On this page you will find an overview of various forms of betting in golf. These can be played on a round of golf – with or without money.
Nassau
Nassau is the most common form of betting in golf. It was invented around 1900 at the Nassau Country Club on Long Island. A Nassau consists of three partial bets. Bets are placed on the first nine holes, on the second nine holes and on the entire 18-hole round. In Great Britain, double bets on the 18 holes are common.
Arnies
The player misses the fairway, does not hit the green and still plays his par or better and receives a point, a bonus or a stake for this.
Garbage
Sometimes also referred to as “trash” or “side bets” and stands for small bets/agreements that are made for the round. The forms of play can be e.g. big birdies, greenies, sandies, barkies etc.
Prague variant
This is a type of poker in which the stakes are played out on the individual holes. After all the balls have been played, each player has the right to double the stake by making a corresponding declaration. The opponent then has the right to quadruple, whereupon the player in turn is authorized to eightfold (“Kontra” and “Re”).
The game can be limited to a maximum of eight times the stake or, with a corresponding agreement, can also be played with unlimited doubling rights.
Syndicate
Also known as the penny pot skins game. Any number of players play together, each with their own ball, with each player having a permitted stake per hole. A single best ball per hole wins the entire stake for the hole. If no player achieves a single best ball, the stake not won on the hole is added to the stake on the next hole and so on until a player achieves a single net best ball and wins the accumulated stakes. If the player scores the sole best ball with a gross birdie, the stake for this hole only is doubled.
Hogans
This type of bet is named after Ben Hogan. The player hits the fairway, the green and plays par or better and receives a point, a bonus or a stake for this.
Barky
The player hits a tree and still makes his par.
Gurgly
The player hits into a water hazard and still makes his par or better.
