id=”mod_29177039″>Fun Golf Games to play on the Golf Course
Sometimes golf gets a little repetitive and boring, to make your next round of golf a little more interesting, try one of these fun golf games to help even the most amateur golfer stay interested in the next 18 holes.
There are many types of games to play on the golf course : 2-player golf games, 3-player golf games, 4-players golf games, partner golf games, and games where everyone competes against everyone. If you can’t make it through tour qualifying school, have some fun with your friends the next time you tee it up.
If you have a game that you play on the golf course that you would like to add to this list, please describe it in the guestbook at the bottom of the page. My golf buddies and I love to try out new games.
Photo credit: mhofstrand / Foter / CC BY-ND
Lone Wolf
4 player golf game
This is a great golf game to play with equal or unequal talents. This is not a good game to play if one golfer is significantly better than others. The premise of the game is that someone is the wolf and gets to pick their partner. As each golfer tees off, the wolf decides whether to pick that golfer as their partner, or wait for the next golfer to tee off.
When the first golfer tees off, the wolf decides if that will be their partner.
When the second golfer tees off, the wolf can no longer pick the first golfer and decides if the second golfer is their partner.
When the third golfer tees off, the wolf can no longer pick the first nor second golfer as their partner. The wolf makes a decision at this point whether to pick the third person as their partner or to go it alone as the lone wolf.
The wolf tees off last.
If the wolf picks a partner, the wolf and the partner must beat, no ties, the other two players to win the hole otherwise the other pair win the hole.
If the wolf decides to be the lone wolf, the wolf’s score must beat, no ties, all the other players to win the hole, otherwise the other three win the hole.
Keep track of the winner(s) on each hole and add up at the points at the end. The player with the most points is the Lone Wolf winner.
Strings
A great golf game for groups with a dominent player
Every player has a length of string equal to their current handicap eg 28 feet = 28 handicap and so on. Each player can use the string to get themselves out of trouble eg out of a trap, a bad lie, back in bounds, from behind a tree etc. However, every time the string is used the player has to cut off, or tie a knot the distance the ball is moved. For example, the golfer moves a ball from a sand trap and uses 5 feet of string. He cuts off 5 feet and if the golfer’s handicap was 15, the golfer now only has 10 feet of string left. String can’t be used on the green or the tee! Rewards for the end of the ran can be players with no string used or most times used, or devise other devious methods of punishment!
Badges
Here’s a fun game to play on the course by all skill levels
This next game is called, golf game badges, as each “bad” thing that happens on a golf course is assigned a badge. Each badge is assigned a point value and at the end the person with the least amount of points wins.
For example, let’s say there are four badges and each badge is worth 1 point. If at the end of the round, a single golfer has all four badges, he has all four points and loses, and the other three players in the foursome wins. If every golfer ends up with one badge each, no one wins as everyone is tied with one point.
If Golfer 1 has two badges, Golfer 2 has one badge, Golfer 3 has one badge, and Golfer 4 has no badges. Golfer 1 has two points, Golfer 2 and Golfer 3 has 1 point each, and Golfer 4 has no points. Golfer 4 wins.
To make it more interesting you can assign different point amounts to each badge.
How do you get a badge? You get a badge by being the last golfer to perform a “bad” shot on the golf course. Here are some of our favorite badges…
The Snake Badge – Given to the last golfer to 3-putt a hole.
The Squirrel Badge – Given to the last golfer to hit a tree
The Fish Badge – Given to the last golfer to hit a ball in the water
The OB Badge – Given to the last golfer to hit a ball out of bounds
The Crab Badge – Given to the last golfer to hit a ball in a sand trap
The Angel Badge – Given to the last golfer to swear
This game turns around in the blink of an eye. I played this game and had the Fish, OB, Crab, and Snake badges going into the 18th hole. When the hole was finished, I had none.
The skins game
The skins game is played with three or four golfers.
The PGA puts on a skins event every year after the season, usually aired over the Thankgiving weekend. The skins game is played exactly like this.
