Golf is already one of the most social sports in the world—but add a little friendly competition, and suddenly every shot matters just a bit more. That’s where golf betting games come in, adding actual coin to the mix beyond just bragging rights. From classics like Nassau to fun side bets like Junk, these formats add excitement, strategy, and pressure, possibly the best motivators to level up and improve your game on the course.
In this guide, we’ll break down the best golf betting games, explain how they work, and share tips on how to benefit. Whether you’re a veteran of money games or a newcomer aiming to liven up your foursome, there’s plenty here to try in your next round.
Why Play Golf Betting Games?
Golf betting games aren’t just about money—they’re about playing your best and making every hole count. Without a little side action, a bad start can take you out of contention early and not offer much incentive to get better. With the right format, though, there’s always a reason to grind it out and try to come back.
- Keeps things competitive: Even if you’re not shooting your best, you can still win a hole or side bet
- Balances skill levels: Most games work with handicaps, making it fun for groups of mixed ability
- Adds variety: Instead of just counting strokes, you’re mixing in strategy, pressure, and something to play for
- Match Play: a more engaging way to play besides just counting total strokes
How Many Golf Rounds Involve Betting?
While determining the exact number of golf rounds that involve betting is impossible, a number of market surveys estimate that 80% or more of all rounds played involve a wager of some sort. In fact, particularly among friends, casual betting happens so frequently that it’s rare for someone to not agree to a wager or two. That being said, most on-course betting is low-stakes and social, with players making friendly wagers to add excitement to their round.
Tips for Keeping Golf Betting Fun and Fair
- Keep it light: Remember, it’s about fun—not paying for someone’s new driver
- Use handicaps properly: Level the field and keep games competitive
- Agree on stakes beforehand: Obviously, know what you’re playing for
- Settle up quickly: No one likes chasing payouts after the round
What Does the USGA Say About Gambling?
Basically, they’re fine with it. Here’s an excerpt from their website in the section on Amateur status:
Participating in informal gambling or wagering when playing golf is allowed, provided that the gambling or wagering does not lead to abuse of the Rules of Golf and/or the Rules of Handicapping. Forms of gambling or wagering that are considered acceptable are where:
- The players generally know each other
- Participation in the gambling or wagering is not required
- All money won is contributed by the participants
Furthermore, as an amateur golfer, you may accept prizes up to a limit of US$1,000 in value, including prize money (for example, cash) in a scratch competition.
Armed with an official blessing, let’s run through the most popular formats.
Most Popular Golf Betting Games
Silly to Serious, Tame to Wild, 2 to 5 Players
Golf betting games run the gamut from silly to serious in approach and tame to wild in complexity. There’s really no limit to people’s imagination when it comes to finding something to play for on a golf course. For this article, we’ll focus on the most popular games, all of which are guaranteed to make your round more entertaining.
Before we start, a little categorizing:
- While most games apply to a range of players, between 2 and as many as 5, some only work for an exact number, like a threesome or foursome. We’ll let you know which
- Everything here concerns match play, and that gets divided into front/back/overall (FBO) and Points-based games, with a few that can go either way. We’ll cover that too
- Given the broad variety and regional differences, the same basic game can be known by multiple names and we’ll list alternatives we’ve come across
1. Nassau Game (Front, Back, and Overall Matches)
Number of Players – 2 to 5
Format – Match Play, Better Ball Team and/or Individual, Optional Presses
The Nassau is the classic, most well known and most popular golf betting game, perfect for both casual and serious players, either as part of a two-man better ball match vs another team or head-to-head individual match.
- How it works: It’s essentially three matches: the front nine, back nine, and overall 18. While each can be worth the same, say $10 each (known as a $10 Nassau), you can also give them different weights like $10 Front $10 Back $20 Overall
- Press bets: If you’re down, presses give you a chance to make up ground (or possibly go down further). A “press” creates a new match within the match—they generally apply to the front and back nine matches with 2-hole automatic considered the best and fairest practice
- Why it’s great: Keeps everyone involved, especially with presses that give players a chance to bounce back. Strategy, friendly wagers and opportunities for comebacks foster a fun, competitive atmosphere
Pros & Cons – If you lose the front 9 match there’s more pressure to win the back 9 match as you’ll of course lose the Overall too if the back 9 goes awry. Also, if the front is tied you must decide whether to carry the bet over and play for it all on the back. Given the match play format, there’s also strategy involved, like whether to concede putts.
