You’re meeting a few friends at the local disc golf course for a round or two. Rather than just playing a round to play, you want to make things more interesting. The skill levels in your group vary just enough that wagering on the final scores would favor one or two players over the rest. So what can you do to spice up an otherwise routine round, and maybe win some scratch off your friends in the process?
How about trying out an alternative format? Below are a pair of similarly structured formats that lend themselves well to a bit of friendly gambling on the course.
Skins
- Can be played with any number of players in a group.
- Each hole played is worth a predetermined amount, referred to as a “skin”. Generally the skin’s value is determined by how many players and how much each player contributes to the purse. For example, if each player contributes $1 per hole and there are four players in the group, each hole would be worth $4 (4 players X $1 = $4).
- On each hole, the player with the lowest score wins the skin for the hole.
- In the event of a tie for lowest score on the hole, the skin is carried over to the next hole. In the event of multiple ties in a row, all skins continue to carry over. For example, if five holes in a row are tied, the next hole would be worth six skins.
- If there is a tie on the final hole of the round, the remaining skins carry to a sudden death playoff but no additional skins are added.
- At the end of the round, the player with the most skins is the “winner”, but so long as no one gets shut out, it isn’t necessarily a costly day for everyone but the winner.
Wolf
- A variant of skins in that each hole has a pre-determined value. (hint: pick a relatively low amount as skins can add up quickly)
- Requires a minimum of 4 players (these instructions assume 4 players), but can be played with 5 or more. Playing with more than 4 players may require adding holes to the round in order for all players to have equal Wolf opportunity.
- First, determine a playing order for the group. This order is to stay the same throughout the round, with the players rotating who tees off first for each hole. (the player that tees off first on one hole would rotate to last on the next hole, and so on)
- The first player to tee off on each hole is designated as the “Wolf” for the hole. The Wolf, after throwing his/her tee shot, is presented with the option of “Shopping” or playing as a “Lone Wolf” for the hole.
- If the Wolf is “Shopping”, it means the Wolf intends to choose a partner from the other players in the group. After each player throws, the “Shopping” Wolf must decide if he/she wishes to take the player as a partner for the hole or pass. The Wolf must decide on each player before the next player in the group throws. Once a partner is chosen, the Wolf and his/her partner play as a best shot doubles team against the remaining players in the group, also playing as a best shot doubles team.
- If the Wolf goes “Lone Wolf”, it means the player wants to complete the hole alone against all the remaining players, who play as a best shot triples team. In the case of a “Lone Wolf”, the skins value for the hole is doubled.
- On each hole, each member of the team with the low score gets credit for the skin(s) on the hole.
- In the case of a tie on a hole, the skin carries to the next hole. In the case of multiple ties in a row, all available skins continue to carry over. In the case of a tie on a “Lone Wolf” hole, only the original value of the skin(s) carries, not the doubled value. If there are left over skins at the end of the round, they are dropped. No sudden-death is played.
- Assuming a foursome, after the 16th hole of the round, each player will have had four opportunities to be the Wolf. For the 17th and 18th hole of the round, the player with the lowest number of skins earned will tee off first and play the Wolf.
- After the round, skins are tallied up and settled amongst the group.
There are a couple additional twists that can be added by adventurous or bold gamblers, so long as the group agrees at the start of the round.
- If the Wolf chooses to play as the “Lone Wolf” after throwing his/her tee shot but before any other players in the group throw, the skin value on the hole triples.
- If the Wolf chooses to play as the “Lone Wolf” before throwing his/her tee shot on a hole, the skin value quadruples for the hole.
Again, these betting variations should only be in play if the whole group agrees prior to starting the round. It could get expensive enough using the basic Lone Wolf betting.
There you have it. Two ideas for changing up a routine round of disc golf with your friends. Give it a shot next time you’re on the course and see how much fun you can have.