The Best Golf Side Games (And When to Play Them)
Golf is better with something on the line. Whether it's $2 or $200, a little action keeps everyone focused. Here's your guide to the classic formats — and a new one worth trying.
Nassau
Best for: Any skill level, any group size
The gold standard. Three separate bets: front nine, back nine, and overall 18. You can win up to three ways (or lose up to three ways).
Why it works: Even if you blow up on the front, you can salvage the day on the back. Nobody's out of it until it's over.
Typical stakes: $5-$20 per bet
Skins
Best for: Groups who want hole-by-hole drama
Each hole is worth a "skin." Win the hole outright, win the skin. Ties carry over to the next hole.
Why it works: Carryovers build tension. When three holes carry over, suddenly a par putt is worth $60.
The downside: Long stretches of ties can be anticlimactic. And one lucky hole can erase a consistently good round.
Typical stakes: $1-$5 per hole
Wolf
Best for: Foursomes who want rotating drama
One player is the "wolf" each hole. After seeing each player's tee shot, the wolf decides: pick a partner, or go alone against the other three.
Why it works: It's strategic. Good tee shot from your buddy? Partner up. Everyone in the rough? Go wolf.
The downside: Complex to track, works only with exactly four players.
Typical stakes: $1-$2 per point
Match Play
Best for: 1v1 or 2v2, competitive players
Each hole is a separate match. Win the hole, you're "1 up." Lose it, you're "1 down." Ties carry no value.
Why it works: You can blow up on a hole and only lose that hole, not the whole round. Aggressive play is rewarded.
The downside: Can get lopsided fast. "4 and 3" means someone's walking the last four holes with nothing to play for.
Bingo Bango Bongo
Best for: Mixed skill levels
Three points per hole: first on the green (bingo), closest to the pin once all are on (bango), first in the hole (bongo).
Why it works: It rewards different skills — long hitters, accurate players, good putters. Handicaps don't matter.
The downside: Can slow down play. And it's a weird name.
The problem with all of these
Notice something? These formats all wait. They settle up at the end of the hole, or the end of the round. The action happens after the shot, not during.
What if stakes applied to specific shots, in real time?
Enter: Flip It Golf
Flip It adds a layer on top of your round where shots themselves become the drama.
Your opponent sticks an approach? Flip it. 50/50 chance they have to do it again.
The key difference:
- Traditional formats: "Let's see how this hole turns out"
- Flip It: "That shot you just hit? Let's see if it counts"
You can play Flip It alongside any other format. It doesn't replace Nassau or skins — it adds to them.
What to play?
| Format | Drama | Complexity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau | Medium | Low | Any group |
| Skins | Variable | Low | Gamblers |
| Wolf | High | Medium | Strategic players |
| Match Play | High | Low | Competitors |
| Flip It | Very High | Low | Everyone |
Our recommendation
Nassau + Flip It. The Nassau gives you something to play for on the scorecard. The Flip It gives you something to play for on every shot.
It's the best of both worlds.