Each hold is assigned a point value. Usually the first six holes are assigned a low value, the middle six holes are assigned a middle value, and the last six holes are assigned a higher value.
The premise is that if you beat all members of your foursome you win a skin. The game starts on the first hole. If someone in the foursome beats all others in the foursome the golfer wins the value of the skin for that hole. If at least two players tie, the skin carrys over to the second hole and all members of the foursome have a chance to win the 2nd hole value in addition to the 1st hole value on the 2nd hole.
Keep track of the value of each skin a golfer wins. The golfer with the highest number of points wins.
Scramble
4-player game or multi-foursome game
Scramble is usually played during a golf outing where everyone in the foursome is on the same team and you are playing against the other foursomes in the golf outing. This can also be a 4-player game, where two players are teamed up, either way the rules are the same.
You start off on the tee, and each player hits his/hers tee shot. The team decides what shot was the best, and everyone plays their next shot from this point on the golf course. This goes on until the ball is in the hole. You essentially get four shots from the same place.
In a golf outing, low round is declared the winner.
For two-man game in a foursome, you can play low round and low hole similar to the doubles scoring.
Variations on scramble include, minimums for using each players ball on the tee or putting. For example, you have to use each player’s ball off the tee a minimum of 3 times.
Doubles
4-player golf games
Doubles can be played many ways, here are a few ways I’ve played
Scoring with doubles…most points wins after 18.
Aggregate score of doubles partners, with low score winning the hole.
Low individual score wins the hole for the partners.
Use both methods for 2 points per hole.
Variation on scoring: If a birdie wins the hole doubles the number of points. If an eagle wins the hold quadruples the number of points.
How to pick partners
6-pack method – Every six holes switch partners, everyone in the foursome plays with everyone else in the foursome.
Vegas – Partners change every hole based on the position of the balls. The two golf balls on the left are partners against the two golf balls on the right.
Same partner throughout the round. Partners are picked based on golf ability.
The Three Club Game
You can even play this one by yourself
This one is pretty simple. At the beginning of the round, pick three golf clubs from your bag which become the only clubs you can use the entire round. Strategy here is to pick a low iron, a mid iron, and maybe your putter. Or pick your three wood and use it as your putter. The game helps you think about managing your way around the golf course and being creative with your golf shots.
Stink Hole
Another Golf Game from one of our readers
Play your normal round of golf, but when you get on the green you can either putt for the flag. OR you can putt over where the hole USED to be. It’s fun for people that cannot chip that well. If you miss the flag and have a 20 foot putt to the flag, look around for a former hole and putt over that. You can slavage a couple bad shots with a Stinky par or a stinky birdie.
In the matter of honors on the next tee box a normal par or bogey takes precedent over a stinker.
Golf Cart Polo
Ok, here’s one that I don’t think you can play in the middle of the round, and I’m pretty sure if the golf marshall sees you do this, you’ll be kicked off of the course.
Submitted by one of my readers:
“There is a driver of the golf cart, and a rider. All the carts line up in a row in front of the tee box. Someone counts down from 3 to start. The rider stands up, holds on to the cart, drops their golf ball on to the side, and hits it with a golf club of their choosing. Usually a chipper of some sort. Everyone tries not to run in to one another with their golf carts. If you come across someone else’s golf ball you can hit it back. When you finally get on the green the driver jumps off (rider must sit on cart) and he/she runs up to try to hit their ball in. If they find an opponents ball they can throw it, kick it, hit it with their putter. Whatever! The first one to get their ball in wins. Obviously, you wouldn’t want to be drinking EXCESSIVELY to play this golf game, as it’s easy to run into someone else’s cart. We usually do just one hole as a grand finale to our round. It’s a lot of fun.”
What was the last fun game you played on the golf course?
