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Competition Variations
If you're interested. there is a wide variety of ways we can
introduce a little "competition" into our matches. Here are just a
few examples:
Stroke Play
Stroke Play is the most common form of competition. In stroke play, every
player (or team) competes all 18 holes and counts the total number of
strokes and the person (or team) with the lower total score wins.
Match play
In match play, two players (or two teams) play every hole as a separate
contest against each other. The party with the lower score wins that hole,
regardless of how many shots he won the hole by. If the scores of both
players or teams are equal the hole is "halved" (tied). The game is won by
that party that wins more holes than the other.
Scramble
Each player in a team (of two, three or four players) tees off on each
hole and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays
his second shot from that spot and the procedure is repeated until the
hole is finished. This type of competition is popular with golf groups.
Texas Scramble is a variation in which a set number of drives of each
member of the team must be used during the course of the round. In this
way, both individual play and team play are rewarded.
Bingo Bango Bongo
It doesn't sound like a name for a golf game
but it is always a favorite. A player receives one point for each of the
following:
- Bingo - First one onto the green
- Bango - Closest to the pin (once everyone
is on the green)
- Bongo - First one in the hole
The player to accumulate the most points
wins. Losing player pay money to the winner (ex. 10-cents a point). This
fun thing about this game is that your final golf score is irrelevant, and
the game is not necessary won by who can golf the lowest score.
A perfect game to play when you
have a group that has a mix of skill levels.
Wolf
Wolf is a game in which the players in a
foursome establish a tee off order on the first tee and rotate that same
order throughout the round. The player that tees off first is the Wolf.
The players take turns playing the Wolf based on the rotation of the
established tee off order.
The Wolf has the following options:
- Choose one of the other three players as
a partner for the hole (see example below), or
- Play the hole alone against the other
three players.
Example:
The Wolf would tee off first. The second player in the rotation tees off
next. Based on the results of the second players drive, the Wolf has the
option to select the second player as a partner or pass. (Here is where
the strategy begins). Once the third player hits their tee shot, the
second player is no longer eligible as a partner for the Wolf. Likewise,
once the fourth player hits their drive, the third player is no longer
eligible as a partner for the Wolf.
Once the fourth player tees off, the Wolf must select the fourth player as
a partner for the hole, or play the hole alone against the other three
players.
Points are earned as follows:
- Winning team: 2 points each player
- Wolf plays alone and wins: Wolf earns 3
points
- Wolf plays alone and one player beats
Wolf: All players earn 2 points except Wolf.
- No Points earned for ties.
If you enjoy games that involve strategy,
try Wolf. It will become one of your favorites.
Foursome
A foursome is played between two players in partnership, playing one ball
which they hit alternately. One tees off on the odd numbered holes, the
other on the even holes, regardless of who played the last putt on the
first hole. The other shots are played in turns until the hole is
finished. Foursomes can be played under match play or stroke play rules.
Teams need to put some thought into who
drives which holes. Do the holes that require a good carry tend to be odd
or even? Put your long hitter on those tees. Do the par-threes fall on the
odds or evens? Put your target hitter on them.
Foursome is an excellent game. It really
brings a team together, for better or worse. It's also a fast game, as
players tend to walk ahead of their partners in a leapfrog fashion. The
popularity of this format is one of the main reasons golf is played faster
overseas.
Four ball
The same as foursome but each player plays with his own ball and the
better score of the team counts. Four-balls can be played as match play or
stroke play.
Greensome
A variation of Foursome where both teammates of each team make a tee shot
and each team selects which one they prefer. The player whose ball was not
selected, then plays the second shot and all future even-numbered shots on
this hole, the other teammate playing all further odd-numbered shots.
Patsome
The six first holes are played in Four-ball, the next six in Greensome and
the last six in Foursome. The final count of strokes is calculated as in
Foursome.
Chapman
A variation of Four Ball where each player hits a tee shot and swap
positions to hit the second ball (each player of the same team hit their
teammate's ball), whereafter they decide which of the two balls they
choose to play for the remainder of the hole. The other ball is picked up.
Once the best position is selected, the teammates alternate strokes until
holing out. Also called "Pinehurst".
Skins
Type of match play game in which each hole is worth a given amount of
points or money, which you can win only by winning the hole outright. If
the best score for the hole is achieved by more than one player it's a
"half" (tie) and the money or points are carried over to the next hole,
making all subsequent holes potentially worth considerably more. In the
event that two or more golfers halve (tie) the final hole, a playoff
begins until one golfer wins a hole outright.
Round Robin
Round Robin, or "6,6,6" as it is sometimes
called, is played in foursome in which the two player teams change
partners after every six holes.
The round is divided into three 6-hole matches which allows each player to
play with a different partner in each of the three matches. A "payoff"
system can be agreed upon before teeing off.
Twosome Best Ball
This game is played with two players on a
team, each playing their own ball. The team is allowed to use the lowest
of their two scores on each hole.
3-in-1
This game is played in a foursome with two
players on each team. The teams remain the same throughout the entire
round. The round is divided into three segments of six holes each. The
type of game changes after each six hole segment.
Example:
- The first 6 holes could be a two player
best ball.
- The next 6 holes could be low ball- low
total.
- The last 6 holes could be played as a two
person scramble.
This is a format which allows the players to
experience a variety of games during the round.
Trouble
This game rewards the player that manages to stay OUT of trouble!
Trouble is a point game in which your actual score isn't relevant, at
least not directly. The goal is to collect the least number of "trouble
points" possible during a round. Players shoot for a set amount per point
(say 50-cents). Thus, at the end of a round a player accumulating three
(net) trouble points owes each of his opponents $1.50.
Points are assigned as follows:
- Out of bounds - 1
- Water hazard - 1
- Bunker - 1
- Three-putt - 1
- Leaving ball in bunker - 2
(Take an additional two points if you leave the ball in again and so
on.)
- Hitting from one bunker to another - 2
- Four-putting - 3
- Whiffed ball - 4
A player can erase
all the points accumulated on a given hole by making
par. At the end of the round, simply net all
the points against each other and settle up.
Trouble is an excellent game for the intermediate player. Often, such
players are feeling pretty smug as their handicaps drop, and they need to
be taken down a notch or two. Trouble encourages smart golf (again, not to
be confused with fun golf) and might just produce a surprisingly low round
for all those would-be daredevils out there.
Here are some Internet links to even MORE fun
ways to play golf. Look some of these over. If you find one that sounds
like fun, let Jerry know, and he'll suggest it to the group.
http://www.bestcoursestoplay.com/html/golf_games.html
http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/a/formatsbets.htm
http://golf.about.com/cs/beginnersguide/tp/tourneyformats.htm
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