Several years ago a threesome of us stinky golfers were paired-up for nine holes with somewhat of a local sports celebrity – the first baseman for one of our in-state minor league baseball teams. Being baseball fans, as well as fans of the team, we were excited for the opportunity.

Now this was a pretty big guy and I clearly remember watching him hit some drives like they were hanging curve balls. I mean, he was crushing these things. It was something to remember. But that’s not what I recall most about the round. The memory that still pops up most often is not his drives, but my introduction to golf betting games.

Somewhere around the 12th or 13th hole the big guy asks us if we’d be interested in playing for a little money. “Sure, why not?” So he proceeds to explain to us a game called “Wolf.” This game was completely foreign to us, and to this day I’m not sure if we were playing 100% correctly. But we played anyway, and I’ll admit…the prospect of winning or losing (especially losing) a few bucks sure did add a whole lot of intrigue to the round, and it sure did make me try harder.

Thinking about it now, it made me wonder how many of these betting games there are and how many people actually incorporate them into their round. Turns out, there are literally dozens of these games, and according to a 2006 Golf Digest poll, 93% of golfers bet on their rounds at least “some of the time.” Ninety-three percent is a pretty big number, so I decided to take a look into the most popular of these games. Here are what I found them to be:

#1 – “Nassau” (aka “Best Nines”) – Probably the easiest bet to remember how to play, which may be why it’s the most popular. This one is basically three games/three bets in one – best front nine, best back nine and best eighteen played in any format (stroke, match, scramble, best ball, etc…).

#2 – “Wolf” (aka “Ship, Captain & Crew”, “Boss” and “Pig”) – Players rotate being the wolf on each hole. The wolf can choose to partner with another and play the hole 2-on-2 or play the hole 1-on-3. Obviously the low score, or lowest total score if played with a partner, wins the hole. If choosing to go 2-on-2, the wolf must choose his partner immediately after that player’s drive. If he doesn’t choose any of the drives, then the wolf plays the hole 1-on-3 and can either win or lose double the bet. The wolf can also choose to go “Lone Wolf.” He must do this immediately after his own drive. This way, the wolf can either win or lose triple the bet. One addition to this game is, if the Wolf is overly confident, he can choose to go “Lone Wolf” before he even hits his own drive. If this is the case, the Wolf can then either win or lose quadruple the bet. Tied holes can be carried over, but are normally erased.

#3 – “Bingo Bango Bongo” – This game is based on achievements and being the first to do something on each hole. The first player on the green gets a bingo. The closest to the pin when all four balls are on the green is a bango. The first in the hole is a bongo. Each one is worth a predetermined amount (maybe $1 each from each player). If one player does all three first, then that player wins double. The best thing about this game is it keeps with the golf etiquette side of things. Also, it gives the players who may have screwed up their drive and hacked their way down the fairway a chance to make up for it with a chip or a putt.

#4 – “Aces & Deuces” (aka “Acey Ducey”) – Another simple one. The low score on each hole wins a predetermined amount from each of the other players. The high score on the hole loses a predetermined amount to the other golfers. This can be played alternately so the high score has to pay the low score an additional amount. Obviously, this can get expensive if you are clearly the worst golfer in your foursome.

#5 – “Las Vegas” – This one must be played as a foursome since it is played as two teams of two players. Each team plays for a team score, but the score is not totalled. Rather, it is paired. If one player scores a 3 and the other a 4, the score is not 7 – it would be 34. The lower score goes first unless one player scores a 10 or more in which case the higher score would be put first. The difference in the team score represents the predetermined amount won or lost on each hole. Example – if the bet is $1 per stroke and Team A scores a 45 and Team B a 56, then Team B owes Team A $11 on that hole. Obviously, this is another game that can get quite expensive if the bet amount is high enough (hence the name Vegas).

#6 – “Chicago” (aka “Thirty-nines” or “39’s”) – Golfers begin their round with negative points. Points start at -39 and is adjusted based on your handicap. If your handicap is 12, your score starts at -27. If your handicap is 28, your score starts at -11. This continues up to -3. Points are gained based on the following:

Bogey is 1 point
Par is 2 points
Birdie is 4 points
Eagle is 8 points

Highest point total at the end of the round wins. Total winnings can be based on point differential or a predetermined amount.

Aside from the dozens of games themselves, there are also alternate rules to each. Combine that with the amount of the wager, and there can literally be an infinite amount of golf bets!

Upon learning about some of these bets and games, as well as experiencing it for myself, I can understand why so many people place wagers on their rounds, whether they are good players or not. It adds another dimension to the game. It adds another layer of competition as well as another layer of fun. It also helps you to raise your level of play. Maybe your game is not quite at the level you would like? Put some money on it. I guarantee you’ll focus a lot harder.