Doubles
Best Ball
Lone Wolf
Badges
Skins
Stink Hole
3 Clubs
Other
See results Related
GolfTianlang Guan – Golf Prodigy
by Bill De Giulio10
GolfWoods, Hagen, Hogan: Three Golf Legends and What We Can Learn From Them
by Doc Wordinger7
GolfLadies Golf – Welcome to the Club
by Stephanie Hicks25
Popular
GolfIndoor Mini Golf: How to Run a Charity Office Golf Tournament
by Doc Wordinger3
GolfA Good Golf Swing is Counter-Intuitive
by Ed Schofield2
GolfHow To Be A Marshal At A Golf Tournament
by Marian L2
What’s your favorite golf game you play? – tell us about your favorite game to play on the golf course
Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account.
0 of 8192 characters usedPost CommentNo HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.
sendingGolfpricecompare
22 months ago
Great idea. Play different games on the golf course to keep it fresh and challenging. Love it
justin-baker-9406417
5 years ago
Bingo Bango Bongo is a great one too! It doesn’t really matter if the talent level in your foursome is different as there are three ways to get a point on each hole. The first one on the green gets Bingo, after everyone is on the green whoever is closest to the pin gets Bango and whoever scores the best score gets Bongo. One point for each gives everyone a chance to get points. Sometimes being just off the green on your approach gives you a better chance at scoring Bango but maybe less of a chance of getting Bingo or Bongo.
williamslaw
5 years ago
Great lens. I do play sometimes and the Golf Cart Polo sounds like fun.
Glenda Motsavage
5 years ago from The Sunshine State
I don’t play, but I do drive the cart for my husband… Hmmmm, Golf Cart Polo??? I’ll remember that next time I have a rebellious streak! Great lens!
clubpro
5 years ago
A great game if you have more than one group is 4,3,2,1. You “must” have an even number of players as in 8, 12, 16, etc. On each 9 you have to count the net scores of your team as follows: on 1 hole you count all 4 scores, on 3 holes you count 3 scores, on 3 holes you count 2 scores and on 2 holes you count 1 score. What makes it interesting is that you have to decide when you finish each hole what you are using. Hint – don’t leave your 4 counter to the last hole, it can be disaster.
astevn816 lm
5 years ago
sad to say I have every badge
ideadesigns
5 years ago
This is great for changing up the game a bit. Fun!
Eugene Samuel Monaco
5 years ago from Lakewood New York
Always good to have fun on the golf cource, all great ideas thanks 🙂
blueit
6 years ago
eally helpful suggestions, thanks
Baddew Fibes
6 years ago
Loving the ideas – I get really bored sometimes, 바카라사이트 (published on Sasaroi) so this’ll help alleviate that boredom.Thanks!
Tricia Deed
6 years ago from Orlando, Florida
Great ideas for adding creativity on the golf course.
Guy1982
6 years ago
Great lens! THanks for sharing
stuartym91
6 years ago
This is brilliant
golftiptrip
6 years ago
Awesome! I need to try these out soon!
anonymous
6 years ago
I like the stink hole game considering that I am not a very good putter. I don’t know how many times I have chipped the ball on the green and wished the pin placement was at a different spot. I would save a lot of strokes this way. Online Golf Instruction
anonymous
6 years ago
great ideas! I’m an avid golfer & will definitely get my golf team to try out some of these fun ones for practice 🙂
dancingdiva02
6 years ago
great ideas! I’m an avid golfer & will definitely get my golf team to try out some of these fun ones for practice 🙂
anonymous
6 years ago
Sixes
Doc_Holliday
6 years ago
Some good ideas here. Thanks for sharing.
socialcx1
6 years ago
I don’t play golf but my son does and will love your lens.Thanks
anonymous
6 years ago
Some cool ideas here. But a point about your “best ball” game. You are actually describing a scramble. The term “best ball” is used to describe a game where the player who has the best score for a given hole counts for the team. Each player plays their own ball throughout.
The nice thing about best ball is that you can keep track of your individual score while still having the team score.
A variation is the Texas Scramble in which all 4 players in a foursome tee off. They pick the best tee shot of the 4 but play individually for the rest of the hole. This can be helpful if you have some players who hit into the woods, water, OB. There is less time spent looking for lost balls.
