Golf Glossary
Shotgun Start
In short
A shotgun start, called Kanonenstart in German, is a way of starting a golf tournament. All groups begin at the same time, each on a different hole. At a signal everyone tees off. Each group finishes on the hole before the one where it started, so all players are done at about the same time.
What is a shotgun start in golf?
At an ordinary tournament groups start one after another from the first tee, often around eight to ten minutes apart. These are tee times. At a shotgun start it works differently. Every group is given its own starting hole, and when the signal sounds all groups tee off at the same time.
The shotgun start is not a format like scramble or Stableford. It only says when and where the event begins. You can combine it with almost any format, for example a Texas scramble at a company day, Stableford or four-ball better-ball.
The term is common in German and comes from English. ‘Shotgun’ refers to the starting shot, the signal that sets everyone off together. A shotgun start suits events with many players because it removes the wait at the first tee.
How a shotgun start works
The routine is similar at most events.
- Before the event the organisers assign each group a starting hole. It is printed on the draw sheet.
- Players travel to their starting hole, often by golf cart so everyone arrives on time.
- At the start time a signal is given, usually a horn, a siren or an announcement. The organisers decide which signal applies.
- All groups tee off and play the holes in the normal order.
- Each group plays until it is back at its starting hole. A group that starts on 7 finishes on 6.
With one group per hole, up to 18 groups fit on an 18-hole course. If there are more groups, two groups are often started one after the other on par 5s or long par 4s, usually called group A and group B. Group B tees off only once group A is far enough ahead and out of range.
Afterwards all players meet up together, which makes the shotgun start popular for events with a prize-giving and a meal.
Practical example: a company tournament with 72 players
A company invites 72 staff and guests. They play a Texas scramble in teams of four, so 18 teams. The organisers give each team a start hole from 1 to 18.
At noon the horn sounds. Team 1 tees off on hole 1, team 2 on hole 2 and team 12 on hole 12. Team 7 starts on hole 7, plays holes 7 to 18 and then holes 1 to 6.
A scramble round with teams of four usually takes about four hours, so all teams finish at roughly 4 pm and the prize-giving can start straight away. With tee times ten minutes apart the first group would have started at noon and the eighteenth only at 2.50 pm. At the same pace it would not have finished until around 7 pm, and the prize-giving would have started correspondingly later.
The timing is a guide. How long a round takes depends on the format, the course and the pace of play.
Advantages and drawbacks of a shotgun start
The advantages are mostly organisational.
- All players finish at about the same time, so the prize-giving and meal can begin early.
- There is no waiting at the first tee.
- All groups play in similar conditions, which helps when the weather changes.
- The event feels like a shared occasion.
There are drawbacks too.
- The whole course is occupied and cannot be used by other golfers.
- Groups can back up on par 3s while players ahead are still teeing off. Start holes are therefore often assigned so that a par 3 has only one group.
- A slow group holds up others because everybody is out at once.
- Planning, carts and marshals take more effort than ordinary tee times.
For a small event with a handful of groups a shotgun start rarely pays off. As a rough guide, it becomes more attractive the larger the field.
Origin: where does the name come from?
The name refers to the starting shot. As in a race, all groups receive the starting signal at the same time. Today a horn, a siren or a radio announcement does the job, but the name has stuck.
The method became established above all in tournament and event golf, especially company and charity days. When and where it was first used is not clearly documented, so we do not give a year here.
In German the words Kanonenstart and Shotgun Start are interchangeable. Notices use both terms. Either way it means several groups starting at the same time from different holes.
Tips for players and organisers
For players:
- Arrive early. A player who is not ready at the assigned hole at the start time risks a penalty. Under the Rules of Golf a player must start at the starting time and at the starting point set by the Committee (Rule 5.3a). Starting up to five minutes late or early brings the general penalty on the first hole, and starting later than that risks disqualification.
- Memorise your start hole and the order of holes. Your round does not end on 18.
- Keep up a good pace, because other groups are right behind you.
For organisers:
- Choose start holes deliberately. One group on every par 3 and the extra groups on par 5s prevents a lot of waiting.
- Plan enough carts and routes to the starting holes.
- Fix the signal, including the one for interruptions in thunderstorms, and tell everyone beforehand.
- Give clear notes on format and scoring.
How it differs from tee times, group starts and formats
Beginners often mix up several terms.
- Shotgun start: all groups start at the same time from different holes.
- Tee times: groups start one after another from the first tee at fixed intervals.
- Group start: an informal term that can also just mean the start of one group. Shotgun start is the clear term for starting together.
- Format: how the score is counted, such as scramble, Stableford, stroke play or four-ball. The format is independent of how the event starts.
A shotgun start does not make the round shorter. You still play 18 or 9 holes. The only difference is where you begin.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Besides the Resort Cup, Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg in Moorfleet offers team tournaments, fun tournaments and handicap-qualifying ranking tournaments on partner courses. How an event is started and which format applies is stated in the notice for each competition. If you want to practise the routines beforehand, book a tee time on the 9-hole Black course (with the DGV Platzreife, April to December) for up to four players per booking.
Frequently asked questions
What is a shotgun start in golf?
A shotgun start is a way of starting a tournament. Each group is given its own starting hole and at a signal all groups tee off at the same time. Each group plays until the hole before its starting hole. The advantage is that everyone finishes at about the same time. It suits company and charity events especially.
How does a shotgun start work?
The organisers assign each group a starting hole in advance, and groups often drive there by cart. At the start time a signal sounds, such as a horn or a siren, and everyone tees off together. A group starting on hole 7, for example, finishes on hole 6. Afterwards everyone meets for the prize-giving.
How many groups can start in a shotgun start?
With one group per hole, an 18-hole course takes up to 18 groups, which is up to 72 players in fourballs. If there are more groups, two groups often start one after the other on par 5s as group A and B. On a 9-hole course the same logic applies with nine starting holes.
Are there rules for the start in a shotgun start?
Yes. Under the Rules of Golf every player must be ready at the starting point at the starting time set by the Committee (Rule 5.3a). A player who starts up to five minutes late receives the general penalty on the first hole, and a later start risks disqualification. The agreed signal and the start hole on the draw sheet matter too.
As of: October 2026