A golf club near St Albans will host a new six-hole team event as part of the European Tour's continuing effort to showcase different formats in the professional game.

The inaugural GolfSixes, with a prize fund of one million euros (£850,000), will feature two-man teams from 16 different countries and take place at the Centurion Club on May 6 and 7.

The teams will be split into four groups of four teams on day one, with the top two from each group progressing to the knockout stages. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final - and a play-off for third place - will be contested on day two.

Matches will be played in a greensomes, match-play format, with both players in a team hitting tee shots on each hole. After selecting the best tee shot, the players take alternate shots until the hole is completed.

One point is awarded for each hole won, with the winner being the team with the most points after six holes.

Countries will be represented by their leading ranked and available European Tour member as of March 13, who will then choose a team-mate.

The tournament will be the second time in as many years a European Tour event has been played at a Hertfordshire course after The Grove hosted last year's British Masters.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: "We have said for some time that golf needs to modernise and introducing innovative new formats is a major part of achieving that aim, which is why I am delighted to announce the launch of GolfSixes today.

"We want to broaden the appeal of our sport to the millennial demographic and I think this format will do that, not only through the quick and exciting style of play, but also with the interactive digital experience fans will enjoy on site and the innovative television coverage people will enjoy at home.

"We are also delighted to have brought a country versus country element to the fore. There is no question that the greatest atmosphere in golf comes every two years at the Ryder Cup and we are keen to try and emulate that national fervour in this format. We are in the entertainment content business with golf as our platform and GolfSixes is the perfect illustration of that."

The forthcoming ISPS Handa World Super 6 in Perth will combine 54 holes of traditional stroke play with a six-hole match play format for the top 24 players on the final day.