It's been done before, but favorite on-course wagers?

4,192 Views | 43 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by Chipotlemonger
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
There was an article this month in Golf Digest about wagering on the course, and while I know it's been discussed before, I was wondering what everybody enjoys doing to spice up their games.

Usually me and my buddy just do a dollar per stroke for the overall margin of victory, then we do birdie bonuses, hole out bonuses, bonuses for sinking a putt outside ten feet, and sometimes play snakes (if you three putt you pay a fine and continue paying it every hole until your opponent three putts).

Anyway, I'm always interested in other ways to wager. Let's hear 'em.
ORAggieFan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Been playing a lot of wolf lately. Can be a cruel game. I was the lowest in stroke play last weekend and got absolutely killed in wolf.

When we don't do that we usually do a two man best ball for skins.

Interested in other ideas. I LOVE to gamble while playing.
Ag_07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If it's out normal foursome we'll just partner up and play $1 a hole skins with $1 birdies and GIRs on 3s and 4s.

If it's just two of us it's $1/hole 2 down auto press
Quinn
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
How do you play wolf?
Aggie1391
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I like getting a solid group of 8 together and playing. Everyone putts in $100, 20 goes to each of the following: lowest gross, lowest net, skins, foursome best ball (top score and 3rd best score in the foursome or something similar), and random 2 man teams drawn at the end of the round. This gives everyone a chance to win, and keeps it fun and competition.

Within our own foursome, we'll normally play wolf and I'll play match play against one or two of my partners.

I may have a problem.
ORAggieFan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
A few versions of Wolf out there, we're still tweaking ours (I realized we don't punish people who go lone and miss hard enough), but this is what we have done.

-Set the order of the foursome, always keep this order.
-Wolf tees off first
-After each other shot the wolf can take that person or pass, once you pass you cannot take them
-Wolf can choose to go lone if he doesn't like any other option
-Team best ball for that hole. If the wolf team wins they get 2 points each. If the non-wolf team wins they get 3 points each. If you go lone you get 3 for a win but pay 1 each for a loss (we will up that)
-We play with carryovers, so a tie the next hole is just worth double
-At the end you settle up, with everyone paying those above them. Lowest points has to pay the difference to everyone. Say $1/point with the following:
Player 1 - 14 points
Player 2 - 16 points
Player 3 - 22 points
Player 4 - 26 points

Player 1 owes $2, $6 and $12
Player 2 owes $6 and $10
etc

Alternate in order who the wolf is. After 16 holes last place gets to be the wolf for 17 and again whoever is last on 18.
saltydog13
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
$5-$5-$5 (front, back, overall) and $5 presses when down on any bet. So if I'm down 1 after the first hole I can press the front and overall and create 2 new bets after just 1. Adds up real quick if doing a $20 f,b, and overall.
Hate playing without gambling as it actually puts pressure and puts you into "tourney mode"
bagger05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I pretty much never gamble when I play. Nothing against it, just not something I've ever really done. I don't have a usual group I play with, so that's probably a big part of it. Had a good golf buddy in Denver and a guy I normally play with now, but never a regular group of people.
Goose
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
I pretty much never gamble when I play. Nothing against it, just not something I've ever really done. I don't have a usual group I play with, so that's probably a big part of it.


Ditto.
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gambling is so much fun though! Seriously, I'm someone who takes every shot seriously already, so it doesn't change that for me, but it's still just so much fun to have other stuff to spice it up.
birdman
How long do you want to ignore this user?
We played similar wolf, but had blind wolf. Before you shot you declare that you are going solo and it's 4X the bet. We never played with carry overs, got too complicated.

We played "nines". Each hole is worth 9 points. 5 win, 3 for 2nd, and 1 pt for 3rd. That way if there are any ties, you can divide easily. You can play it with 3, 4, or 5 guys.

bingo, bango, bongo is a lot of fun.
bagger05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Never played BBB but the rules are such that you can't play ready golf, right? Sounds like a fun game but a no-go for me if you can't play ready golf.
birdman
How long do you want to ignore this user?
That's right, you can't play ready golf.

I wouldn't play it unless the course was backed up.
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah, I'm not a BBB fan. I don't like any games that change your strategy away from what it would normally be. I like to play games that still encourage everyone to play their best possible golf, and make every stroke count.
dbtexasag05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I like Daytona and Nassaus

Standard bet in my normal 4 is 5/5 and 5. We also play skins and low putt total.

