Best buddies games to play on the golf course

Growing up with three brothers, being competitive on the golf course has always been a part of my golf DNA.

Now that I'm no longer playing in college, I've found other ways to keep the competitive juices flowing but in a fun way.

Golf is a fantastic game because there is so much variety to where you play, with whom you play and how you compete. One way I like to change it up is by playing different games with my family and friends on the course. While I enjoy a casual round just as much as anyone, I think a friendly competition makes a weekend round with the buddies that much more interesting.

Low-Ball, Low-Total

A great game for a foursome is low ball, low total. In this game you play two on two, and there are two points up for grabs on every hole. As is implied in the name, one point goes to the team with the individual with the best score. The other goes to the team with the best aggregate score for the duo. In this format, you can’t ride the coattails of a hot partner on way to victory like you can in best ball. Every score matters in some capacity!

You can add another dimension to the game by making birdies and eagles worth additional points. I like to play birdies are worth two extra points. So, if you’re down five going into 18, then you still have a chance if both you and your partner make birdie (and hope neither of your competitors do, too!).

9 Point Game

The 9-point game was created for threesomes. On every hole, there are 9 points available to be won. If all three players tie, each player gets 3 points, and every other possible outcome awards a different number of points to each player. The total points always equaling 9. The rest of the results and the corresponding points are in the grid below.

At the end of the round add up all the points to see who won. Play for pride or make each point worth a certain nominal value (a quarter, dollar or Benjamin) to be paid out at the 19 hole.

One final wrinkle to the game occurs when one player beats both competitors by two shots or more on a hole (i.e., par, double bogey, double bogey). In this situation the player who made the par gets all 9 points on the hole. A timely birdie or eagle can really make your day, especially if you are playing for a couple bucks a point.

Banker

Be warned: This wagering game can get uncomfortable quickly if you're not careful. Banker is a game my friends and I will play when we want to test our nerves a bit or prepare for an upcoming event. Wagers need to be placed to play, but you can always make the amount very small. Any group with three or more players can play.

Every hole, someone is the ‘banker’. Flip a tee to decide who starts the round as the banker. The banker plays an individual match with each person in the group on that specific hole. They start by picking the max initial value to be played for. Somewhere in the $1 to $4 range is a good place to start. Each player picks what they want to play for before they tee off, and the banker always hits last.

It gets interesting on the tee because each player has the option to double their bet from the time they hit the ball until it lands. If you smoke one down the middle, it might be a good idea to double down!

The banker can also double when they tee off last, and that double goes into effect for their match with every player. It can get pricey because if player 1 in a foursome doubles and then the banker does as well, the bet between those two on that hole has now quadrupled from its original value. It’s highly advisable to play well when you are the banker!

The banker retains their banker status until they are beaten on a hole. The person who beats them becomes the banker. If multiple players beat the banker, the player who was closest to pin in regulation wins the rights to banker on the next hole.

The 'Taking on a fictional golfer' game

This yet-to-be-named game has become a family favorite over the past few years (shout-out to my older brother who came up with it). Everyone in the group is on the same best-ball team competing against a fictional character. The opponent’s score on every hole is determined by a random number generator. We use the numbers 1-25 and designate certain numbers a score value. For example, we usually count the numbers 1-2 as an eagle, 2-6 a birdie, 7-21 a par, 21-24 a bogey and 25 a double bogey.

It may sound rather strange, but it creates a fun atmosphere where everyone is rooting each other on. It also provides funny moments down the stretch when your opponent comes back from behind or falls apart. The last round we played together, we were up one going to no. 18 and a 1 popped up on the generator, meaning ‘Dechambelson’ just made eagle! He was a clutch opponent! Not to be outdone, I made a 20-foot birdie putt to force an extra hole the next day. Team Dunaway ultimately won in the playoff. If you come up with a clever name for this game, we'd love to hear it.

Multi-games: Pentagon, Hexagon & Octagon

Have a larger group and want a game that includes everyone? Pentagon is a great choice for that scenario because up to 8 players can play and it creates multiple competitions that keep you engaged even after a bad hole or two.

Pentagon is one of three multi-games on GolfNow Compete. There are multiple formats that provide games inside the game including: Holes 1-6, Holes 7-12, Holes 13-18, Par 3s, and Par 5s. Pentagon, along with Hexagon (adds a full round competition) and Octagon (adds a full round competition and front and back-9 competitions), offers multiple opportunities to win. It works well for bachelor parties or anytime you have a larger group. Compete provides live scoring, leaderboards, and the best post-round results experience in golf, making it easy to keep track mid round and see how much you won/lost after the round.