JamesT1391
6 years ago
Me and my friends love to enter Four Man Scramble tournaments. You can shoot really low, our lowest score was -18 at a course in Orlando, FL. It takes the pressure away as everybody hits from the same spot after choosing the best previous shot.
soner67
6 years ago
nice lens
anonymous
6 years ago
Ever hear of RED ball? Each team plays with a red ball, taking turns hitting it on each hole. At the end the team who has not lost their red ball puts it in a jar for a drawing. The balls are numbered with the team number in advance.
chrisilouwho
6 years ago
I had no idea, thanks!
anonymous
6 years ago
Best Ball as you define it is called a scramble. Best ball is as it sounds, the lowest score on each hole is counted for the score of the team.
ConvenientCalendar
6 years ago
Great game ideas!
Margot_C
6 years ago
Golf cart polo sounds fun, but I agree you’d get kicked off pretty handily. Thanks for the great list.
sawtrey56
6 years ago
A friend of mine likes to play Wolf, but he’s a lot better than I am. He plays in a regular Wolf game at Cobblestone Golf Course in Georgia. Their group usually has too much money for me to feel comfortable with. I’m going to suggest some of the new games that I found on your lens. Maybe it will give us a chance to play more often. website
BasementfinishingHQ
6 years ago
Hi one foot:)
I’ve been golfing for many years and have not heard of most of these game variations. Sounds like they could be fun though.
Thanks for the info.
Ryan81
6 years ago
The Three Club Game sounds great. I think I might give that one a try.:)
Rankography
6 years ago
Nice lens. I always wondered how the scoring goes in these games. I usually just tell the others to “tell me what I owe at the end”. Blessed
balec1026
6 years ago
Great lens. It does get especially boring if you go to the same golf course and do the same thing over and over. My friends and I used to do three way best ball and have the loser buy the winner a meal. The middle man neither won or loss.
jsdiego92122 lm
6 years ago
Some good ones in there, I’ll have to try them out.
webdeep lm
6 years ago
Great ideas… Thanks for sharing. I always play best ball.
chickie99
6 years ago
always go best ball!!!
GuysGoneGolfing
6 years ago
I really liked your article. Best Ball is our favorite game on the course!
anonymous
7 years ago
Will definitely give some of these a try with my foursome this spring.
Lee
7 years ago from Derbyshire, UK
Interesting ideas. We just stick to the general rules – but might consider some of these if I’m bored
James1978
7 years ago
I love golf so much, I never get bored out on the course. However you have discussed several games that I have never heard of before.
Andy Six
7 years ago
I have played some cool games but I did not know most of these. Great Lens
anonymous
7 years ago
Hi there,
I have enjoyed reading your lens. I am a golfer and I just love the game. My youngest son who is 15 plays the game now. He has only been playing for 18 months and is down to a 5 handicap already. He want’s to become a Pro.
I have just started doing my Blogs on G Mail and have done two lenses on Squidoo. Look forward to your new lenses
FantasyFootballRankings
7 years ago
I really enjoyed your article about golf games and will be back to read more.
golfgpswatch lm
7 years ago
Some great ideas here, will be having a chat with my friends this weeks and hopefully they will get involved with one or two of them.
anonymous
7 years ago
I AM LOOKING FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL GENERATE INSTRUCTIONS, PRINT SCORECARDS AND DISPLAY WINNERS WITH VARIOUS GAMES INCLUDED IN THE SOFTWARE. ANYONE KNOW OF A WINDOWS PACKAGE?
Lowsky
7 years ago
Great lens will try one of these games out on Saturday with my buddies.
anonymous
7 years ago
has anyone come across a fun golf game called Monopoly where you have cards giving instructions for forfeits or bonuses i.e. play this hole with one club only or you have just won the Club championship – take 5 extra points, etc.??
BestForTheMoneyz
7 years ago
really cool lens with some great advice. Some of these I have not heard of before, def like worthy lens 🙂
Steve_Slay
7 years ago
Great lens! Some of these games I do/have played. Some I haven’t heard of and are great ideas for future golf outings!