I am a firm believer that if you want to get better, play competitively and play for money.
antman8504
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Question for you all. I really don't gamble much on the course much but do you all handicap your skins and wolf games? I could see it in skins, but handicapping a wolf game might be confusing and slow down the round.

If I were to handicap a skins game, would it go like this:

Player A: 6 hcp
Player B: 12 hcp
Player C: 18 hcp
Player D: 18 hcp

Player A gets no stokes; Player B gets one stroke on the 6 toughest holes; Player C and D get one stroke on the 12 toughest holes?
saltydog13
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Never handicapped. Maybe give 1-2 shots to someone but that was about it
ORAggieFan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I play with people fairly close and not everyone has handicaps, so we don't. If I was playing with the spread you have I would.

It can be done in Wolf just the same. The key is to know before the hole who is getting strokes as that can be a big factor.
nickel
How long do you want to ignore this user?
quote:
Question for you all. I really don't gamble much on the course much but do you all handicap your skins and wolf games? I could see it in skins, but handicapping a wolf game might be confusing and slow down the round.
In our groups, we go full handicap playing off the low man in the group. But that's because the guys can range from scratch to -18. Wolf we go 70%-80% of handicap.
nickel
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I don't like wolf though. I've played better than my Hcp and lost money. Or shot well above it and won. Starting on 16, money determines order. Whoever is down the most is the wolf and goes first. Whoever is up he most goes last, etc... Wolf sets the value prior to playing each of 16, 17, 18 with the max being whatever they're down. So if the cards fall right, you can be down big going to 16 and walking away winning money. Or losing really big.

Weekends, we usually have three groups consecutive. We'll play COD within our group and then net against the other groups. In the bets against the other groups, you drop the high score each hole to take the three best. Full handicap.
DannyDuberstein
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Not a fan of games that require a set order of play, require strategy that might get you from playing your usual game, or just slow olay down in general (as set order games do). We'll only play wolf when it looks like we'll be jammed up on a really slow day - extremely rare.

we'll typically play skins or rabbit, and then we'll have dollar birdies, greenies, and sandies going in addition.

Rabbit is where the first lone low score on a hole "captures" the rabbit. The next lone low score by another player sets it free. whoever has the rabbit at 9 and 18 wins the pot. Sometimes we'll just skip freeing the rabbit and the next lone low score takes it directly.

No handicaps. My usual 4 are similar players.
agsalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
My favorite is I will beat you heads up, stroke or match, over 18 holes.
tamu2009
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't get why wolf would slow you down any appreciable amount. You only hit in order on the tee box.
DannyDuberstein
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We play ready golf and are usually the first group or two off for the day. We usually walk so when finishing a hole, we're oftentimes in more of a stream to the tee vs all gathering to hold hands and watch each other and wait our turn.

It does make a considerable difference to pace of play when you add that up across 18 and every group. Would be nice to see everyone prioritize ready golf, but we'll just stick with people doing their thing, weekend rounds taking 5 hours, and the game declining every year.
dodger02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Wolf sounds too darn complicated. No wonder all of the olds hold me up on the course; they're trying to figure out what just happened.

I haven't played for money since high school or early-college years. If I did, I'd just probably play skins, GIR, fairways hit, etc. Yes, competition is good for my game and mind. But, some of the games I've seen and heard of are just too complicated.
mavsfan4ever
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
We play ready golf and are usually the first group or two off for the day. We usually walk so when finishing a hole, we're oftentimes in more of a stream to the tee vs all gathering to hold hands and watch each other and wait our turn.

It does make a considerable difference to pace of play when you add that up across 18 and every group. Would be nice to see everyone prioritize ready golf, but we'll just stick with people doing their thing, weekend rounds taking 5 hours, and the game declining every year.

Wolf does not slow the game down at all if you are riding. Literally, not at all. I guess I can see how it would slow it down a little if you are walking, but it wouldn't be by much.

