Which golf betting game should you play?
For most groups the answer is a Nassau or a Skins game. A Nassau is three bets in one, front nine, back nine and overall, and it is the easiest to explain. Skins pays the low score on each hole and works with any number of players. Wolf and Vegas add team play and strategy for a foursome that wants more.
Here is how each of the common games works, and which to pick based on your group.
Nassau
Skins
Wolf
A quick way to choose
- New group or new to betting? Play a Nassau. It is forgiving and easy to follow.
- More than four players? Play Skins. It scales to any group size.
- Exactly four who want strategy? Play Wolf or Vegas.
- Mixed abilities? Use net scoring so handicaps keep it fair, and add Greenies or Birdies as side bets on top.
You can run more than one of these in the same round. Most groups play a main game and a side bet or two, then net everything together at the end.
Keeping the math straight
The catch with running several games at once is the settling. Every player gets a different number of handicap strokes on different holes, and each game pays out differently. Fairway Funds tracks Nassau, Skins, Wolf, Vegas, Nines, Greenies and Birdies in one round, applies handicaps automatically, and nets every game into one number per player, so you finish knowing exactly who owes whom.
It does the arithmetic, not the payment, you still settle in cash or whatever app your group already uses.
Golf betting games: common questions
How does a Nassau bet work in golf?
A Nassau is three separate bets in one round: the front nine, the back nine, and the overall eighteen. You can win, lose or tie each of the three independently, so a bad front nine does not sink your whole day. When a player or team falls behind they can call a press, which opens a new side bet from that point on. It is the most common golf bet because it is simple to explain and keeps the round competitive to the end.
How do you play Skins in golf?
In Skins, every hole is worth a fixed amount, the skin. Whoever has the lowest score on a hole wins that skin outright. If two or more players tie for low, the skin carries over and is added to the next hole, so pots build up fast. Skins works with any number of players, which makes it a good choice for a bigger group.
What is Wolf in golf?
Wolf is a four-player game where the wolf role rotates each hole. The wolf tees off last and, after seeing the other tee shots, either picks one player as a partner for that hole or goes lone wolf against all three for a higher payout. It rewards nerve and reading the hole, and it is best played as a standalone game with exactly four players.
Which golf betting game is best for beginners?
Start with a Nassau or Skins. A Nassau is easy to understand, three bets, front, back and total, and forgiving because you can lose one part and still win another. Skins is even simpler, low score on the hole wins the money, and it works with any group size. Wolf and Vegas add strategy and team play, so pick them up once the group is comfortable with the basics.
How are handicaps used in golf betting games?
Most friendly games use net scores so players of different abilities can compete fairly. Each player's handicap index is converted to a course handicap using the tee's slope and rating, and that decides how many strokes they receive and on which holes, based on the hole stroke index. The bet is then settled on net scores rather than raw gross scores.