at the start. The first player to win a hole outright catches it.
- If a different player later wins a hole outright, the rabbit is set loose (or passes to the new winner if you set it to pass).
- A loose rabbit is caught by the next outright winner.
- At the end of each nine, whoever holds the rabbit collects the stake from every other player.
- If the rabbit is loose at the end, the pot carries to the next segment by default.
A worked example with numbers
Ann wins hole 1 outright and holds the rabbit. Bo wins hole 2 outright, so the rabbit is set loose. Cy wins hole 3 outright and catches it. Nobody wins a hole outright for the next six holes, so Cy holds it at the end of the nine.
With 1 per player, Cy collects 1 from each of the other three players, a total of 3.
Options and defaults
These are the rules groups change. The first column is the setting, the second is what Hole19Tally starts with, and the last says what it changes.
| Option | Default | Choices | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| When another player wins a hole outright | loose | loose, passes | loose: the rabbit is set free and the next outright winner catches it. passes: it goes straight to the new winner. |
| Segments | nine | nine, eighteen | One rabbit (one pot) per nine, or one for 18. |
| Rabbit loose at end of segment | carry | carry, none | carry: the pot carries to the next segment (the last segment's loose pot is void). none: no payout. |
| Gross or net | net | gross, net | Net applies handicap strokes; gross ignores them. |
| Stroke method | off the low | off the low, full | Off the low: lowest handicap plays at zero. Full: everyone takes their whole Playing Handicap. |
| Handicap allowance % | 100 | 100, 95, 90, 85, 80 | Percent of the Course Handicap used, applied before rounding. |
| Hole not completed (pick-up) | out | out, net double, max | out: player is out of the hole. netDouble: records net double bogey. max: records the maximum score below. |
| Maximum score (strokes over par) | 3 | 2, 3, 4 | Used when pick-up is "max"; 3 means triple bogey. |
| Player withdraws | stand as is | stand as is, void, forfeit | standAsIs: that player's bets settle as they stand. void: bets with that player are cancelled. forfeit: they score nothing for the remaining holes. |
| Round cut short | segments | segments, void, last | segments: only completed segments settle. void: nothing settles. last: settle on standings at the last completed hole. |
Common disputes
What does loose mean?
The rabbit is not held by anyone, so the next player to win a hole outright catches it.
What if it is loose at the end of the nine?
The pot carries to the next segment by default. On the last segment a loose pot is void.
Can I play one rabbit for 18 holes?
Yes. The default is one per nine, and you can choose one for the full round.
Frequently asked questions
Does a tied hole move the rabbit?
No. Only an outright win catches or releases it.
Gross or net?
Net by default.
How many players can play Rabbit?
Two to five.
Is Hole19Tally a betting app?
Hole19Tally is a scorekeeper. It records scores, works out strokes and shows who owes whom, but it never holds, moves or takes a share of money, and it is not a gambling service. Players settle up directly with each other.
Score it in Hole19Tally
Hole19Tally keeps the score for Rabbit, applies the handicap strokes and shows who owes whom. Hole19Tally is a scorekeeper. It records scores, works out strokes and shows who owes whom, but it never holds, moves or takes a share of money, and it is not a gambling service. Players settle up directly with each other.
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