Alternate names – The Ways games (e.g. 5 Ways, 7 Ways, 9 Ways, 10 Ways) are Nassau variants with automatic Presses that can furthermore be Doubled for the back and Aloha’d on the last hole. Truly exciting and easier to track different stakes across matches and figure damages. Instead of specifying stakes for each component (front/back/overall), a single amount is applied across however many “ways” you’re playing for. In 5 Ways for instance, the front is 1 way, the back 2 ways and the overall 2 ways (1+2+2=5) with 1 way presses on the front and back. In 7 Ways it’s 2 for the front, 2 for the back and 3 for the overall (2+2+3=7), again with 1 way presses on the front and back.
Example: $5 7 Ways equates to a $10/$10/$15 Nassau with $5 presses
Because of their versatility in quickly setting (or modifying) stakes for both team and individual matches, Ways games are typically the standard format at private country clubs. Given their popularity, we’ll delve into more detail on Ways games in a separate post.
Get the complete details here: What Is a Nassau in Golf? Rules, Scoring, and Betting Explained
2. Skins Game
Number of Players – 2 to 5
Format – Points-based, Individual play, Carryovers
Another crowd favorite game, Skins gives everyone a chance to win with the stakes building as holes are tied and the amount you can win gets bigger.
- Rules: Each hole is worth a “skin” (a set amount of money) and the lowest net score wins the hole. At the end the player with the most skins collects from everyone, while the player with the least skins pays everyone and those in the middle netting, paying out to those above and collecting from below
- Carryovers: If two or more players tie for low score, the skin rolls over to the next hole, making it worth two skins or more depending on how many holes were tied. To limit variability, carryovers can be set to between 2 and 4 holes while for maximum tension and payout, no limit can be employed
- Why it’s great: Every hole has value, and it’s fun to root for different players to tie a hole even if you’re out of it so the stakes continue to build and give you a chance to win a bigger amount on the next hole
Example: In $2 Skins the most you can lose across 18 holes is $36 and the most you can win depends on the number of players. In a 4-player game you could potentially win every skin and come away with 3x$36 or $108 although this is highly unlikely. Here’s a more probable scenario:
Player A wins 8 skins, Player B wins 5 skins, Player C wins 3 skins, Player D wins 1 skin (hole 18 tied so no skin awarded). In $2 Skins A wins $30, B wins $6, C loses $10 and D loses $36
Pros & Cons – Skins encourages risk-taking as the hole must be won outright. Plus winning a hole provides instant gratification, regardless of how the round is going otherwise. That being said, the game doesn’t necessarily reward the best player as someone playing poorly can randomly pull out a win on a hole worth a lot of skins, luckily benefitting from all the preceding ties. In any case, try not to be the player with the least number of skins!
3. Wolf
Number of Players – 3 to 5
Format – Points-based, Better Ball Team/Individual play, Variable Stakes
A strategy-heavy game, Wolf shakes up the teams on every hole, with the Wolf choosing a partner or going it alone vs the others.
- Rotation: On each hole, in order, one player takes a turn as the “Wolf” and tees off first. As the others tee off, the Wolf decides whether to pick them as a partner. The Wolf can also go solo “Lone Wolf” by not picking anyone or even decide to go at it alone “Blind Wolf” before anyone tees off. In some instances, the partner picked by the Wolf can reject the Wolf and go it alone themselves
- Scoring: Low net wins the hole and the amount of points earned depend on whether the Wolf went at it alone, “Lone” or “Blind”, or with a Partner. Once everyone has had an equal amount of turns as the Wolf the group can decide to have the player with the least points be the Wolf for the remaining holes
- Stakes: Generally Wolf/Partner vs Others earns the same amount of points on each side, Lone Wolf earns double the points (risk/reward) and Blind Wolf earns triple (higher risk/reward)
- Why it’s great: Everyone gets a chance at being the Wolf and picking a partner or going it alone. Beside points earned for different scenarios (Lone Wolf, Blind Wolf, Wolf & Partner) there are many tweaks for gaining even more points including Doubling, Birdie/Eagle Multipliers, Junk Points and Carryovers
Pros & Cons – Most fun with 4 or 5 players. Picking the right partner is the key to success here. There’s a mix of strategy, teamwork and risk – who is hot, who is stroking, are you feeling confident enough to go it alone all play a part. On the other hand it can be a bit confusing to keep the order and rotating roles straight. In any case, try not to be the player with the least points!
