Three Fun Golf Course Games!

Great On-Course Golf Games For The Long Weekend

By GOLFTEC Digital

Happy Independence Day! With the long holiday weekend ahead, hopefully, you can get out to the course with your friends and family and enjoy some beautiful weather to celebrate America.

Why not spice up your round with some friendly wagers and fun on-course games?

A few of us GOLFTECer’s certainly will, and we wanted to share our favorite golf games to get the weekend kicked off right.

• Quota: A game perfect for groups of any size. Each player will need a Handicap Index for this game.
  1. Start by taking his or her handicap for every player and subtract that number from 36, the result of which becomes the point quota they have to make during that round. For example, if you are an 8 handicap your point quota for the round is 28.
  2. Points are generated based on the scores on each hole, and we typically follow the format below:
     • Par – 1 point
     • Birdie – 3 points
     • Eagle – 6 points
     • Bogey – 0 points
     • Double Bogey – negative 1
     • Triple or Worse – negative 2
  3. The player with the most points above his or her quota wins a predetermined pot (be sure to set your individual contribution before the round starts). If nobody finishes above his or her quota, we like to finish the round of with a best of 3 putting contest.
• Wolf: This game can be played a variety of different ways but is perfect for a group of 3 players looking for some friendly competition and is played one hole at a time.
  1. Each player tees off individually. The golfer with the middle-distance drive, regardless of where it lands, is the “wolf” for the hole and the other two golfers are the “hunters.”
     • On par-3’s, the wolf is the second-closest to the pin after the tee shots.
  2. To beat the hunters and win the hole, the wolf must achieve a score that is half (or less than half) of the combined net score of the two hunters. For instance, if the two hunters combined score is 10, the wolf must score 5 or better.
  3. If the amount wagered for the hole is one dollar, the wolf puts up two dollars against one for each hunter. If the wolf wins, he or she collects two dollars, whereas the hunters get only one dollar each should they win.
     • This is just one of many ways to play Wolf, and it can be played with a variety of different rules, more people, and exciting wagers. Have you played this another way? Tell us about it in the comments below.
• Pick-Up Sticks: A very entertaining and strategic game; this twist on traditional match play is great for twosomes or foursomes looking to add some excitement to the round.
  1. Playing this game individually (twosomes) or as a team (foursomes), finish the hole out like a normal match play competition, and determine the winner. When someone wins a hole, they get to “remove” one club from the opponent or opponents’ bags, and they can’t use that club for the remainder of the round. This continues on each subsequent hole until the match is decided – go for the putter first!
     
     • Variation: Instead of removing clubs from your opponent’s bag after you have lost one or more holes, some people like to give the option of regaining clubs. Remember, only one per hole.
     • Similarly, some people like to create a putter immunity because it is a significant handicap not to have one. It certainly can be funny to watch your friends as they try to putt with a 7-iron though!

Have a game you want to share? Tell us about it in the comments!

Now get out there and have some fun! On behalf of everyone at GOLFTEC, we wish you a very happy and safe Independence Day.

Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of the original article posted on July 3, 2014.