OFFICIAL POOL GOLF RULES
Welcome to the official home of Pool Golf rules. Select a game below to view the full rules, watch the tutorial video, and download a printable PDF.
How to Play Pool Golf — Video Coming Soon
Pool Golf is the world’s first true billiards golf game — an 18-hole round played on a standard pool, snooker, or billiards table using a regulation putting hole. Hit the required cushions, hole out in as few strokes as possible, and post the lowest score to win.
01Equipment
Pool Golf may be played on any standard 6-pocket pool table, snooker table, or pocketless billiards table. Players use one cue ball, cues of their choice, and an official World Pool Golf Organisation regulation putting hole. The centre of the putting hole must be positioned directly over the black spot on a pool table, or in the centre of the bottom half of all other tables.
02Objective
The objective of Pool Golf is to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible by legally striking the cue ball into the putting hole. The player with the lowest total score at the end of the round is the winner.
03The Course and Round Format
A full round of Pool Golf consists of 18 holes:
- Holes 1–6 are Par 3
- Holes 7–12 are Par 4
- Holes 13–18 are Par 5
Holes6 · 12 · 18Par 3 · 4 · 5Top Left
Holes5 · 11 · 17Par 3 · 4 · 5Left Middle
Holes4 · 10 · 16Par 3 · 4 · 5Bottom Left
Holes1 · 7 · 13Par 3 · 4 · 5Top Right
Holes2 · 8 · 14Par 3 · 4 · 5Right Middle
Holes3 · 9 · 15Par 3 · 4 · 5Bottom Right
COURSE LEGEND
— Driving area (play on or behind red line)
● Pool Golf hole (centre of bottom half)
→ Clockwise order of play
04Driving Area / Tee-Off
For each hole, the cue ball must be placed on or behind the red line marking the designated driving area shown on the official diagram. A player’s first shot on each hole must be played from that driving area.
05Basic Principle of Play
Each hole has a required cushion count that must be satisfied before the cue ball may be legally played directly into the putting hole:
- Par 3: the cue ball must contact 3 cushions
- Par 4: the cue ball must contact 4 cushions
- Par 5: the cue ball must contact 5 cushions
06Cushion Rules
On the opening shot from the driving area, the cue ball must not first contact either of the two cushions directly connected to that driving area, and must not exceed the required cushion count for that hole. If either rule is broken, the shot is a foul and the player must restart the hole. All strokes played before the foul still count.
07Fouls and Penalties
It is a foul if a player touches the cue ball with any part of the body, clothing, or cue, other than by a single legal strike. Each foul results in 1 penalty stroke. A player must restart the hole from the driving area if the cue ball exceeds the permitted cushion count, is potted in a table pocket, or leaves the table.
08Scoring
Pool Golf uses golf-style scoring. Each player records the number of strokes taken on each hole compared to par.
- Hole-in-One: completed in 1 stroke
- Condor: 4 under par · Albatross: 3 under par · Eagle: 2 under par · Birdie: 1 under par
- Par: equal to par · Bogey: 1 over · Double Bogey: 2 over · Triple Bogey: 3 over
09Tie-Break — Ninj-Off
If two or more players finish tied, the winner shall be decided by a Ninj-Off. The putting hole remains in its original position. Each player starts from the white spot at the top of the table. Cushion rules do not apply. Played over 5 holes with a maximum of 5 shots per hole. Lowest total score wins.
10General Rules
- All strokes taken count toward the score, including strokes played before a foul or restart.
- Players must follow the official course diagram for driving areas and hole order.
- The cue ball may not be played into the putting hole until the required cushion count is completed.
- The player with the lowest total score at the end of the round is the winner.
How to Play Ninj-Off — Video Coming Soon
Ninj-Off is the official tie-break format of Pool Golf — and a thrilling standalone game in its own right. No cushion rules, no restrictions: just hole the cue ball in as few shots as possible over 5 holes. Pure skill, pure pressure.
01Objective
The objective of Ninj-Off is to hole the cue ball in as few shots as possible from the designated starting position. Ninj-Off is the official tie-break format used in World Pool Golf and may also be played as a standalone game by two or more players.
02Hole Position
The official Pool Golf putting hole remains in its original position and is not moved.
03Starting Position
Each player begins every Ninj-Off hole from the white spot at the top of the table.
04Cushion Rules
Cushion-count rules do not apply in Ninj-Off. Players may use any route around the table.
05Format
A Ninj-Off is played over 5 holes. On each hole, each player has a maximum of 5 shots to hole the cue ball.
06Scoring
A player’s score for each hole is the number of shots taken to hole the cue ball. If a player does not hole out within 5 shots, the score for that hole is recorded as 5. The scores from all 5 holes are added together. The player with the lowest total score after 5 holes is the winner.
07Sudden Death
If two or more players remain tied after 5 holes, the Ninj-Off continues in sudden death. Sudden death is played one hole at a time from the same starting position. Each player again has a maximum of 5 shots per hole. Sudden death continues until one player records a lower score than all other tied players on the same hole.