Alternate Names: Captain, Boss, Manager, Pig
4. Stableford
Number of Players – 2 to 5
Format – Points-based, Team and/or Individual, Classic/Modified/Custom
If you want to keep things moving and reward aggressive play, try Stableford scoring.
- How it works: Players earn points per hole based on net score relative to par—with points awarded in Classic, Modified or Custom fashion. Point differential at match end is multiplied by a stakes value or used to determine Front/Back/Overall amounts
- Classic Stableford: > Bogey 0pts, Bogey 1pt, Par 2pts, Birdie 3 pts, Eagle 4pts, Double Eagle 5pts
- Modified Stableford: > Bogey -3pts, Bogey -1pt, Par 0pts, Birdie 2pts, Eagle 5pts, < Eagle 8pts
- Custom Stableford: Players decide the points allocation beforehand
- Why it’s great: Blow-up holes don’t ruin your round, and risk-taking is encouraged since big scores mean more points
Pros & Cons – Stableford facilitates faster play as you can just pick up if you can’t earn any points but in doing so you may not be capturing your true performance as when every shot matters. Either way, every hole is a new opportunity to earn points.
5. Closeout
Number of Players: 2 to 5
Format – Match play, Better Ball Team and/or Individual, Fixed Stakes
Closeout is a variation on 18-hole match play. Once the current match is decided a new match begins for the remaining holes at half the stakes.
- How it works: The standard game of closeout is a side bet that begins when one player or team wins the original (or subsequent) match with holes left to play. A new, separate match starts for the remaining holes, with the stakes set at half of the previous wager. In essence, new matches serve as a press on the prior match
- Scoring: Basic match play, low net wins the hole
- Why it’s great: Every hole matters even after the initial match ends so you’re always playing for something, a pre-defined amount
Example: $20 initial match is won on hole 14 so a new match begins on hole 15 for $10. If that match is also decided before hole 18 another match opens up for $5. Payouts here can range from $35 to $5.
Pros & Cons – In Closeout the winner of the initial match is guaranteed to come out ahead and can either pad their haul in the new match(es) or give something back. The initial match can (theoretically) be decided in as few as 10 holes with as many as four matches possible over 18 holes although 2 or 3 matches is more likely.
6. Chicago
Number of Players: 2 to 5
Format – Points-based, Team and/or Individual
Chicago is a points-based game where every player (or team) starts with a quota and then earns points per hole based on gross score with a winner determined by whoever gets the most points relative to their quota. Stakes are set in Nassau fashion with Front, Back and Overall amounts.
- How it works: Quotas are established by taking a starting value between 36 and 39 and subtracting Course Handicap. In effect, higher handicap players are given a head start towards achieving their quota since after that no strokes are applied
- Scoring: Points are earned per hole based on gross score – Bogey 1pt, Par 2pts, Birdie 4pts, Eagle 8pts, Double Eagle 16pts
- Why it’s great: Every hole matters especially the last few holes
Example: Using a starting value of 37, Player A, a 4 handicap, has a quota of 33, while Player B, a 12 handicap, has a quota of 25. To win Player A must outscore B by 9 points (one over the quota difference) over 18 holes and 5 points over each 9 hole segment.
Pros & Cons – In Chicago points are earned based on actual (gross) hole score and not net score since your Course Handicap was already taken into account in the starting value. Note that this also makes the stroke index value for each hole irrelevant so you can play this game without regard to allocating strokes. In practical experience, high handicappers are generally at a disadvantage in Chicago, despite being spotted a head start as better golfers are much more likely to earn natural pars and birdies. Chicago can also be complicated to score manually, figuring out how far above or below quota everyone is, particularly when there are both Team and Individual bets.
Alternate Names: Progs, Quota, Points Quota, 39s, Chicago Scoring, Chicago System
7. Junk (also known as Dots)
Number of Players: 2 to 5
Format – Points-based, Team and/or Individual
Junk, also known as Dots, is a points-based game where players earn points for extraordinary scoring. This is further divided into two categories, automatic and manual. Automatic is based on gross score relative to par, like 1 point for birdie, 2 points for eagle, 3 points for double eagle.