As for the game declining, I think the game would grow more if people realized there were fun games you can play (such as wolf) that involve gambling and putting pressure on the players. I know I would play every single weekend if I had a group that I could regularly gamble with. I don't have a gambling group, so I just play every once in a while with some friends who rarely play, which is more just a reason to get together and drink than playing golf.
tamu2009
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I like Vegas. 2 v 2 and assign a $value for a point (i've played both 25 and 50 cents before and it can add up in a hurry) goal is to have the least amount of points at the end of the game. Birdies/eagles flip the other teams score (i've seen it played eagles flip the next 2 holes, but we played eagles were worth a straight up $5 and only flipped the current hole).

Hole 1 is par 4.
Team 1 scores a 4 and 5 so their score is 45
Team 2 scores a 5 and a 6 so their score is a 56
Team 2 is down 10 points now.

Hole 2 is a par 5
Team 1 scores a 5 and 7 so their score should be 57, however the birdie flips it to 75
Team 2 scores a 4 and 6 so their score is a 46
Team 1 now has a score of 120
Tean 2 now has a score of 102 and is up 18 points

I've seen it setlled up 2 different ways at the end, either each person on the team pays the other the point difference, or the team splits it and only pays the total. It just depends on how much you want to play for. If Team 2 ends with an 18 point advantage and playing 50 cents a point, you would either owe 9 bucks if each person is paying the full point total or 4.50 if you're splitting it.

It doesn't hold up playing order, and really puts an emphsis on birdies. You can have some pretty big swings in points with birdies.
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I like that idea. I'll have to try that game.
Texmid
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We normally have 5 golfers in our group. We are all pretty even when it comes to handicaps. We play Wolf and it doesn't slow us down one bit. We do it a bit different than previously described. After we draw for order the Wolf can call "lone Wolf" before he hits his shot. If he calls "lone Wolf" before his shot it doubles the bet. He can also call "lone Wolf" after his shot, which means it will just be him against the rest of us. The same rules apply for picking except for the last person to hit a tee shot. If the Wolf hasn't chosen a partner he is stuck with the last guy to tee.

Also, to spice it up, we play a skins game in addition to the Wolf. We do our skins a little different than most.

Player A: 5
Player B: 4
Player C: 4
Player D: 6
Player E: 5

In the above example Player A would owe 1, B would win 3, C would win 3, D would owe 4, and E would owe 1, Also, birdies and greenies are worth a dollar a man. We count the skins as quarters because it can get really out of hand if someone is having a bad day.
Ag_07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
May float this to the group Sunday.

Sounds fun and no need to give strokes.
stick93
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
You can play Vegas as a Best Ball too. Birdie makes the other team take their "worst" ball on that hole.
Chomp214
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
One variation to the wolf games described above our group usually made sure each golfer had a par 3 since there is a real advantage to being wolf man when playing a par 3. We had a order pattern but will adjust to let the par 3 choice happen. Note that in a 5 some, there are usually just 4 par 3[s so the #5 draw is unfortunate and does not get a par 3
Chomp214
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
My old group in East Texas use to play $2 wolf with carryovers along with $2 skins with carryovers. Also, $2 Closest to pin on par 3 (had to make par to get the win), $2 sandies (par or better from any sand trap). These bets were made with full handicap and sometimes the payout would be huge---however over the course of a year the bets would somehow even out---all had legit handicaps.
ringorat1
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The game I like best is Robins. That is a best ball 6 hole match in a foursome. After 6 holes you flip a coin for whoever is your partner for the next 6 holes. This gives everybody a chance to play with everybody else during the matches. It really brings out the competitive drive in most players. On the first hole the long and the short drive become team mates and then we flip coins for the next 6 holes and the last match is the person you haven't played with yet. Not counting presses, the most you can win would be $15 if it is a $5 bet and the most you can lose is $15. If you win just one bet and lose two you still only lose $5. We play $5 bets with presses but $10 or $20 bets would sure spice it up.
CapCityAg89
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
A fun game I don't see here for five-somes (and spare me, I've played with 5 in under four hours) is Army golf. Teams are 2 against 3 best ball net. You determine teams with tee shots: front nine, the three balls on the right are a team and the two balls on the left; back nine is 3 on the left and 2 on the right. This creates some interesting aiming strategies if you're honor is towards the end of the group.

Scoring is: the winning team players each gets a dot. Ties carry over, so you can get big dot holes. At the end everyone pays up (5th pays 1-4, 4th pays 1-3, etc,) so high dot guy can win big. We played a buck a dot.
Page 1 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.