7 Golf Betting Games Every Foursome Should Know

Reading Time: 7 minutes By: Golf Is Hard | The 19th Hole

Let's face it. Golf is hard.

One minute you're striping drives down the middle, and the next you're searching for a $5 golf ball in the woods while your buddies remind you that you're still away.

But there's one thing that makes even the worst round better: a little action with your friends.

We're not talking about betting the mortgage. We're talking about a few bucks, some bragging rights, and enough trash talk to keep everyone entertained for 18 holes.

Whether you're playing with the same foursome every Saturday or organizing a golf trip with 12 of your closest friends, the right golf betting game can turn an ordinary round into an unforgettable one.

Here are seven of our favorites.

1. Wolf — Every Hole Is a New Adventure

Best for: Foursomes that enjoy strategy, partnerships, and talking trash.

Wolf is one of the most entertaining golf games you can play with four golfers.

Each hole, one player is the Wolf. The Wolf rotates every hole, giving everyone a chance to control the action.

After seeing the other players tee off, the Wolf decides whether to choose a partner or play alone against the other three.

How it works:

• Establish the Wolf rotation before the round.
• The Wolf can select a partner according to your group's agreed selection rules.
• If the Wolf chooses a partner, it's a 2-vs.-2 match.
• If the Wolf plays alone, it's 1-vs.-3.
• Points are awarded based on the outcome and your group's rules.

Some groups also play Lone Wolf, where a player takes on everyone for a chance at additional points.

Why we love it: Every hole is a new game. Alliances change, friendships get tested, and nobody is safe from the trash talk.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Set up Wolf in Golf Is Hard to help track your game and keep the competition organized.

2. Nassau — The Classic Three-Bet Golf Game

Best for: Golfers who enjoy match play and a chance to recover from a bad front nine.

Nassau is a golf betting classic.

Instead of one wager covering the entire round, Nassau divides the match into three separate bets:

• Front nine
• Back nine
• Overall 18-hole match

Let's say you're playing a $5 Nassau.

That's $5 on the front, $5 on the back, and $5 on the overall match.

Win all three, and you collect $15 from your opponent.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, then someone says the magic word.

"PRESS!"

A press creates an additional bet, typically starting from the hole where the press is accepted, under the rules established by the group.

Suddenly, that simple Nassau gets a whole lot more interesting.

Why we love it: Even if you're getting destroyed on the front nine, there's still an opportunity to turn things around.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Use the Nassau game features to organize your front-nine, back-nine, and overall action, including presses.

3. Skins — One Hole Can Change Everything

Best for: Competitive groups where every hole matters.

Skins is one of the easiest games to explain and one of the hardest to walk away from.

Each hole has a value called a skin.

To win a skin, you need to beat everyone else on that hole.

If two players tie for the best score, the skin typically carries over to the next hole.

For example:

Hole 1: Nobody wins outright. One skin carries over.

Hole 2: Another tie. Now two skins carry over.

Hole 3: One golfer wins outright and collects all three skins.

Just like that, your buddy who couldn't find a fairway for two holes is suddenly celebrating like he won the Masters.

Skins can be played gross or net, depending on the group's rules. You should also agree on how birdies, eagles, handicap strokes, and ties are handled before teeing off.

Why we love it: One great hole can completely change the day.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Golf Is Hard supports Skins with carryovers, helping your group keep track of what's still up for grabs.

4. Vegas — Two Scores, One Big Number

Best for: Foursomes that like team competition with a twist.

Vegas is usually played with two teams of two golfers.

Here's where it gets interesting.

Instead of adding your team's two scores together, you combine them to create a two-digit number, placing the lower score first.

For example:

• Team A shoots 4 and 5. Their number is 45.
• Team B shoots 5 and 6. Their number is 56.

Team A wins the hole by 11 points.

Depending on your agreed stake, those 11 points could translate into a friendly wager.

Some Vegas variations include flipping the opposing team's number after a birdie, but those rules should be established before the round.

Why we love it: Your partner's score suddenly matters just as much as yours.

And when your buddy makes an eight, you're probably going to have a few words for him.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Use the Vegas side game to make keeping track of team results easier.

