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Golf games, explained properly
Every game a regular group plays, written out the way it actually gets played: how a hole is won, what happens on a tie, how handicap strokes change it, and how you work out where everyone finished at the end.
Most explanations of these games stop at the first paragraph and leave you to argue about the rest in the car park. These go further, because the awkward parts are the interesting ones. What a press actually does to the money on the line. Why a tie in skins is worth more than a win. Who gets the point when two players halve a hole in bingo bango bongo.
- Skins Low score wins the hole. Ties carry over and the pot keeps building.
- Nassau and presses Three matches in one round, and what a press actually does.
- Wolf Pick a partner off the tee, or take the hole on alone for more.
- Stableford Points against par, and why a blow-up hole costs you nothing.
- Bingo bango bongo First on, closest once everyone is on, first in. Three points a hole.
- Nines and twelves Five three one for three players, six four two for four, and the tie rule.
- Scramble and best ball One ball or four, how each is scored, and splitting sides fairly.
- Handicap strokes Where your shots fall, stroke index, and full versus low man scratch.
The Card runs the games hole by hole on one phone while the rest of the group follows along free.