08Winner
The player with the lowest score at the end of the Ninj-Off is the winner.
How to Play Killer Pool Golf — Video Coming Soon
Killer Pool Golf is a high-pressure elimination game where every miss costs you a life. Hole the cue ball to survive — miss and you’re one step closer to being out. The last player standing must still hole the winning shot to claim victory.
01Objective
Killer Pool Golf is an elimination cue game played using the official Pool Golf hole. The objective is to be the last remaining player with lives still intact, and then to complete the final winning shot by holing the cue ball.
02Players & Equipment
Killer Pool Golf may be played by two or more players — there is no maximum. The game is played using one cue ball, cues of the players’ choice, and one official Pool Golf hole.
03Hole & Starting Position
The official Pool Golf hole is placed in the exact centre of the lower half of the table (the black spot position on a standard pool table). Every shot is played from the centre point behind the starting line at the top of the table, directly in line with the centre of the hole.
04Starting Lives
Each player begins the game with an agreed number of lives (3 to 10). The number of starting lives must be decided before the game begins.
05Order of Play
Players take turns in a fixed order decided before the game begins. Each player has one shot per turn. After one player’s shot is complete, play passes to the next player in order.
06Playing the Game
On each turn, a player attempts to strike the cue ball into the official Pool Golf hole in a single shot:
- If the player holes the cue ball — the player remains in the game without losing a life
- If the player does not hole the cue ball — the player loses 1 life
07Fouls
A player commits a foul if the cue ball is potted into a table pocket, struck more than once, or if the player touches the cue ball with any part of the body or clothing. A foul results in the player losing 1 life for that turn.
08Elimination
When a player loses all lives, that player is out of the game and takes no further part.
09Final Stage & Winning
If only one player remains with at least 1 life, that player must still hole the cue ball to win. If they miss, all eliminated players return and a new game begins. The winner is the player who remains in the game and successfully holes the cue ball in the final winning position.
How to Play Bastard — Video Coming Soon
Bastard adds a ruthless strategic twist to elimination play. Hole the cue ball and you get to choose which opponent loses a life. Alliances, rivalries, and table politics all come into play — it’s elimination Pool Golf with a cunning edge.
01Objective
Bastard is an elimination cue game played using the official Pool Golf hole. The objective is to be the last remaining player with at least one life left.
02Players & Equipment
Bastard may be played by two or more players — there is no maximum. The game is played using one cue ball, cues of the players’ choice, and one official Pool Golf hole.
03Hole & Starting Position
The official Pool Golf hole is placed on the table in its designated position before play begins and remains in the same position throughout the game. Every shot is played from the white spot at the top of the table.
04Starting Lives
Each player begins the game with 3 lives.
05Order of Play
Players take turns in a fixed order decided before the game begins. Each player has one shot per turn. After one player’s shot is complete, play passes to the next player in order.
06Playing the Game
Each player attempts to strike the cue ball into the official Pool Golf hole in a single visit. If a player does not hole the cue ball, the turn ends and play passes to the next player. Play continues in order until one player holes the cue ball.
07Successful Shot
When a player holes the cue ball, that player may choose one other player to lose 1 life. After that, play continues with the next player in the existing order of play. No player may take two consecutive shots.
08Fouls
A player commits a foul if the cue ball is potted into a table pocket, struck more than once, or if the player touches the cue ball with any part of the body or clothing. A foul results in that player losing 1 life.
09Elimination & Winner
A player who loses all 3 lives is eliminated from the game and takes no further part in play. The game continues until only one player remains with at least 1 life left. That player is the winner.
How to Play First to the Pin — Video Coming Soon
First to the Pin is a fast-paced race game where every player continues from wherever the cue ball stopped. You’re not just playing your own shot — you’re inheriting the position left by the player before you. First to hole the cue ball 5 times wins.
01Objective
First to the Pin is a competitive cue game played using the official Pool Golf hole. The objective is to be the first player to hole the cue ball into the official Pool Golf hole a total of 5 times.
02Players
The game may be played by 2 or more players. There is no maximum number of players.
03Equipment
The game is played using:
- One cue ball
- Cues of the players’ choice
- One official Pool Golf hole
04Hole Position
The official Pool Golf hole is placed in the centre of the lower half of the table and remains in the same position throughout the game.
05Starting Position
Only the first player in each round starts from behind the baulk line. The first player may place the cue ball anywhere behind the baulk line before taking the opening shot of that round.
06Order of Play
Players take turns in a fixed order decided before the game begins. After the opening shot of a round, each subsequent player plays from the position where the cue ball came to rest after the previous player’s shot. Each player has one shot per turn, after which play passes to the next player in order.
07Scoring
A player scores 1 point each time the cue ball is successfully holed in the official Pool Golf hole. After a successful shot, a new round begins with the next player in order starting from behind the baulk line.
08Continuation of Play
If a player does not hole the cue ball, the turn ends and the next player continues play from where the cue ball stopped. The game continues in this way until one player reaches 5 successful holes.
09Winning the Game
The winner is the first player to score 5 successful holes.