Manual junk can take many forms but the most common are
- Greenies: Closest to the pin, usually on par 3s
- Sandies: Holing out for par or better from a bunker
- Chippies: Holing out for par or better from off the green aka Nasty/Ugly
There’s an almost endless variety to what players can come up with that qualifies as “junk”, plus carryovers where one can earn two “pieces” or more (closest to the pin on par 3s if no one hit prior), or combos like holing a bunker shot (sandy plus chippie, 2 pieces, or even 3 pieces if it was for birdie). There are also rules like whether a greenie must be “validated” with a score of par and how many can be carried over from one par 3 to the next.
Other Junk examples outside the mainstream:
- Barkies/Woodies: Hit a tree and still make par or better
- Arnies: Par or better without having been on the fairway or on the green in regulation
- Pansy Sandies: Par or better from a fairway bunker
- Long Drive: Longest drive on a particular hole or set of holes
- Flaggies/Poleys: Sinking a putt beyond the length of the flagstick
Pros & Cons – Junk basically favors the better player, players who are more likely to pull off these extraordinary scoring feats.
In some instances it can get silly, meaning detracts from the spirit of the game, trying to hole out in as few strokes as possible, if players deliberately attempt to earn more points by intentionally being short of the green or hitting into a bunker.
One popular implementation is to have Junk be a secondary match to the primary one, say a Nassau, where each side earns junk-related points and that is settled as an additional bet.
Popular Games – 4 Players Only
The following set of games apply when there are (as in most cases) exactly four players in the group.
8. Sixes Round Robin
Number of Players: 4
Format – Better Ball Team, Fixed or Variable Stakes
Team game where partners rotate every six holes, resulting in 3 6-hole better ball matches. Everyone gets a chance to team up with everyone else in the group as opposed to having the same teammate for the whole round or selectively per hole like in Wolf.
- Rotation: One popular way to do it (and an alternate name for the game) is “Carts, Opposites, Drivers”. The two players in each cart team up for the first six holes, then the driver of one cart teams up with the passenger in the other for the next six, followed by the two drivers versus the two passengers for the final stretch. More generically, with players A,B,C,D, A/B vs C/D for holes 1 thru 6, A/C vs B/D for 7 thru 12, and A/D vs B/C for 13 thru 18
- Scoring: Low net wins the hole in match play or points-based fashion
- Stakes per Match: Each 6-hole Match is worth a fixed amount. Options include adding a Closeout (at ½ the stakes) or a Press (set amount) or even immediately starting the next match after the current one is decided (so it can go less than six holes, implying a fourth and final tail match at the end instead of just three matches)
- Stakes per Point: Each hole has a point value so the amount you can win or lose varies. Options here include carrying over ties, even across 6-hole matches, and adding in Junk points
- Why it’s great: This game tests both individual skill and team synergy and everyone gets a turn playing as a partner with everyone else, a good choice for players that don’t know each other’s games very well
Pros & Cons – Bit of luck of the draw here and hopefully your partner of the moment plays well when teamed with you and not as well when they’re your opponent. Playing Stakes per Point favors whoever plays best for the entire round.
Alternate Names: COD (Carts, Opposites, Drivers), Hollywood, Six-Six-Six
9. Vegas
Number of Players: 4
Format – Team, Variable Stakes based on Net Score and Options
Vegas is a high stakes team game (probably why they call it Vegas) where each players net score counts towards determining damages on a per hole basis.
- How it works: Each players net score is combined with their teammates using the low number first and then taking the difference in each team’s value
- Example: Teammates A & B net a 4 and 5 respectively versus teammates C & D who netted a 5 and 6. A & B’s 45 earns 11 points versus C & D’s 56
- Options: Flip losing team’s high digit by winning with a birdie or better, multiply point differentials for a natural birdie (2x) or eagle (3x), or up the stakes by increasing a multiplier for tied holes
- Why it’s great: Non-stop, pressure-packed action here, just like the city it’s named after
Pros & Cons – Boom or Bust. Clearly, every shot really matters for both you and your partner as it all feeds directly into the damages. You should be playing your best golf to take this game on or the losses can build quickly.
Alternate Names: Daytona, Backstabber
10. High Low
Number of Players: 4
Format – Points-based, Team, Fixed or Variable Stakes w/Options
High Low is another game where each teammates net score matters as it gets compared against the other team’s net scores, low vs low and high vs high. Earn points to decide a fixed (Front/Back/Overall) amounts or play per point times a stakes value.
