A round with friends is more fun with something on the line, doesn't have to be money, points and bragging rights work fine too. The trick is picking a game that actually fits your group's skill spread, so the same person isn't winning everything by hole 4. Here are five formats that hold up, from the classic to the underrated.

1Nassau

Match PlayBest for: 2-4 players

The original three-in-one bet: separate matches for the front nine, back nine, and overall 18, each scored hole by hole. A common structure is even stakes across all three, like $2-$2-$2, with optional "presses," fresh side bets that kick in when someone falls 2 holes down, to keep a lopsided match interesting.

Why it works: three separate matches means three separate chances to win something, even in a round that doesn't go your way overall.

Full rules and scoring breakdown: What Is a Nassau in Golf?

2Wolf

Rotating PartnersBest for: 4 players

Players rotate being "the Wolf" each hole, in a set order. After watching each opponent's tee shot, the Wolf chooses a partner for that hole, or can go it alone ("Lone Wolf") against the other three for double points. Points are tracked per hole and tallied at the end of the round.

Why it works: the strategic partner choice gives the Wolf real decisions to make every hole, and going Lone Wolf adds a genuine risk/reward swing for anyone willing to gamble.

3Skins

Stroke PlayBest for: 3-4 players

Each hole is worth a "skin," a set amount of money or points. Lowest score on the hole wins it outright; if two or more players tie for low score, the skin carries over and stacks onto the next hole, which can pile up fast.

Why it works: it's the simplest game on this list to track in your head mid-round, and carryover holes create real tension, since one hole can suddenly be worth three skins at once.

4Bingo Bango Bongo

Point-BasedBest for: any group, any skill level

Three points are up for grabs on every hole, regardless of score: Bingo (first ball on the green), Bango (closest to the pin once everyone's on the green), and Bongo (first ball in the hole). Whoever earns the most total points across the round wins.

Why it works: none of the three points require the lowest score on the hole. A higher-handicap player can easily out-chip or out-putt a scratch golfer on a given hole, which keeps the whole group genuinely competitive regardless of the actual scorecard.

5Snake

Penalty-BasedBest for: 3-4 players, side bet

A running side bet, usually layered on top of whatever else you're playing. Whoever three-putts first "has the snake," a small penalty (cash or points) attached to their name. The snake passes to the next player who three-putts, and whoever's holding it at the end of the round pays up.

Why it works: it turns a single bad putt into a running storyline for the whole round, and it's genuinely funny watching someone sweat a 4-footer on 18 purely to pass off the snake.

Making it a regular thing

Any of these games works fine as a one-off, but they get genuinely better as a running tradition with the same group. If your crew is playing regularly enough that these games keep coming up, it might be worth turning the whole thing into a proper season, with a real format and a leaderboard everyone can check.

We wrote a full walkthrough on exactly how to do that.

How to Start a Golf League With Your Friend Group →