Golf Betting Games & Formats

What's the deal?

Best Ball (officially called Four Ball) is probably the most commonly played team format in recreational golf. You play with a partner, both of you play your own ball the entire round, and the lower score between you counts as the team score for each hole.

It's the Ryder Cup format played on Saturdays everywhere. You can have an awful hole — triple bogey — and your partner's par saves the team. Combine it with handicaps and it's the most well-rounded betting format there is.

How to play

• 1Split into two teams of two. Everyone plays their own ball all round.
• 2After each hole, each team records the lower of their two scores.
• 3Teams compare best ball scores on each hole — lower score wins the hole.
• 4Play 18 holes match play or stroke play. Decide upfront.
• 5Bet on the match result — flat amount or per-hole. Stack a Nassau on top for maximum stakes.

What's the deal?

Match play is one of the oldest formats in golf and the basis for the Ryder Cup. Instead of counting total strokes, you just win or lose each individual hole. Score is tracked as "holes up" or "holes down." If you're 3 up with 2 holes to play, the match is over — mathematically your opponent can't catch you.

The best part: you can make an 8 on a hole and it only costs you that one hole. Move on, win the next one, and you're right back in it.

How to play

• 1Agree on a bet for the overall match.
• 2Apply handicap strokes if there's a skill gap.
• 3Play each hole. Lowest net score wins the hole. Tie = hole is halved. Track score as "X up" or "All Square."
• 4Match ends when one player leads by more holes than remain. (4 up with 3 left = 4&3 win.)
• 5Winner collects. Combine with a Nassau for maximum action.

What's the deal?

Wolf is the most strategically fun game in golf. Every hole, one player is the Wolf. That player tees off last and watches each player hit their drive. After each drive, the Wolf must decide immediately whether to pick that player as a partner — you can't wait and see all the tee shots first.

The Wolf can also go "Lone Wolf" — taking on everyone else alone. Win and the payout multiplies. Lose and you pay everyone.

With 5 players the game gets even better. The Wolf picks one partner creating a 2-vs-3 match — the outnumbered team wins double points to compensate. Going Lone Wolf against four people is a 1-vs-4 showdown that almost never happens, which is exactly why it's legendary when it does.

How to play

• 1Set a tee shot order by random draw. That order rotates each hole.
• 2The Wolf tees off last. Watch each drive as it happens.
• 3Immediately after each player's drive, Wolf decides: pick them or pass. You cannot go back.
• 4Play best ball — lowest score from each team wins the hole. Lone Wolf wins = double points. Lone Wolf loses = pays everyone double.
• 5Settle points into cash after 18. Most points wins the difference.

What's the deal?

Shamble is the lovechild of a scramble and stroke play. Everyone tees off, you pick the best drive (like a scramble), and then everyone plays their own ball from that spot into the hole.

It takes the most stressful part of golf — the tee shot — out of the equation, while still letting everyone play their own ball the rest of the way. You still have to make putts. You still own your approach shots. But you get everyone started from a good spot.

How to play

• 1Everyone hits their tee shot.
• 2Pick the best drive. Everyone hits their second shot from that spot.
• 3From there, everyone plays their own ball — stroke play the rest of the way in.
• 4Team uses the best individual score on the hole, or runs as straight individual — decide before you start.

What's the deal?

Three's a crowd in most golf bets — too many for a clean match, too few for Wolf. Nine Point fixes the threesome. Every hole is worth nine points, split by how you finish: low score takes 5, middle takes 3, high takes 1. Nobody's ever out of it, and a good hole pays you right away.

It's match play and stroke play rolled into one — you rack up points hole by hole, but a blow-up only costs you that hole's points, not your whole day. Run it straight up or stack a Nassau on top.

How to play

• 1Exactly three players. Each hole is worth nine points total.
• 2Outright finish: low score gets 5, middle gets 3, high gets 1.
• 3Tie for low (two players)? They split the top two shares — 4 each — and the third gets 1.
• 4Tie for high (two players)? Low gets 5, the other two split the bottom shares — 2 each. All three tie = 3 apiece.
• 5Beat both players outright by two or more strokes and you sweep all 9. Most points after 18 wins.

What's the deal?

Skins is the easiest betting game to explain on a first tee — and it gets way more fun with more people. Lowest score wins the hole outright and takes the money. Tie? Nobody wins and the skin carries over to the next hole, stacking up. By the back nine a single hole can be worth $30, $40, or more with everyone watching a 6-foot putt like it's the Masters.

This game really shines as an add-on across multiple groups — two or three foursomes all throwing into one pot, comparing scores hole by hole after the round. Your Nassau or Wolf is already running with your foursome; Skins runs across everyone at the same time. More players means fewer outright wins, more carryovers, and a bigger payout when someone breaks through.

How to play

• 1Set a dollar value per hole before you tee off. $1, $2, $5 — whatever the group agrees on.
• 2Play stroke play — everyone plays their own ball and counts all their shots.
• 3Lowest score on the hole wins the skin and the money. Tie? The money rolls to the next hole.
• 4Keep a running tally. Most skins after 18 takes the pot — or settle hole by hole.

