The two most popular golf betting games are skins (each hole is worth a prize, lowest score outright wins it, ties carry over) and the Nassau (three separate bets on the front nine, back nine and full 18). For a foursome with mixed abilities, play them net using handicap strokes, agree on stakes and tie rules on the first tee, and settle up with one tally at the end, not hole by hole.
Every regular group eventually asks the same question: "What are we playing for today?" The answer is usually whatever the loudest guy suggests, with rules nobody agrees on until there's money on the line. Here's a cheat sheet so your group can pick a game in thirty seconds and settle up in two minutes.
The quick comparison
| Game | Players | Best for | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skins | 2–any | Any group, any size | Easy |
| Nassau | 2 or 2 teams | Matches and rivalries | Easy (until presses) |
| Wolf | 4 | Foursomes who like strategy | Medium |
| Vegas | 4 (2 teams) | Groups that want action | Medium, swings fast |
| Bingo Bango Bongo | 3–4 | Mixed skill levels | Easy |
| Stableford | Any | Big groups, net scoring | Easy |
Skins
Each hole is worth one "skin." The player with the lowest score on the hole, outright, wins it. If two or more players tie for low, nobody wins and the skin carries over to the next hole, so the next hole is worth two. That carryover is what makes skins fun: a quiet front nine can turn into a five-skin 14th hole.
- Gross or net? For mixed groups, play net. Each player gets their handicap strokes on the hardest holes (the "handicap" or "stroke index" row on the scorecard, where 1 is the hardest hole).
- Pot skins vs. per-hole skins. In big groups, everyone puts money in a pot and the pot is divided by the number of skins won. In a foursome, it's simpler to set a value per skin.
- What happens on 18? Decide before you tee off whether unclaimed carryovers on 18 go to a playoff, get split, or roll into next week.
Nassau
A Nassau is really three bets: the front nine, the back nine, and the overall 18. A "$5 Nassau" means $5 on each, so the most you can lose is $15. It works as match play (holes won) or stroke play, between two players or two teams.
The wrinkle is the press. When a player or team falls behind (traditionally 2 down), they can "press," which starts a new side bet from that hole to the end of the nine. Some groups use automatic presses. Presses are where a $5 Nassau becomes a $40 afternoon, so agree on the press rule up front.
Wolf
Wolf is built for a foursome. Players rotate as the "Wolf" each hole. The Wolf watches the others tee off one at a time and can pick a partner immediately after that player's drive, or pass. Pass on everyone and the Wolf plays alone against the other three as the "Lone Wolf" for higher stakes. Points go to the winning side on each hole, and the leader at the end collects.
Scoring varies a lot between groups (who plays Wolf on 17 and 18, how many points a Lone Wolf earns), so write your version down once and reuse it.
Vegas
Two teams of two. On each hole, each team combines its two scores into a two-digit number with the lower score first: a 4 and a 5 becomes 45. The difference between the teams' numbers is the points won (45 vs. 56 is 11 points). In the common variation, a birdie "flips" the other team's number high-first, so their 4 and 6 becomes 64. Vegas swings fast, so keep the per-point value small.
Bingo Bango Bongo
Three points per hole: Bingo for the first ball on the green, Bango for the ball closest to the pin once everyone is on, and Bongo for the first ball in the hole. Order of play matters (farthest from the hole plays first), which is what gives a 25-handicap a real chance against a 5. It's the best game for a group with a wide skill spread.
Stableford
Instead of counting strokes, you earn points on each hole relative to par: in standard Stableford, a net bogey is 1 point, net par 2, net birdie 3, net eagle 4. Blow-up holes cost you nothing worse than zero, so rounds move faster and nobody is out of it after one bad hole. It's ideal for larger groups where everyone plays the same game.
PLYR tracks skins, Nassau and Stableford side games alongside your scores, so the money is figured out when the last putt drops.
See how it works →How to settle up without the parking-lot argument
- Agree on four things on the first tee: the game, the stakes, gross or net, and what happens on ties (carryovers, presses, playoffs).
- One scorekeeper, one source of truth. Two people keeping score is how you end up with two different answers.
- Net it out. Combine all the games into one number per player before anyone pays anyone. Four players with three games each should come down to two or three payments, not twelve.
- Pay before you leave. "I'll Venmo you later" is how bets turn into grudges.
"The game doesn't matter nearly as much as agreeing on the rules before the first tee shot."
If your group plays every week, pick a default game and stick with it. Consistency beats novelty, and it means nobody has to relearn the rules every Saturday. For format ideas beyond side bets, see scramble vs. best ball vs. match play, and if you play net, how course and playing handicaps work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular golf betting game?
Skins and the Nassau are the two most common. Skins works for any group size; the Nassau is the classic bet for a two-person or two-team match.
How does a press work in a Nassau?
When a player or team falls behind (usually 2 down), they can press, which starts a new bet from that hole through the end of the nine. The original bet keeps going. Some groups make presses automatic.
Should skins be played gross or net?
For groups with mixed abilities, play net: each player receives their handicap strokes on the holes ranked hardest on the scorecard. Gross skins only works when everyone is within a few strokes of each other.
What happens to skins that tie on the 18th hole?
There is no single rule. Common options are a playoff, splitting the remaining pot evenly, or carrying it to the next round. Pick one before you tee off.
What is the best golf betting game for players of different skill levels?
Bingo Bango Bongo and net Stableford. Bingo Bango Bongo rewards order of play and proximity rather than raw score, and Stableford caps the damage from blow-up holes.