Thank you to all the AWGA Representatives who took the time to answer me with all the different games. I found out that there are quite a few names for some games.
I hope you’ll try a few of these in your groups.
Hate ‘em
BEFORE teeing off, pick 2 holes you hate. Subtract the score on these two holes from your total gross score – subtract full handicap (Score=Gross Score – two hole total – full course handicap).
Criers
Pick out any 2 holes and revert your score to par. – subtract full handicaps 3’s, 4’s, 5’s (cha-cha-cha) – chose the lowest scores on three par 3’s; four par 4’s; and two par 5’s.
Ghost Holes
The tournament chair chooses 9 random holes that will be used: Subtract ½ handicap.
Blind Partners
Partners are drawn after play. Subtract full handicaps, the net best ball on each hole is the team score.
The lowest team score wins.
Hard Nine
Gross score on the nine lowest handicap holes subtracts ½ handicap.
The Eliminator
1st hole: Use one best net ball of all 4 players, then that player is eliminated
2nd hole: Use one best net balls of the remaining 3 players. Then that player is eliminated.
3rd hole: Use one best net balls of the remaining 2 players. Then that player is eliminated.
4th hole: Use the net score of the remaining player.
Do this through the remaining holes
It all Adds Up: Gross + Net + Putt Each hole adds together low gross, low net, and low putt. The Gross, Net, and Putt must be a different player for each hole
Add together the three scores for each hole.
Gross and Net
Par 3’s – 2 gross scores
Par 4’s – 1 Gross and 1 Net (can’t be the same player)
Par 5’s – 2 net
(whatever you want to call it) Cup – Divide the WGA into two teams. Play a 2 day Ryder Cup format:
1st day – 9 holes 2-ball match play and 9 holes 4-ball match play
2nd day – individual 18-hole match play
Criss Cross
The player can elect to take the score from either the hole on the front nine or the corresponding hole on the back nine ( i.e. 1 or 10; 2 or 11; 3 or 12 etc)
Putt for High Points
chip in = 5 pts; 1 putt = 4 pts; 2 putt = 2 pts; 3 putt = 0 pts. Subtract 2 pts for 4 or more putts.
No Putts
The winner is determined by all strokes OTHER than putts. Keep count of your putts, and subtract them from your final score.
Modified Stableford (net): 1 pt for par; 2 pts for birdie; 4 pts for eagle; 5 for double eagle; subtract 2 pts for net double bogie or worse.
ABCD Sweet & Sour: each player counts 8 best holes and 1 worst hole. All four scores totaled.
One, Two, Three: Each player will play her ball. On handicap holes 1 – 6 you will take one ball of the group.
On handicap holes 7 – 12, you will take 2 balls of the group. On handicap holes 13 – 18, you will take 3 balls of the group. Use Net Stableford to score the event.
Money ball
(or Devil Ball, Lone Ranger, Yellow Ball, etc): There are some variations, but the basics of this game are this: On each hole, there will be 2 scores for the hole:
The Money Ball and usually the low ball of the other 3 players. The Money Ball will rotate to each player every hole.
Mutt and Jeff: A tournament format or side bet in which the focus is on par 3’s or par 5’s only.
After the round is completed, the total net score for each player, or each group on the par 3’s and par 5’s is recorded. The low net on those long and short holes is the winner.
6-6-6
A game for groups of four golfers. The game pits the group members against each other, 2 on 2.
The catch: players rotate partners after every six holes so that each member of the foursome, over the round, partners with every other member. Any scoring format can be used, and each 6-hole segment is a separate wager.
If you have been on 2 winning sides, you come out ahead. Sixes is best played by partners of similar skill levels, or by golfers using full handicaps.
Side Games
(Optional, informal games, not formally organized by the tournament chair or WGA)
Snake: Whoever 3-putts first gets the “snake” until someone else 3-putts. Whoever is the last with the snake after the round, pays the other players the agreed amount.
Trouble: Assign a point value to:
3-putts – 2 pts
Water: 2 pts
Sand: 1 pt
OB: 1 pt
Unplayable: 1 pt (add in that a chip-in subtracts 1 pt)
The player with the fewest points wins.
Honest John
Before the round starts, members of the group each put an agreed-upon dollar amount into the pot. Each player predicts the score they will shoot for the round.
At the end of the round, the player who comes the closest to her predicted score wins the pot.
Three Putts
Everyone counts her putts during the round. For every 3-putt you have to put a quarter in the pot at the end of the round.
The person with the lowest total putts wins the pot.
Bingo, Bango, Bongo
This is a points game that can be played by any number of players. The first player to get her ball on the green gets 1 point (bingo)
The player whose ball is closest to the hole once all the balls are on the green gets 1 point (bango). The player who holes out first gets 1 point (bongo)
Four-Point Game
A game for a group of 4 golfers – playing 2 per side. Each golfer plays her ball throughout.
On each hole four points are at stake:
* 2 pts for the lowest of each side’s low score
* 1 pt for the lowest of each side’s high score
* 1 pt for the low team total
Ties award no points and winning the low individual score with a birdie results in double points (4 instead of 2)
Example
On the first hole, Team A scores 4 and 5. Team B scores 4 and 6. Team A wins 2 points. (The low individual score is a tie – 4 and 4- so no points.
Team A gets 1 point for the second low score – 5 vs 6 – and one point for team score -9 vs 10)
Final Words
The AWGA Representatives’ collection of golf games adds exciting twists to traditional play. Games like ‘Hate ’em’ and ‘Criers’ allow score adjustments, while ‘Ghost Holes’ and ‘Blind Partners introduce unpredictability.
‘Hard Nine’ and ‘The Eliminator’ challenge specific skills, and ‘It All Adds Up’ and ‘Gross and Net’ blend scoring methods. Team-based games like ‘Money ball’ and ‘One, Two, Three’, alongside strategic ‘Criss Cross’ and Ryder Cup-style formats, provide diverse challenges.
Side games such as ‘Snake’ and ‘Honest John’ add extra excitement. This variety not only makes golf more enjoyable but also fosters a sense of community and creativity among players.