If you want a new golf game to play with friends, Wolf is a popular golf game and easy to play with your foursome group. But it’s not just for foursome groups, you can also play the Wolf Golf Game with just 3 players.
What is the Wolf Golf Game
So what exactly is the Wolf Golf Game?
The wolf golf game is a fun points betting game where you’ll wager a certain number of points before teeing off each hole, and then based on your performance that follows, you may win points on that hole.
Points won each hole are added up to an overall score with the goal being to come out with the most points at the end of the round of golf.
Since the wolf golf game is based around a point system, you can assign money to these points such as $1 per point, for example, if you want to turn it into a betting golf game with your friends to make it more fun and add pressure.
The golf game, Wolf, can also be played either 9 holes or 18 holes.
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Understanding the Rules of the Wolf Golf Game
Now that we’ve discussed what the wolf golf game is, let’s dive into some of the rules to help you better understand how to play this golf game.
- How are points scored?
- Who starts off as the wolf on hole 1?
- When do you choose if you are the lone wolf?
- Wolf golf game variations to play
- Strategies for playing the wolf golf game
- How to play wolf with 3 players
How Do You Score Points in the Wolf Golf Game?
Wolf is a golf game played as 4 ball, where every player plays their own ball and will score a net score (with handicaps) at the end of each hole. The lowest net score on the hole wins points for the team or single player if lone wolf.
For example, if Nick and Dan are paired together and Nick scores birdie while Dan scores par, then Nick’s birdie is the score that is used as the team score against the best team score from Bob and Billy.
However, if Nick went lone wolf, then his birdie would go up against the best score from the trio, Dan, Bob, and Billy.
If handicaps are being used, then compare net scores to determine who wins points. Net score is calculated by taking the gross score and adjusting it for handicap strokes given on a hole.
Wolf Point Scoring System:
When it’s two against two, each winning player on the winning pair gets a point from the losing players.
When it’s a lone wolf against the other three players, the stakes are doubled and the team of three can receive two points each from the lone wolf if they beat him. Lone wolf loses 6 points.
However, if the lone wolf wins, he can receive 6 points total, two from each of the 3 players since stakes are doubled.
If there is no winning side, the hole finishes as a tie and no points get awarded.
However, the points can carry over to the next hole if you choose to play that way. Or you can reset on the next hole and not double up the points.
If you carry the points over after a tie, then the next hole will be worth even more points than normal, adding to the pressure of playing well.
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Who is the Wolf in this Golf Game?
At the beginning of the golf round, you’re going to draw numbers 1 through 4. The player who gets number 1 is the wolf first on the 1st hole.
On hole 2, the next player will become the wolf and so forth each following hole, until all 4 players have had their turn as wolf. Then it starts back over on hole 5, with player 1 becoming the wolf again in this golf game.
Always keep the same rotation throughout the round.
Since there are 18 holes, each player will get to be wolf 4 times through the first 16 holes and then the player with the least amount of points after 16 holes gets to be the wolf for holes 17 and 18. This gives them a chance to catch up.
Choosing to be lone wolf or not
When it’s your turn to be wolf for the hole, you have the option of playing the hole as a lone wolf or with a partner.
If you play solo, you have a chance to earn more points (and money) but it’s you versus the other 3 golfers so it can also reduce your chance of winning the hole since it’s 1 player vs 3 players.
You don’t have to make the decision to be lone wolf or not before your tee shot. First, hit your tee shot and if you hit it long and straight then maybe you decide you want to attack the hole as a lone wolf since you hit a good drive.
As each of the other golfers in the group hit their tee shots you can decide to pick one of them to be your partner on the hole based on who you think gives you the best chance of winning the hole.
But you can only choose them immediately after their tee shot. Once the next person hits, the previous person is off the table and cannot be chosen as your wolf partner.
So if Nick tees off first, then he watches Dan hit a great shot next, he can pick up Dan as his partner. But if Bob and Billy both hit their tee shots, Nick can’t go back after Billy hits and choose Dan since Dan hit the best of the 3 others.
Dan has to be chosen right after Dan hits. If not, then Nick only has Bob and Billy to choose from next.
This decision of who to partner with only lasts for the current hole. On the next hole, it’s a new wolf hitting first and new partnerships can be formed.
Game Variations – Other Ways to Play Wolf
Dire Wolf
In the normal version of wolf, stakes are doubled if wolf decides to go alone after watching all the other 3 players tee shots.
But in Dire Wolf, if the lone wolf declares himself as lone wolf after hitting his tee shot AND before watching the other 3 players hit their shot, then the stakes are tripled.
If the lone wolf wins in dire wolf, he can collect 9 points instead of 6 for winning the hole. But the risk also increases that lone wolf will have to pay out 9 points, three points to each of the other 3 players if he loses.
Rabid Wolf – Golf Format
Rabid Wolf is similar to Dire Wolf but in this version, the wolf declares himself a lone wolf BEFORE hitting his tee shot.
Taking on this extra risk can be rewarding as lone wolf will now get 4 points from each player, so 12 points in total for winning the hole.
It’s a way to make up some lost ground if wolf is in need of points in this golf game.
But quadrupled stakes come with risk of losing 12 points (and possibly $12) on the hole if the lone wolf fails to win the hole against the group of 3 players on a team.
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Wolf Golf Game Strategy & Tips
The strategy for this golf game comes down to your confidence and your tendencies. You know yourself and how well you play different holes on your golf course.
If you’re a good par 3 players and it’s your turn to be the wolf in this game when you reach a par 3, then maybe you decide to be a lone wolf to increase the points you can win.
If someone in the group is playing really well, then maybe it makes sense to pick them as your partner when it’s your turn to be wolf in the golf game.
You could also pick your partner based on strategy to stops a main rival from receiving points rather than to maximize your own point total.
For example, picking the current points leader on a losing hole to cause him to share the loss with you and set him back in total points.
How to Play Wolf with 3 Players
Three player wolf is very similar but it’s just two against one now. If the wolf decides to go alone against the other two players, he can win two points (one from each player) while the other team wins one point each if they beat the wolf.
If the wolf picks a partner, then the team of two can each win a point each from the single player (who loses two points) but if the single player wins against the wolf and his partner, the single player wins two points (one from each player).
You can triple and quadruple the stakes again by doing dire wolf and rabid wolf in this three player game.
Overall, the wolf golf game is a ton of fun and a great betting game to play with friends for money or for who buys drinks after your round of golf.
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Work hard,
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