4 Great Ways to Save on Your Next Golf Trip
December 5, 2018
The Talk Every Group Leader Should Have With Their Golfers
December 7, 2018
#1: Vegas
Two teams, two players each. You play for a team score on each hole. But here’s the twist, rather than adding the two team scores — for example, Player A makes a 4 and Player B makes a 5 — the scores are paired (lowest score in front). So, instead of the team in the example used making a 4-5 for a combined nine, they instead make a “45.”
The team score is representative of the number of points each team earns per hole. The points are tracked throughout the round and at the end, the differential is paid off.
You can set any value you want on points… For high rollers, that might be $1 per point. For the average Joe, that might be a nickel per point.
For instance… The paired score for Team A on one hole is 45 and the paired score for Team B is a 55. If they were playing for $1 per point, Team B owes Team A $10 for that hole.
Just so things don’t get ridiculously out of hand, there is a safeguard in Vegas. If a player on a given team scores a 10 or higher, then the 10+ score comes before the lower score when they’re paired together for points. So, if a team has a 7 and a 10 rather than “710 points” for the hole, it’s “107.” This is the only instance in Vegas when the larger number is paired in front of the lower number.
#2: Binga, Bango, Bongo!
This is a game of points. The first player in the group to get the ball on the green gets a point (bingo). The player whose ball is closest to the pin once all balls are on the green gets a point (bango). And, finally, the player in the group who is first to hole out gets a point (bongo).
This is a fantastic game even for weaker players because you only have to be the first at something — especially when it comes to the “bango.” For instance, stronger players are likely to hit more greens in regulation (a par 4 in two shots, or a par 5 in three shots). As a result, the stronger player might be left with a 20-footer or more for birdie. Meanwhile, the weaker player might take five shots to get greenside on the same hole and then chip up to four feet. If the three stronger players are on the green in regulation with lengthy birdie tries and the weaker player is within four feet for a seven once all balls are on the green, the weaker player wins the point.
#3: Snake
Snake is perfect for learning how to putt better in the clutch. You know those three-footers that your group always swats away as “gimmes?” You can’t do that with this game. You have to putt them out. And any time a player three-putts or worse (the ball has to be on the green for the first putt), a specific amount is added to a pot. That money keeps accruing during the round and the last person to three-putt has to pay the other players the amount in the pot. There are many variations of this game including a progressive version where the pot amount starts at a dime and doubles each time someone three-putts. Another version makes the person with the most three-putts pay. It’s recommended to play this game when the course isn’t crowded because it can slow things down. However, it’s a great game to learn how to make short putts and not take other putts for granted.
