Golf Group Builder
List your players and a measure like handicap for each, set a group size, and optionally keep two specific players together. This tool balances groups automatically.
| Name | Measure (e.g. handicap) | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Members | Average measure |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Player C, Player D | 12.5 |
| Group 2 | Player B, Player A | 12.5 |
A deterministic, explainable balance
This tool sorts players by your chosen measure and deals them across groups in a snake-draft order, alternating direction each pass so the strongest and weakest players distribute evenly rather than clustering into one strong group and one weak group. The same input always produces the same output, so you can see exactly how a group was built.
Why "greedy" is not "worst possible"
A greedy balance algorithm does not search every possible grouping for the mathematically tightest spread; it makes a fast, sensible pass that gets close in practice. The reported balance spread tells you how far apart the highest and lowest group averages ended up, so you can judge for yourself whether a manual swap would improve things.
Fixed pairs override balance
If you specify two players who should play together regardless of the balance math, this tool moves one of them into the other's group after the initial balance pass. That can pull the group's average away from a perfectly even split; keeping a fixed pair together is treated as a higher priority than the balance spread.
Players without a measure
A player with no entered measure is still placed into a group for even numbers, just excluded from the balance calculation itself. This keeps a golfer who does not want to share a handicap, or simply does not have one, from being left out of the groups entirely.
Where this connects
Once groups are built, send them to the Shotgun Start Allocator or the Tee Time Scheduler to assign starting holes or times.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool find the mathematically most balanced grouping possible?
No, it uses a fast, deterministic "greedy" snake-draft pass, not an exhaustive search for the tightest possible spread. It gets close in practice, and reports the balance spread so you can judge whether a manual swap would improve things.
What happens if I ask two specific players to stay together?
A fixed pair overrides the balance math — one player moves into the other's group after the initial balance pass, even if that pulls the group averages away from a perfectly even split. Keeping the pair together is treated as the higher priority.
What happens to a player with no entered handicap or measure?
They are still placed into a group for even numbers, just excluded from the balance calculation itself — so a golfer without a handicap is not left out of the groups entirely.