5. Snake — The Three-Putt Nobody Wants

Best for: Groups that enjoy putting pressure and laughing at bad putting.

Ever stand over a three-foot putt and suddenly feel like you're putting to win the U.S. Open?

Welcome to Snake.

Snake is a simple putting game with one goal:

Don't be the last golfer to three-putt.

Typically, the first player who three-putts takes possession of the Snake.

When another player three-putts, the Snake transfers to that golfer.

Whoever holds the Snake at the end of the round owes the agreed amount under your group's rules.

Some groups increase the value every time the Snake changes hands.

Why we love it: A simple two-foot putt on the 18th green can become the most nerve-racking shot of the day.

And nothing brings golf buddies together quite like watching someone miss a short putt.

6. Match Play — You Against Me

Best for: Head-to-head rivalries and team competitions.

Match play is golf at its most personal.

Instead of counting your total strokes for the entire round, you're competing to win individual holes.

If you make a four and your opponent makes a five, you win the hole.

If you both make four, the hole is halved.

Your opponent could make a 10 on one hole, and it only costs them that hole.

That's the beauty of match play.

It's also why someone can shoot a terrible overall score and still win the match.

Popular ways to play:

• Singles match play
• Two-person team match play
• Front-nine, back-nine, and overall matches
• Net match play using agreed handicap allowances

Why we love it: Every hole feels like its own championship.

And there's nothing better than beating the buddy who has been telling you for six months that he's the better golfer.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Set up match play and use handicap strokes to make matches competitive.

7. Best Ball — Your Partner Can Save the Day

Best for: Golf trips, foursomes, and golfers with different skill levels.

Best Ball, also called Four-Ball when played with two-person teams, is one of the most popular ways to compete as a group.

Everyone plays their own ball, but only the best score from each team counts on a hole.

For example:

Team A:

• Golfer 1 shoots 4
• Golfer 2 shoots 6
• Team score: 4

Team B:

• Golfer 3 shoots 5
• Golfer 4 shoots 5
• Team score: 5

Team A wins the hole.

You can play gross or net, with handicap strokes helping golfers of different abilities compete.

Why we love it: Your partner can rescue you when everything goes wrong.

Which is especially helpful when your driver decides to take the day off.

Golf Is Hard Tip: Use team scoring and handicap features to organize your competition and keep everyone involved.

Which Golf Betting Game Is the Best?

That depends entirely on your group.

One thing we'd recommend: Agree on the rules, handicap allowances, stakes, and payout structure before the first tee shot.

Keep wagers friendly, affordable, and legal wherever you're playing.

Because nobody wants to spend 20 minutes in the parking lot arguing over who owes what.

Golf Is Hard Makes the Games Easier

You already have enough to worry about.

Finding the fairway.

Avoiding three-putts.

Not losing six golf balls.

And figuring out why the guy with the 22 handicap suddenly looks like Scottie Scheffler.

The last thing you need is a confusing spreadsheet or somebody trying to remember the bets from hole seven.

That's where Golf Is Hard comes in.

The app brings your golf group together with:

• Live scoring: Track scores while you play.
• Golf side games: Organize Wolf, Nassau, Skins, Vegas, Snake, and more.
• Handicap support: Keep competitions fair for golfers of different skill levels.
• Tournaments: Create events, teams, scorecards, and leaderboards.
• Golf trip planning: Get your buddies organized for the next getaway.
• Community features: Stay connected with the golfers you play with.

And the best part?

Players play FREE. Hosts go Pro.

No more passing around scorecards trying to figure out who won.

No more arguing over the Nassau.

No more forgetting who owes whom.

Just golf, friendly competition, and good times.

Ready to Make Your Next Round More Interesting?

Let's play some golf. Track it. Bet it. Repeat.

Try Golf Is Hard: https://www.golfishard.app

Join the Conversation

We want to hear from you.

What's your favorite golf betting game?

Are you a Wolf fanatic? A Nassau traditionalist? Or the guy who somehow manages to lose the Snake on the 18th hole every single Saturday?

Share this article with your golf buddies and let us know what games your group plays.

And if there's a game we're missing, tell us. We're always looking for ways to make Golf Is Hard even better.

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