10 Fun Side Games and Formats to Spice Up Your Golf League

Want to raise the stakes and the laughs in your golf league? Try incorporating some of these classic side games. They can be played within your group or across the entire league.

1. Skins: Each hole is worth a 'skin'. The player with the outright lowest score on a hole wins the skin. If there's a tie, the skin carries over to the next hole. Check out our complete skins game rules guide.
2. Best Ball: In a 2-person team, both players play their own ball, and the team's score for the hole is the lower of the two scores.
3. Scramble: A team-based favorite. Everyone tees off, the team picks the best shot, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot.
4. Wolf: A 4-person game of shifting alliances. A rotating 'Wolf' chooses to play 1 vs 3 or team up with a partner after seeing their tee shots. Great for betting.
5. Nassau: Three bets in one: low score on the front nine, low score on the back nine, and low score for the full 18.
6. Bingo Bango Bongo: A points game where points are awarded for: 1) first player on the green (Bingo), 2) closest to the pin once all are on (Bango), and 3) first player to hole out (Bongo).
7. Quota: Each player gets a point 'quota' based on their handicap. They earn points for pars, birdies, etc., and try to exceed their quota.
8. Vegas: A 2-person team game where you combine your scores to make a number (a 4 and a 5 becomes 45), and the low number wins the hole.
9. Stringball: Each player gets a length of string based on their handicap. They can move their ball (without penalty) by measuring the distance with the string and cutting off the amount used.
10. Flags: Each player gets a number of strokes (par + handicap) and plants a flag where their ball lies after their last stroke. The player who makes it furthest around the course wins.

Tracking these can be tricky with pen and paper, but GolfScribe makes it easy. Our built-in side games engine automatically calculates skins payouts, Nassau results, and more — so you can focus on playing instead of doing math at the 19th hole. Try GolfScribe free and bring your league's side action to life.