Single Group Games¹
Nassau
To play a Nassau, three separate bets are made: one for the front nine, one for the back nine, and one for the overall 18-hole round. Before the round, players agree on a wager for each of these three segments. The player or team with the best score on the front nine wins that bet, the lowest score on the back nine wins that bet, and the lowest score over the entire 18 holes wins the third bet.
How to Set Up and Play:
  1. Form teams: You can play this game as individuals (1v1) or in teams of two. 
  2. Determine the format: A Nassau can be played using match play (where you win a hole) or stroke play (where the lowest score wins). Handicaps can also be used to level the playing field. 
  3. Keep separate scores: During the round, keep a separate score for the front nine, the back nine, and the total 18 holes. 
  4. Agree on a wager: Decide on the amount of money you'll play for each of the three segments (e.g., $5 for the front nine, $5 for the back nine, and $5 for the overall match). 
The "Press":
  1. What it is: A "press" is an optional double-or-nothing bet that the losing side can offer to try and win back losses. 
  2. How to offer a press: A player or team can only offer a press if they are down by at least two points (or two holes) in that particular segment (front nine, back nine, or overall). 
  3. How it works: The press restarts the score for that segment from that point forward, with the same original wager amount, for the remaining holes. 
Example:
  • You and a partner are playing a $2 Nassau. 
  • On the front nine, you lose to your opponents. 
  • You can then "press" the back nine bet, meaning the back nine is now a separate, double-or-nothing game with a $2 wager for the remaining holes. 
  • If you also lose the back nine, you can then press the overall 18-hole bet, making that another $2 double-or-nothing bet for the rest of the round. 
Quota
To play quota golf, you and other players aim to beat a personal points quota by scoring points for your play on each hole, using a system that starts with a handicap-determined quota and awards points for gross scores like 0 for a bogey, 2 for a par, 3 for a birdie, and 4 for an eagle. The player who exceeds their quota by the highest margin wins. 
How to Determine Your Quota:
  1. Calculate your starting quota: For 18 holes, subtract your course handicap from 36. This is your target number of points to beat. 
  2. Example: If your course handicap is 10, your quota is 26 (36 - 10 = 26). 
  3. For first-time players: Your initial quota is determined by subtracting your handicap from 36, or using a formula based on your handicap index. 

How to Score Points:
  • Use gross scores: Your score for the hole is your actual score, not your net score. 
  • Award points per hole: The specific point values can vary by league, but a common system is: 
    • 0 points: for a bogey or worse 
    • 2 points: for a par 
    • 3 points: for a birdie 
    • 4 points: for an eagle 
Wolf 🐺
The Wolf golf format is for a group of 4 or 5 Players where players rotate a specific tee-off order, with the last player to tee off being the "Wolf" for that hole. The Wolf observes the other players' tee shots and then chooses to either partner with one of them for a 2v2 (or 2v3 with 5 players) game or play as a "Lone Wolf" against the other three (or four) for a 1v3 (or 1v4) game. The objective is to win the hole, with points awarded based on the outcome. 
How to Play:
  1. Determine the Rotating Order: Before the first hole, decide on a permanent tee-off order (e.g., Player 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). This order will rotate for each hole, so the player who tees off last is the Wolf. 
  2. Become the Wolf: On each hole, the designated player is the Wolf. 
  3. Watch the Tee Shots: The Wolf watches each player tee off.
  4. Choose Your Strategy: The Wolf has two options:
    1. Partner Up (2v2 or 2v3): Choose one of the other players to be your partner for the hole. This decision must be made before the next player tees off. 
    2. Go Lone Wolf (1v3 or 1v4): Decide to play the hole by yourself against the other three (or four) players. 
  5. Play the Hole: The rest of the hole is played as a 2v2 (2v3) best-ball match or a 1v3 (1v4) match. 
  6. Score the Hole:
    1. 2v2 (2v3): The team with the lowest total score for the hole wins. 
    2. Lone Wolf: The Lone Wolf plays against the combined best scores of the other three (four) players. 
  7. ​Award Points: Points are awarded to the winning team or player:
    1. 2v2 (2v3) Win: Partners on the winning team earn a share of the points. 
    2. Lone Wolf Win: The Lone Wolf earns double points for winning the hole. 
    3. Lone Wolf Loss: The Lone Wolf loses points if they are beaten by the other players (or the other players win a point)
  8. Rotate:​ The order rotates for the next hole, with a different player becoming the Wolf. 
Baseball ⚾
Baseball (also known as Nines or Nine Points Game) is a golf game for three players where a total of 9 points is awarded on each hole based on relative scores: the lowest scorer gets 5 points, the middle score gets 3, and the highest gets 1. The player with the most accumulated points at the end of the round wins. A variation has "blitz" rules where a player winning by a large margin takes all 9 points. 
How to Play Baseball:
  1. Players: Designed for three players. 
  2. Scoring per Hole:
    • Lowest Score: 5 points; Middle Score: 3 points; Highest Score: 1 point
    • Tie for lowest score: 4 Points each; Highest Score: 1 point
    • Lowest Score: 5 points; Tie for Highest score: 2 Points each
    • Three-Way Tie: 3 Points each
  3. Winning: The player with the most total points at the end of the round (usually 18 holes) wins.
Baseball can be played with four players by awarding points totaling 16 - 7, 5, 3, 1 and with ties (6, 6, 3, 1; 5, 5, 5, 1; 7, 4, 4, 1; 7, 5, 2, 2; 7, 3, 3, 3)
Hollywood
To play the Hollywood golf tournament (also known as Sixes or Round Robin) four players pair up and compete in two teams of two for a segment of six holes, then rotate partners so that each player partners with every other player for six holes each. The format can be used with different scoring methods, like best ball, and the individual with the most points (representing wins in the six-hole matches) at the end of the 18 holes is the overall winner. 
How to Play:
1. Arrange the Players & Form the First Pair 
  • Four golfers are needed for this format.
  • With a golf ball from each player, throw them over your shoulder. The two closest are the first partners.
3. Choose a Scoring Method 
  • Select a scoring method for the two-on-two matches. Common choices include:
    • Best Ball: Each player on the team plays their own ball, and the lowest score on the team for that hole is used.
    • Match Play: The team with the lowest individual score on a hole wins that hole.
4. Play the First Six Holes
  • Play the first six holes according to the chosen scoring format. 
  • The team that wins the most holes (or points) within that six-hole segment wins that match. 
5. Rotate Partners 
  • Follow the same procedure: With a golf ball from each player, throw them over your shoulder. The two closest are the now partners.
6. Play the Final Six Holes 
  • For the final six holes (holes 13-18), the partners switch one more time.
7. Determine the Winner 
  • At the end of the 18 holes, the player who has been on the winning side of the most matches is the overall winner.
Footnotes:
[1] Unless otherwise noted, the information contained herein was extracted from extensive Google searches
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