Bingo, Bango, Bongo allows players with a wide range of handicaps to be competitive.  The format puts separate values on a player's long game, short game, and putting.

Each hole has three points available.  The player that is the furthest away must play first.  Players may assign any value to each point.  Points are earned as follows:

Bingo = 1 point goes to the player hitting the green in the fewest strokes.  Fringes do not count and ties are half-point.

Bango = 1 point goes to the player closest to the pin after everyone is on the green, regardless of how many strokes it took to get there.  On par 3 holes no point is awarded for the first ball on the green, instead the players may chose the option of awarding the 1 point to the player who is second-closest to the pin after everyone is on.

Bongo = 1 point goes to the player in the hole in the fewest strokes.

Variations

Bingo = 1 point to the player hitting the green first, regardless of how many strokes it took to get there.

Bongo = 1 point goes to the player making the longest putt.

Add Boom to Bingo, Bango, Bongo.  Boom = 1 point to the player with the longest drive in the fairway.  If no player earns the point it is carried over to the next hole.  On par 3 holes no point is awarded for longest drive in the fairway, instead the players may chose the option of automatically carrying the point over to the next hole.

High handicappers may do well if they have a good short game as good chipping or bunker play will keep them competitive for that second point.

bridge

Bridge begins with the foursome splitting into 2 teams with one pair versus the other pair.  Bridge requires a bidding strategy by the partners similar to the bridge card game. The object of the game is for the lowest bidding team to have a combined score equal to, or lower than, the bid.

The first team to bid is determined on the first tee.  The option to bid first alternates on each hole regardless of which team wins the bid.  The team that bids first has two options:

Bid the number of strokes that they believe their team will have on the hole.

Pass the bid to the opposing team.

After the first bid is declared, the opposing team has the following options: Bid a lower score.

Pass, which establishes the other teams bid for the hole. If you believe your opponents will not score equal to or lower than their bid, you have the option to double the point value of the hole.

Bidding continues until the lowest bid is established.  Points are earned as follows:

The lowest bidding team wins the point value of the hole if they score equal to, or lower than, the bid.

The lowest bidding team loses the point value of the hole if their combined score is over the bid.

Bridge is a game involving strategy and can make for a very interesting round of golf.

chairman

Chairman is a game for 3 or 4 players and is similar to Skins.  The first player to win a hole (untied) becomes the Chairman.  If the Chairman wins the next hole then the Chairman wins a point from the other players.  Should the hole result in a tie there are no points earned and the Chairman keeps the chair.  If one of the other players wins a hole then that player is the new Chairman with no points won or lost for that hole.

chicago

Chicago is a handicap game.  Players receive a negative number of points, called a "hurdle" based on their handicaps.  To determine the amount of the hurdle a players starts with negative 39 points and adds his handicap.  For example, a scratch golfer would have a "hurdle of -39 points, a golfer with a 1 handicap would have a -38, a golfer with a 2 handicap would have a -37, and so on.

Players earn points as follows:

Bogeys = 1 point.
Pars = 2 points.
Birdies = 4 points.
Eagles = 8 points.

The Player who clears his hurdle by the most points wins.  If no one clears, the player closest to zero wins.  Wagering can involve a fixed sum to the winner or an amount based on point differentials.  You can also add a bonus for a player clearing a hurdle.

fairways and greens

Fairways and Greens can be a good game for higher handicapped golfers because it encourages smart play.  Plus it is hard to lose by a large margin.

In this game players receive 1 point for each fairway hit in regulation on par 4's and par 5's and 1 point for each green hit in regulation.  This usually equals about 24 total points for a round.

Points can be awarded every time a player hits a fairway or green, or points can be carried over if two players hit (or all players miss) at the same time.  For example, the each player in the foursome hits the fairway, but only one of the four hits the green than that player would earn 2 points and the others would earn none.

las vegas

Las Vegas begins with the foursome splitting into 2 teams with one pair versus the other pair.  On each hole, the two players on each team combine their net scores to make the lowest possible two-digit number.  The points awarded per hole is determined by the difference between the two team scores.

For example, if on Team A, one player makes a 4 and the other makes a 5 the scores are combined with the low number first and the team score would be 45.  If Team B's score was 55 (a 5 and a 5) then Team A would win 10 points on the hole.  However, if a player makes a net 10 or higher the high number goes first.

If both players on a team fail to make net par or better that team's high score automatically goes first.  You can also use net bogey or better if this fits your group better.

If a player makes birdie or better, the other team's high score automatically goes first.

nassau

Nassau is probably the most popular games on the golf course.  A Nassau is made up of three matches.  The front nine is the first match, the back nine is the second match, and the 18 hole total is the third match.

The point value assigned to each match is equal and is determined prior to the round.  A Nassau can be played between two players or teams of two or more players.

Match play is the most popular method for keeping score.  This means that the score is kept based only on whether holes are won or loss with no consideration given to the winning margin.  The players' net scores are generally used.

Best Ball is the most popular method for keeping score with foursomes.  This means that each team's better net score on each hole is used against the opposing team's better score.

