Ideas for a Fast and Fun Golf Game

Even high handicap golfers can have the opportunity to win a prize at a golf tournament planned with a format that accommodates golfers of all levels.

These contests are designed to make the golfing event fun for all participants, and keep the ball moving quickly. Some contests take the players’ handicap into consideration, and some simply use a team score.

Overview

Even high handicap golfers can have the opportunity to win a prize at a golf tournament planned with a format that accommodates golfers of all levels.

These contests are designed to make the golfing event fun for all participants, and keep the ball moving quickly. Some contests take the players’ handicap into consideration, and some simply use a team score.

The Scramble

One popular contest is called the scramble.

For this format, each member of the foursome tees off on each hole. Then the foursome determines which ball landed in the best position, and the other three players pick up their balls and place them next to the best ball. All four golfers hit from that location. Play continues in this fashion until the ball reaches the hole. If the scramble is used for tournament play, players record a team score.

Scramble Variations

Several variations on the basic scramble format are popular for tournaments. In the step aside scramble, the player who hit the best ball “steps aside” so that any other member of the foursome may have the next best ball. After the tee shot, only three players will be hitting. The format accommodates high handicappers, because the experienced golfer in the foursome won’t always dominate the contest. Play moves along quickly in the step aside scramble because only three players hit for much of the game.

The Ambrose scramble, another scramble variation, takes each golfer’s handicap into consideration. High handicappers may get strokes on several holes to even out the competition.

Bingo, Bango, Bongo

This contest with a catchy name provides three points for each hole.

The “bingo” is the first point, and it goes to the golfer who reaches the green first, encouraging fast play.

Players earn the bingo point regardless of how many strokes it takes the golfer to get there before the others. The golfer whose ball is positioned closest to the pin when everyone in the foursome is already on the green takes the “bango” point.

The “bongo” point goes to the lowest-scoring player for that particular hole. Players decide on rewards for bingo, bango and bongo ahead of time.