What's the deal?

Snake is a side bet that runs on top of any other game. The concept is dead simple: three-putt a hole and you "own the snake." The snake is a penalty — either a set dollar amount paid to everyone else, or a growing tab. The person holding the snake at the end of 18 holes pays up.

If you three-putt, you take the snake. If someone else three-putts after you, they take it from you. It passes around the group like a hot potato. Watching your buddy miss a 2-footer on 17 knowing he now owes the group $20 is one of golf's great pleasures.

How to play

• 1Agree on a snake penalty — flat amount like $10 to the group, or $1 per hole you hold it.
• 2Play your round normally — any format works alongside Snake.
• 3First player to three-putt takes the snake.
• 4Snake transfers every time someone else three-putts.
• 5Whoever holds the snake walking off 18 pays the penalty.

What's the deal?

Dots (also called Junk) is a collection of mini side-bets that run on top of your main game. Special achievements earn a "dot" worth a set dollar amount. Most dots at the end collects from everyone based on the difference.

Classic dots include Birdie (make one), Sandie (up and down from a bunker), Greenie (closest to pin on a par 3 AND make par), Arnie (make par without ever hitting the fairway), and the legendary Barkie — hit a tree and still make par. Yes, this one is real and it is glorious.

Common Dots

• 🐦Birdie — Make a birdie on any hole.
• ⛱️Sandie — Get up and down from a bunker. Must announce before playing.
• 📍Greenie — Closest to the pin on a par 3. Must make par or better to collect.
• 🌲Barkie — Hit a tree and still make par. The holy grail of dots.
• 🚫Arnie — Make par without ever hitting the fairway. Named after Arnold Palmer.

What's the deal?

The Card Game stacks poker on top of whatever you're already playing — and it hands the worst ball-striker a way back into the money. Every three-putt feeds the pot; every one-putt earns you a card. Putt well and you build a bigger hand to play at the end.

After 18, everyone gets five cards minimum, plus one extra for every one-putt they made. Best five-card poker hand takes the whole pot. Rough day tee-to-green? Drain a few and you can still walk off a winner.

How to play

• 1Set an ante on the first tee — $1, $5, $10, whatever the group likes.
• 2Every time you three-putt, you drop the ante into the pot.
• 3Every time you one-putt, you earn a card. (A putt is a stroke from the green — a 2-putt from the fringe still counts as a one-putt.)
• 4After the round, everyone draws a base hand of 5 cards, plus one extra card for each one-putt earned.
• 5Make your best five-card poker hand. Best hand wins the pot. Use two or more decks so you don't run out.

What's the deal?

Yes, Kevin Malone from The Office was talking about this real game. Bingo Bango Bongo is points-based and here's the beautiful part — your actual score doesn't matter. Three separate points are up for grabs every hole, and any skill level can win any of them.

Bingo = first player to hit the green.
Bango = player closest to the pin once everyone is on the green.
Bongo = first player to hole out.

A 20-handicapper can beat a scratch golfer to any of these. That's what makes it special.

How to play

• 1Set a value per point before the round.
• 2Play in proper order — farthest from the hole always goes next. This matters here.
• 3Bingo: First player to hit the green earns the point.
• 4Bango: Once everyone is on the green, whoever is closest earns the point.
• 5Bongo: First player to hole out gets the point — even from 40 feet.
• 6Add up points after 18. Most points collects from everyone else.

What's the deal?

Think Texas Hold'em, but on a golf course. Each hole starts with a set bet — say $5. At any point during the hole, either team can "hammer" — which doubles the value. The other team can fold (concede the hole, pay the current amount) or accept the hammer and keep playing. Then they can hammer right back.

A $5 hole can quickly become $20, $40, or $80 if both teams keep hammering. The best bluffers in your group will absolutely abuse this game. Extremely fun. Extremely dangerous.

How to play

• 1Set a starting bet per hole. $2 or $5 is the right starting point.
• 2Play the hole normally. At any point — after any shot — either team can yell "hammer."
• 3The other team folds (pays the current bet, hole is over) or accepts the double.
• 4The team that accepted can hammer back at any time, doubling again.
• 5Hole ends when someone folds or the ball drops. Winner collects the final amount.

What's the deal?

Vegas is a 2-on-2 team game where things can go sideways in a hurry. Each team takes their two scores on a hole and combines them into a two-digit number (lower score goes first). Then teams compare numbers and pay the difference in points.

Team A shoots 4 and 5 → their score is 45. Team B shoots 3 and 6 → their score is 36. Team B wins 9 points. The twist: if anyone shoots a 10+, the scores flip. A 10-3 becomes 310. Hence the name.

How to play

• 1Split into two teams of two. Agree on a dollar value per point — start at $0.25.
• 2Everyone plays stroke play on each hole.
• 3Each team puts their lower score first to create a two-digit number. (3 and 5 = 35.)
• 4Compare numbers. Lower number wins the difference in points.
• 5If a player shoots 10+, flip their team's number. (4 and 10 = 104.)
• 6Settle point totals into cash after 18.

What's the deal?