A player or a team which has won 2 holes and lost 1 hole is said to be "1 up".  A player or a team wins one of the three matches when they are more holes up than there are holes remaining.

Variations

The Press.  Players may allow "Pressing".  A press gives a team that is down in one of the matches the option of starting an additional match from the time of the press to the end of the original match for the same value as the original match.  For example, if a team is 2 holes down on #7 tee they may choose to "Press" the front nine match.  This means a new match is started on the #7 tee for the same amount as the front nine match and will also finish on the 9th hole (a 3 hole match).  Both matches carry on until the 9th hole is over.

A press does not have to be accepted by a player or team ahead in a match.  However, when pressing is allowed it is generally consider poor sportsmanship to decline a press.

If players decide to allow "Pressing" guidelines should be established as to when pressing is allowed.  Here are some suggestions:

Pressing allowed only on the 9th or 18th tee.

Presses only allowed when a team has already won the original wager.

Presses only allowed when a team is down by at least 2 holes.

Pressing allowed any time a team that is down feels like it.

Additional Variations

High - Low.  Each team's low score is matched against the other team's low score for 1 point and likewise for the two high scores.

Total score.  Each team adds their two scores together and the total is used in a match play format.

Tie breaker.  Each team uses their better score unless those scores tie.  In the case of a tie, each teams' high score is used in a tie-breaker.

nines and sixteens

This game is for three or four players of equal ability or using scores adjusted by handicaps.  For three players each hole has a value of 9 points.  Players earn points as follows:

Lowest score = 5 points
Second lowest score = 3 points
High score = 1 point

If any of 3 players tie the 9 points are divided as follows:

Tie for high score = 5, 2, 2
Tie for low score= 4, 4, 1
All tie = 3, 3, 3

For four players each hole has a value of 16 points.  Players earn points as follows:

Lowest score = 7 points
Second lowest score = 5 points
Third lowest score = 3 points
High score = 1 point

If any of the 4 players tie the 16 points are divided as follows:

Tie for low and high score = 6, 6, 2, 2
All tie = 4, 4, 4, 4
Tie for second lowest score = 7, 4, 4, 1
Three way tie for high score = 7, 3, 3, 3
Three way tie for low score = 5, 5, 5, 1

Any agreed upon value can be assigned to a point.  Total the final points.

pink ball

Pink Ball is played by teams of four.  Each foursome has a bright pink (or similar color) ball that is traded throughout the players.  The first player uses it on the #1, second on #2, and so on.  Take the best two net scores on the hole and add them.  Of course, one of these must be the Pink Ball.

A golfer is disqualified if he loses the Pink Ball.

Keep the overall net score for the Pink Ball separately and compete for the team with the best Pink Ball score.  If a team loses their Pink Ball they are disqualified.

stableford and british stableford

Stableford is played between 2-4 players. Players earn or lose points based on their net score on each hole as follows:

Eagle = 2 points
Birdie = 1 points
Par = 0 point
Bogie = -1 point

The winner is the player with the most points for the round. The other players pay the winner the difference in their point totals from the winner's point total multiplied by the wager amount.

British Stableford is also played between 2-4 players. Players earn points based on their net score on each hole as follows:

Eagle = 4 points
Birdie = 2 points
Par = 1 point

The player with the most points wins the wager amount from each other player.

wolf

Wolf begins on the first tee with the players in a threesome or foursome establishing an order of play.  It is suggested that you toss a tee to decide the order of play.  Players will rotate that same order throughout the round.  For example, if you are first to play on #1, you will be second to play on #2, third to play on #3, fourth to play on #4, first to play on #5, and so on.

The player teeing off first is the Wolf.  The players take turns playing the Wolf based on the rotation of the established tee off order.

After teeing off the Wolf has the three following options:

Choose one of the other three players as a partner for the hole based on the result of their tee shots, or

Play the hole alone against the other three players.

For example, the Wolf tees of first.  Then the second player in the rotation tees off.  Based on the result of the second players drive the Wolf has the option to select the second player as a partner or pass.  Once the third player hits their tee shot, the second player is no longer eligible as a partner for the Wolf.  Like wise, once the fourth player hits their drive, the third player is no longer eligible as a partner for the Wolf.

After the fourth player tees off, the Wolf must select the fourth player as a partner for the hole, or play the hole alone against the other three players.

Points are earned as follows:

Winning team = 1 points each player.
Wolf wins playing alone = 2 points.
Wolf loses playing alone = 2 points all other players.

VARIATIONS

Wolf can be played low ball or low total.

Blind Wolf.  A player who is scheduled to tee off first may elect to call Blind Wolf!  By doing so, he declares that he will play the hole using his own ball, regardless of the tee shots of the other three players.

Blind Wolf wins = 3 points.

Blind Wolf loses = 3 points all other players.

Lone Wolf.  A player chosen by the Wolf as his partner may elect to call Lone Wolf!  By doing so, he declares that he will play the hole using his own ball, regardless of the tee shots of the other three players.

Lone Wolf wins = 2 points.

Lone Wolf loses = 2 points all other players.