Shotgun Start
A shotgun start is a golf tournament format in which every group tees off at the same time, each from a different hole. Rather than groups leaving the first tee one after another, all 18 holes are put into play at once, so the whole field starts and finishes together.
What is a shotgun start?
A shotgun start places a group of golfers on each hole of the course and sends them all off at a single signal. One foursome might begin on the 4th hole, another on the 12th, with a third waiting back on the 1st, and so on until every hole has players ready. When the signal sounds, everyone tees off within seconds of each other.
The point of the format is timing. In an ordinary round, groups leave the first tee in sequence, so the final group can finish two or three hours behind the first. A shotgun start closes that gap. Because each group plays the same 18 holes but begins at a different point and loops back around, the whole field wraps up within about half an hour.
Golfers usually meet the format at charity days, corporate outings, and similar club events, where organisers want everyone off the course in time for a meal and a prize-giving. It is far less common in everyday play, where tee times stay the norm.
How a shotgun start works
Every group gets a hole assignment before play begins. Players collect their carts, drive out to their starting holes, and wait. Start times are usually fixed at 8am or 1pm, which lets a course slot a morning or afternoon event around its regular bookings.
The signal is what gives the format its name. In May 1956, Jim Russell, the head professional at Walla Walla Country Club in Washington, fired a real shotgun to send his field off together. The story was later recounted in the December 2004 issue of Golf Digest. Events today use a siren or an air horn instead, but the name has held.
Each group then plays the course in order and loops back to where it began. A group starting on the 7th plays 7 through 18, then carries on from the 1st and finishes on the 6th. A standard 18-hole course holds around 144 players, or 36 groups of four. When a field runs larger than 18 groups, organisers add a second group to the par-5 holes, which are long enough for two groups to get away safely.
Why courses and organisers use it
Everyone finishing together is the main appeal. A field of 100 or more can be on and off the course inside one window, which makes it simple to set lunch and awards for a fixed time. Nobody sits around for hours waiting on the last group to come in.
There is a fairness angle too. Everyone plays in roughly the same conditions because they are all out at once, instead of one group getting calm morning greens while another fights afternoon wind. The cost is that a shotgun start effectively takes over the whole course, so most clubs keep these events to weekdays or set a minimum field size before they will book one.
Shotgun start vs tee time
The everyday alternative is the tee-time start, sometimes called a rolling start. Groups leave the first tee one at a time, usually 8 to 10 minutes apart, and work through the course in single file. Professional tours such as the PGA Tour run their events this way, which is why the leaders can finish hours after the early starters.
| Shotgun start | Tee-time start | |
|---|---|---|
| When groups start | All at once, on different holes | One at a time, from the 1st (or 1st and 10th) |
| Finish times | Whole field inside about 30 minutes | Spread across several hours |
| Best for | Charity days, corporate events, large fields | Daily play, professional tournaments |
| Course access | Closes the course to other players | Leaves room for regular tee bookings |
| Warm-up | Everyone crowds the range at once | Practice area stays quieter |
A tee-time format suits a busy public course, since players filter through steadily and the club keeps taking bookings. A shotgun start fits a one-day event with a full field and a gathering afterwards.
Types of shotgun starts
A few variations on the basic format exist, chosen mainly around field size and how much of the day a course is willing to give up.
| Variation | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Modified shotgun | Groups start across only the front or back nine rather than all 18 holes, leaving room for regular play. Used for smaller fields. |
| Double shotgun | Two full shotgun starts in one day, usually a morning wave and an afternoon wave, to fit a field too large for a single round. |
| Reverse shotgun | Groups begin on the higher-numbered holes and work back toward the 1st, which clears the holes nearest the clubhouse first so the course reopens sooner. |
Professional golf has largely stayed with tee times, though shotgun starts are not unknown at the top. LIV Golf built its events around the format, sending every group out at once. The European Tour, now the DP World Tour, has also turned to shotgun starts to stay ahead of bad weather, including the final round of the 1994 Czech Open, the last two rounds of the 2015 Portugal Masters, and the final round of the 2018 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Related Golf Terms
- Golf professional — A trained pro who teaches, manages, or competes in golf.
- Member-guest — A club event pairing members with invited guests.
- Halfway house — A snack-and-drink stop located between the ninth and tenth holes.
- Marshal — A course official who monitors and helps maintain pace of play.
- Teaching pro — A golf professional who specializes in giving lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a shotgun start?
The name comes from the signal. The first known example, at Walla Walla Country Club in 1956, used a real shotgun blast to start play. Air horns and sirens have taken over since, but the term has stayed.
How many players can play in a shotgun start?
A standard 18-hole course fits about 144 players, or 36 groups of four, by placing one group on each hole and doubling up on the par-5s.
What is a reverse shotgun start?
It is a version where groups begin on the higher-numbered holes and work back toward the 1st. Clearing the holes near the clubhouse early lets normal play resume sooner.
Do professional tours use shotgun starts?
Rarely, but yes. LIV Golf uses them by design, and the European Tour has used them to finish rounds ahead of incoming weather.
Is a shotgun start the same as a scramble?
No. A shotgun start describes when and where groups begin their round. A scramble is a scoring format. The two often go together at charity events, but either can be used on its own.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Shotgun start” — origin and European Tour weather-round examples. Accessed July 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_start - Golf Digest. December 2004 issue, original reporting on the 1956 Walla Walla Country Club shotgun start, as cited by Wikipedia. Accessed July 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_start - LIV Golf. “The LIV Golf format.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.livgolf.com/liv-format - Bunkered. “What is a shotgun start?” — corroborates the 1994 Czech Open, 2015 Portugal Masters, and 2018 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship weather rounds. Accessed July 2026.
https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-news/what-is-a-shotgun-start/
