The Putting Game

The Putting Game is one of my favorite side bet games that is fairly easy to keep track of scoring, and you don't have to be the best golfer that day to win. It could be played with as few as two people but gets more exciting with four. If you have played Snake, this is similar, except rather than have one loser in the group you have one winner in the group.

• To start each player should throw a set amount into the pot (we typically throw in $5 each) so that there is a guaranteed take-home for the winner. Feel free to adjust this or forego it all together.

• Next you will need to establish your playing order. You will not need to continue to play in this order every hole, this only determines who will hold the pot first and the order in which it is transferred when there is a 3-putt. Whomever tees off first on the first hole usually holds the pot to start.

• When anyone in the group 3-putts they add to the pot. (we typically play $1 per three-putt, more if we are on top of our game) Establish the amount per 3-putt at the beginning of the round.

• If the person who holds the pot 3-putts, the pot transfers to the next player in the order that was determined at the beginning of the round. (As long as that person did not 3-putt as well, if they did, keep passing it along)

• If at anytime someone one-putts, they steal the pot and hold it for the time being. If there are multiple one-putts on a single hole it goes to the longest putt. (There is no distance requirement or scoring requirement other than it has to be a one-putt, so yes, a player could take 6 shots to get greenside, chip it to a foot, and tap in for an 8 and a one putt to take the pot)

• Holing out from off the green trumps a one-putt, and same as a one-putt, if multiple people hole-out from off the green on the same hole (unlikely) then the pot would go the the person whose shot was the longest.

•  At the end of the round whomever holds the pot wins it!

Now there may be some gamesmanship on the 18th. I can't say when I have been out of contention for our groups main bet that I haven't considered playing to the fringe to set up an easy up an in to take the Putting Game side bet. One thing I will say though, its thrilling to drain a 20 footer for birdie on the last hole and watch your buddy's jaw drop.