Tobint44 LM
7 years ago
I love best ball! Actually lets me reach par.
anonymous
7 years ago
Red ball is played with two foursomes or more. You mark a golf ball (red) or any color. Each foursome has to rotate the red ball so each player has to play the red ball the full hole. The next hole it is passed to the next player and that order is kept until game is complete. You compare the “red ball” score card and lowest score wins. One catch is you can’t lose the red ball. If all groups lose the red ball the team holding it the longest is the winner.
dale4292
7 years ago
Love your Lens, fantastic tips on varying up a round of golf, especially when playing with people of different levels. Thanks for the new ideas and best wishes!
GarminApproachGPS
7 years ago
These are nice element of fun to the golf games with some hilarious mulligan golf cards. Such lenses can boost the mindset of an amateur by having a good knowledge about the game of golf. Nice lens and best of luck for the future!
anonymous
7 years ago
@anonymous: Why don’t you play a tin whistle or stapleford. It works for all handicap ranges, I just did it for 12 gals with handicaps ranging from 10 to 40. You give them their strokes where they fall and for example you are a 40 handicap playing a par five, the player gets two strokes and they have an eight. Their net score was a six for a bogey and so they get one point. 1 point for a net bogey, 2 points for a net par, 3 for a net birdie, 4 for a net eagle. At the end of the round the person with the most points wins the $$$ or prize.
anonymous
7 years ago
Wolf is one of the best golf games you can play on the course. It definitely gives everyone a chance to score and win some bets. website
anonymous
7 years ago
Funny games. Good site 🙂
Badbreathguy
7 years ago
Interesting lens. Very informative. Best ball is still my favourite game.
koobflog
7 years ago
These are great. I had never heard of them before. Can’t wait to try some of these.
anonymous
7 years ago
@anonymous: To speed up play – play step aside. All 4 hit and whichever shot you take that person steps aside until the next shot..
AUTHORTom Fattes
7 years ago from Naperville, IL
@anonymous: I just added a game called “Strings”, which seems to be a good game if there are golfers with varying handicaps.
anonymous
7 years ago
can anyone help me with a game to play where we have poor golfers? I am trying to put togther an outing for 8 of us where the lowest handicap is me (5) and the rest are in the 20’s and even 30’s (they dont play often). Scarmble? hard to do when the lowest handicap on one team is 24. trying to make it fun and withour hold up groups behind us. thoughts are welcome. thanks,
anonymous
7 years ago
Usually when my friends and I go out golfing. We decide that we can only use one club for each hole. You don’t have to tell your friends what club your using either. For example, you can tee off on a par 4 with a 6 iron, hit your approach with a 6 iron, and try to putt with a 6 iron. Or else we designate a club for a hole that we all must use during a hole. One time we designated a 52 degree on a par 5. It took 5 shots to get close to the green but it was fun.
Nancy Tate Hellams
7 years ago from Pendleton, SC
When I was playing golf we enjoyed playing Best Ball but these other games are new to me. I enjoyed reading about them.
chris1402
7 years ago
if you cant get to the course, then if you have the time & inclination, try the latest tiger woods 13 video game – it’s almost as frustrating as playing the real game.
nice lens – see you on the 19th.
kindoak
7 years ago
Great lens! I like the three club game.
anonymous
7 years ago
It’s called “Stink Hole”. You play your normal round, but when you get on the green you can either putt for the flag. OR you can putt over where the hole USED to be. It’s fun for people that cannot chip that well. If you miss the flag and have a 20 foot putt to the flag, look around for a former hole and putt over that. You can slavage a couple bad shots with a Stinky par or a stinky birdie.
In the matter of honors on the next tee box a normal par or bogey takes precedent over a stinker.
antoniow
7 years ago
Great lens, Well done!
anonymous
7 years ago
Fitzs best ball. 1 point awarded to whose best is used including putt.Best shot always hits next.If the best sinks their putt, they add an extra point,2 points for a birdie,3 for an eagle and 4 for a double eagle. The difference between the high and other scores is paid to the high pointer by the others. Point value should be kept low($0.25/point) so as not to bankrupt new or struggling players.After all, this is to be fun.
