After years of tinkering with our annual golf trip competition, there is one event that stands out as an all-around favorite: The Calcutta. This event will have a huge positive impact on the quality of your golf competition! Below I’ve shared why we enjoy it so much!
What is a Calcutta golf tournament?
A Calcutta golf game is a handicapped golf event where any competitor can “buy” another competitor in an auction. This auction is usually held the night before the Calcutta round and the owner of the winning player wins the money. When played as the final round of a golf trip, previous rounds can be used to set Calcutta handicap values (we typically use a mix of prior rounds and estimated or actual handicap). This allows high-handicappers, or low- to mid-handicappers who haven’t been playing well, a chance to contend for the tournament!
Why Play a Calcutta?
No matter the player’s skill level or the quality of their recent play, anyone has a chance to win the (hopefully) large pot of money collected during the Calcutta Auction. This is true for two reasons:
- A Calcutta is a handicapped event that levels the playing field for all competitors.
- Even if you don’t feel confident with your calculated handicap, you still have a chance to “pick the winning horse” during the Calcutta Auction.
During our 2020 event, our worst golfer, who sold for a measly $15 and didn’t even bother to buy half of himself, shot a career-best round of 106 to win the Calcutta by net two shots! That $15 bet won over $400!
The Calcutta tournament can be broken down into 2 parts:
- The Calcutta Auction
- The Calcutta Auction and Virtual Scorecard
The Calcutta Auction:
The auction may be as much or more fun than actually playing the event! Your group’s super-competitive players will be sure to talk trash and your gamblers (and/or those who have had one too many drinks) will enjoy dropping large sums of cash on their friends!
Once handicaps are set, give your group some time to look them over and analyze who they want to bid on. Then, randomly choose players to be auctioned off. You may be surprised by how much players sell!
Once a player is bought in a live auction, they have the option to buy 50% equity in themselves for half the bid price. Beware of any player who doesn’t take a half-stake in themselves- they’re probably not feeling too confident!
The owner(s) of the first and second-place players split the pot 70%/30%. Be sure to track who the owner is, how much they bid, and whether the player took a half-stake in themselves!
The Calcutta Auction and Virtual Scorecard:
Large amateur golf events make it difficult to know how well your competitors are playing or where you stand. By using a virtual scorecard (hosted on Google Sheets), you can track the hole-by-hole scores of everyone on your trip with an automated leaderboard! Your group will love following along with everyone’s scores and your group’s Calcutta leaders will sweat as they play the last few holes knowing they are one mistake away from blowing a large sum of cash.
Everything you have read above can be done in a Buds & Birdies Golf spreadsheet! Use this tool for calculating handicaps, running the auction, and automating a virtual leaderboard! Check it out here:
Last thing: Don’t forget to get a group picture with your Calcutta Champion and Owner up in the front!
Buds and Birdies Golf 
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