| Type | Match |
| Alias | Bowmaker 3-Ball, 3×6 Best Ball |
| Format | Tournament |
| Number of players | 4 |
| Team or Individual play | Team |
- Bowmaker is a golf tournament format played in teams of four, with each player playing their own ball throughout the game. What distinguishes it from other formats is that it uses the Stableford scoring system.
- On each hole, two of the best scores (low balls) of the team are combined to form the final team score for that hole. So, for example, if the best scores of a team on Hole 1 are 2 and 5, then the final team score for Hole 1 would be 7.
- The scoring in Bowmaker is as follows: 0 points for par, 2 points for a birdie, 5 points for an eagle, 8 points for a double eagle, -1 point for a bogey, and -3 points for a double bogey or worse.
- Bowmaker may or may not be played with handicaps. When playing with handicaps, 90% of course handicaps are allowed for men and 95% of course handicaps for women.
Variations:
- Bowmaker 3-Ball, 3×6 Best Ball:
In this variation, the round is broken down into three parts. On holes 1-6, only the lowest score of the team contributes to the final team score. On holes 7-12, the two best balls are added to calculate the team score, and on holes 13-18, the three best ball scores are combined for the team score.
- Breaking it down by Par
Another variation of this game is to break down the holes by their pars. So, one best ball score is used on par-3 holes, two best balls on par-4 holes, and three best balls on par-5 holes.