The rabbit is a trophy that passes between players throughout the round. Win a hole outright and you capture the rabbit. Someone else wins a hole? They steal it. The player holding the rabbit at the end of the front nine wins that bet. Same on the back.

When two players are tied going into 18 with the rabbit in play, every shot in that group becomes a big deal. Small heroics, big payouts.

How to play

• 1Set a pot for the front nine and back nine separately.
• 2Play stroke play. Win a hole outright (lowest score, no ties) and you have the rabbit.
• 3Another player wins the next hole outright? Rabbit transfers to them.
• 4Ties on any hole = rabbit stays with whoever currently has it.
• 5Holder of the rabbit walking off hole 9 wins the front pot. Same for hole 18.

What's the deal?

Banker is one hole, one villain, repeated 18 times. Each hole, one player is the Banker and plays a separate one-on-one match against everyone else at once. Every other player sets their own bet against the Banker before teeing off — inside a range the group agrees on — so the Banker is fighting three or more individual matches on a single hole.

The Banker rotates: whoever made the low score on the previous hole banks the next one. Plays scratch or net, works for any group of three or more, and even survives someone bailing after 14 holes. The presses are where it gets loud.

How to play

• 1Set a minimum bet for the round. The Banker sets the max each hole (e.g. min $10, max $100).
• 2The Banker is whoever made the low score on the prior hole (ties broken by the longer putt). Each other player picks their own bet vs the Banker.
• 3The Banker hits last. After their own tee shots, players may press to double their bet — before the Banker hits.
• 4After the Banker hits, they can press back — but it's all or nothing: the Banker must re-press everyone or no one.
• 5On par 3s, presses happen while the ball is in the air and triple instead of double. Each player settles their own match with the Banker after the hole.

What's the deal?

Sixes solves the problem of one great player making every pairing feel unfair. The round splits into three six-hole matches, and partners rotate so everyone plays with everyone at some point.

Holes 1–6: A&B vs C&D. Holes 7–12: A&C vs B&D. Holes 13–18: A&D vs B&C. Each six-hole stretch is its own bet. Eliminates the "I always get stuck with Mike" problem permanently.

Got 5 players? One person sits out each six-hole segment while the other four play 2-vs-2, then rotates back in for the next six — so nobody is glued to the cart for long, and you get to choose who sits each leg.

How to play

• 1Label players A, B, C, D. Assign: A&B vs C&D (holes 1–6), A&C vs B&D (holes 7–12), A&D vs B&C (holes 13–18).
• 2Play best ball within each partnership — lowest score between partners on each hole.
• 3The team with more hole wins after each six-hole stretch wins that segment's bet.
• 4Settle each six-hole bet independently. Three chances to win or lose.
• 5With 5 players: one person sits each six-hole leg while the other four play 2-vs-2 best ball. Rotate the sit-out so everyone gets back in.

What's the deal?

Scotch Foursomes (also called Greensomes) is alternate shot — but way more enjoyable. In traditional alternate shot, one player tees off per hole and you're stuck with it. In Scotch, both players hit tee shots, pick the best one, and then alternate from there.

Nobody gets stuck playing from an unplayable lie off the tee. Works great as a 2v2 format where each team plays one ball per hole.

How to play

• 1Both partners tee off on every hole.
• 2Pick the best drive. That's where you play from. Pick up the other ball.
• 3The partner who did NOT hit the chosen drive hits the next shot.
• 4Alternate shots until the ball drops. Count total strokes as the team score.
• 5Compare team scores. Lower score wins the hole.

What's the deal?

Chapman (also called Pinehurst) is a clever 2-person team format that gives you the best of scramble and alternate shot combined. Both players tee off, then switch balls and hit their partner's drive for the second shot. After two shots, pick the better ball and finish in alternate shot.

Named after Dick Chapman who developed it at the actual Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. The strategic moment is choosing which ball to play in after your second shots.

How to play

• 1Both partners tee off with their own balls.
• 2Switch — Player A hits Player B's drive, Player B hits Player A's drive.
• 3After second shots, select the better ball position. Pick up the other.
• 4From here, play alternate shot into the hole. The player who did NOT hit the chosen ball hits third.
• 5Score the hole. Compare against the opposing team.

What's the deal?

Quota is a points game built around your handicap — which means it's one of the most genuinely fair ways to bet across skill levels. Each player gets a "quota" of points equal to 36 minus their handicap. A 12-handicapper needs 24 points. A scratch golfer needs 36.

Beat your quota? Collect the difference. Fall short? Pay it. A 20-handicapper and a 5-handicapper are both legitimately competing against their own personal target. The playing field is as level as golf gets.

How to play

• 1Calculate each player's quota: 36 minus handicap. (10-hdcp = quota of 26.)
• 2Points per hole: Bogey = 1 · Par = 2 · Birdie = 3 · Eagle = 4 · Double bogey or worse = 0.
• 3Everyone plays stroke play. Keep a running points total through the round.
• 4After 18 holes, compare each player's points against their quota.
• 5Beat it by 3? Win 3 points' worth. Fall short by 4? Pay 4 points. Settle in cash.