- How it works: Two points are available on each hole, one point for the low net and one point for the high net
- Example: Teammates A & B net a 4 and 5 respectively versus teammates C & D who net a 5 and 6. A’s 4 beats C’s 5 and B’s 5 beats D’s 6 so 2 points for A & B
- Options: Decide whether to carry ties over to the next hole and/or make natural birdies worth 2 points and natural eagles worth 3 points
- Why it’s great: Every players score counts towards earning points
Pros & Cons – Keeps everyone involved and promotes teamwork plus the two point system is straightforward and relatively low risk. Could be a long day if your partner isn’t playing well as you can generally only earn one point for the team per hole.
Alternate Names: Low Ball-High Ball, Low Ball/High Ball
Popular Games – 3 Players Only
While you can of course play many games with just 3 players, like a Nassau with 3 Individual matches (A vs B, A vs C, B vs C), Nines and Sixes both offer fun-filled points-based alternatives for exactly 3 players.
11. Nines
Number of Players: 3
Format – Points-based, Individual Play w/Options
Simple game where 9 points are available per hole based on net score. 5 points for 1st place, 3 points for 2nd place and 1 point for 3rd place. Options serve to spice up the game.
- How it works: 9 points per hole, easy peasy, with values split in the event of a tie or potentially increased based on the options chosen
- Example: A & B both net 4 and tie 1st place so 4 points each with C in 3rd getting 1 point. Or A wins outright with net 3 (5 points) and B & C tie with net 4 to earn 2 points each
- Options: Decide whether to split points when everyone ties (3 points each) or carry them over for between 2 and 4 holes or No Limit. Allow for a sweep (all 9 points) if a player wins a hole by two or more strokes and/or add in extra points for “Junk” (birdies, greenies, sandies etc)
- Why it’s great: Casual, fun game that’s easy to understand. Every hole presents a new opportunity to earn points
Pros & Cons – Individual points game here so you’re on your own. It’s important to play well enough to collect 1st or 2nd place points wherever possible and ultimately avoid being the player with the least points overall.
Alternate Names: 9-Points, Nine Points, 5-3-1, Win Place and Show
12. Sixes
Number of Players: 3
Format – Points-based, Individual Play w/Options
Basically identical to Nines except with 6 points available per hole. 4 points for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place and 0 points for 3rd place. Similar options to split, carry over, sweep and “Junk” points.
Alternate Names: 6-Points, Six Points, 4-2-0, Split Sixes, English, Cricket, Win Place and Show
13. Captains
5 Players Allowed in a Group? Here’s How to Set up Captains
If you’re fortunate enough to play at a course that will let 5 players out in a group, you can still play most of the games listed above. Whether the games are match play or points-based you can use the Captains format to set up teams. There’s plenty of action here as 2 of the 5 players team up and have 3 team matches versus combinations of the other 3 players.
Example: Players A,B,C,D,E. Team A/B will have 3 team matches A/B vs C/D, A/B vs D/E and A/B vs C/E while the other 3 players (C,D,E) have two matches each. In this format you can also have up to 10 Individual matches going on, quite the feat and Golf Crow tracks it all quite easily. Just enter hole scores correctly and the app will do the rest!
Pros/Cons: While 5-players can be rollicking good fun, many courses will not allow such groups or only permit those that have demonstrated an ability to play quickly and not back the course up! Slow play is after all the enemy of a good time for everyone involved – no one wants to wait around on every shot or alternatively face the pressure of someone breathing down their neck.
14. Roll Your Own for Any Points-based Game
There are many games, typically points-based and essentially random, that fall into the hard to track automatically category. These include the likes of Rabbit and Bingo Bango Bongo. You can of course track them manually by assigning points on the card, however they might be earned.
Fittingly, besides handling virtually all of the more structured and serious games, the Golf Crow app has a generic catch-all to capture any points-based type of game, including ones where negative points can be assigned, with Roll Points, meaning “roll your own”. It works for any number between 2 to 5-players and you can decide to play for Nassau style (Front/Back/Overall) stakes or the point differential times some stakes value. Just assign the points yourself when entering hole scores. Golf Crow will of course easily handle the math for calculating damages here as well along with keeping a lasting record of your round to share or review.