Bill Armstrong
7 years ago from Valencia, California
Great lens and games, will try these out next time on course, have featured your lens
HonoluluMom
7 years ago
Since I’m a terrible golfer and get bored at about the half way point…my favorite golf game is find the lost balls. It’s like Easter Egg hunting for grown-ups.
karMALZEKE
7 years ago
I enjoyed this lens. I am passing it on to my two brother’s who live at the golf course.
PurpleParasols
7 years ago
I live on a golf course. I might actually start to play now with these fun ideas!
Gloria Freeman
7 years ago from Alabama USA
Hi I do not know much about golf but we sure have some nice golf course in Al.I enjoyed reading this.
Bob Zau
7 years ago
“High Five” Lone Wolf is a game we play quite often,
MarionElodie
7 years ago
I don’t play or know much about golf, but this was an interesting read and I like the idea of creating games within a game. Thank you for sharing those ideas.
BlogsWriter
7 years ago
Fascinating games worth trying.
anonymous
7 years ago
I don’t know much about golf. So, I don’t have a favorite golf game, but I think this is a great lens. God bless!
LooLooBird
7 years ago
Great lens! I’m posting this to my brother’s wall on FB 🙂
Lynne Modranski
7 years ago from Ohio
LOL!!! I play “three clubs” a LOT!!! I’m not a good golfer, so I end up using my driver (no matter how close the green), my four hybrid and my putter! (I guess I do throw my pitching wedge in there from time to time too!) Thanks for sharing!
Lauriej1
7 years ago
Cool lens!!
CreativeXpressi
7 years ago
The only golf I play is miniature golf, but I found this lens to very interesting. I have friends who play “regular” gold and will share some of these games with with them.
SophiaStar LM
7 years ago
My fiancee plays golf , I do not but I like to watch and ride. I really like the badges game:)!
HomeschooledKid1
7 years ago
Interesting games! I bet they’re a lot of fun! (I’ll have to try some of them!)
Gayle Dowell
7 years ago from Kansas
I’m not much of a golfer, but these games sound fun.
YCHCap14
7 years ago
Bingo, Bango, Bongo – There are 3 points available on each hole – First on the green gets a point, closest to the hole, first to sink their putt. The player with the most points at the end wins. You can build variations of this.
William Leverne Smith
7 years ago from Hollister, MO
Golf. 😉
cassie-resh
7 years ago
I will have to show this to my friend! He is an avid golfer!
hexadtraining
7 years ago
Someone just recently suggested I start playing golf. Squidoo is a great resource!!!
JohnMichael2
7 years ago
you do realize that my handicap is…. that I play golf…
jmatts1
7 years ago
Nice lens, thanks for the golf game ideas.
JoyfulReviewer
7 years ago
I played miniature golf once. The games you’ve showcased look like a lot of fun.
TerryG247
7 years ago
Now I need to figure out which golf game to play next time I hit the course
anonymous
7 years ago
Love to play golf. I was just looking to make it a little more fun for me and my buddies. You have some good ideas. Thanks
PennyHowe
7 years ago
Thanks for this great lens and info. Add another element of fun to your golf games with my hilarious mulligan golf cards. Go here to download some free ones and try them out right away website Here’s wishing you fun on the golf course!
BestMensSkinCar1
7 years ago
will try playing some of these on my next round!
Sarata LM
7 years ago
I never played golf, but interested to try.
Rebeljohn
7 years ago
Very nice lens great info thanks for posting it
nophie lm
7 years ago
stop by here on your lens, nice lens you have
desa999 lm
7 years ago
Thanks for some great ideas on this topic.
opheliakeith lm
7 years ago
Some great ideas. Thanks!
See 100 of 170 remaining comments
آخرین دیدگاه ها