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Is gambling a big thing in your golf games?

I enjoy playing skins or wolf most, sometimes some nassau will be in play but it really isn't a big deal either way to gamble or not to. I am out to have some fun and try and shoot my best score.

I don't like gambling with people I don't know because it isn't worth something going wrong/not being fully understood and someone being upset.
 
We play a Nassau (?) front nine, back nine and overall. It’s only $2 a pop so you’re only going to be done BA maximum of $6, but I still don’t like it, more so since I suggested we move away from a skins type game, that I usually won, to a stableford that now give me little chance of winning LOL.
 
I'll go along with whatever the group wants to do, within reason. But I don't really care much for having different "bets" on all kinds of various things that happen during the round. Or for presses and side bets and so forth that complicate score keeping. Even Wolf is more in-round distraction than it's worth IMO.

But I totally enjoy having a few dollars on the overall game or on each nine. Just decide on it before teeing off and keep it simple. If anyone needs to puzzle over the scorecard afterward to count up little marks or dots or to figure out who owes who how much, that's a bit overly complicated for me.

For me the ideal competitive round of golf is probably 2BBB with teams evenly enough matched that no strokes need be given. Pick partners, agree on a $5 Nassau and then tee off. Pay up over drinks afterward.

Regarding playing for money with strangers, I hardly ever play with people I don't know and when I do it almost never happens that anyone suggests competing.
 
I am in a minority I am sure, but I hate having money on the game. I oddly enjoy being out with my friends and playing golf with a bunch of banter. That's is what is fun for me.

Because of my "hating to lose", I find myself pulling against someone to make a good shot when we are playing for money. The competitive me is not as relaxed, and jovial as the "out for a good time" me. It's a flaw of mine I recognize, thus non-money rounds for me.

So for me personally, its not what I want out of my vversion of golf.
 
Before Covid it was hard to find a group where there wasn't a few $$ involved. Now its a mix of both. Usually only $7-10 a game involved. We play skins, deuce pot, par-points on front, back and overall. One group I play in it's gross skins so hard for me to get one as I am the high cap in the group, but I enjoy the challenge and it's all good fun.
 
I don't gamble much. If I do it is very little like a buck a hole or something like that.
 
I’m never the dealer, but I’ll join in whatever small money games the group is playing. $20 or a case of beer is the most we play for.
 
I've been gambling less this year. Probably because some of my regular competition has gone the opposite way of me when it comes to scoring. And a large group I know just doesn't gamble at all. So maybe only 1 in 5 at this point in the year. I'm okay with gambling with strangers, but not usually with higher amounts. Just haven't had many opportunities this year.

It'll be nice to be in an area with more good golfers, because something on the line tends to bring out the best in me. And it's been hard to find takers as well as I've been playing. Going to the range yesterday worked in my favor though. Ran into someone who I didn't realize doesn't particularly like me (we don't know eachother, so?), and he had noticed a couple recent scores of mine. Thinks he's better. Now he wants to play me Saturday for more than I usually bet. I'm looking forward to it. :)
 
Gotta have a game to make it interesting! If gambling with a stranger I will gripe incessantly about losing, and if I win I will buy drinks with the winnings....
 
Most of the time we are playing team golf for All You Can Eat Crabs dinner. It is always great to go to a free paid dinner and just gorge yourself on crab legs.
 
I seem to play better when I don't, but I have 3 friends who can't do anything without gambling, so we'll bet on skins, front 9, back 9, and overall score.
 
99% of the time there is some sort of action going. Never more than $10 or so at stake. Just enough to keep our heads in the game.
 
Never gambled at golf besides closest to the pin on a Par 3 where furthest away buys the next round of beverages.
 
Not a fan, I use to play skins with my friends but then I have to keep an eye on them and whatnot. Kind of sucks the fun out of it for me.

I prefer to just compete against the course and do my own thing.
 
Always.

My Saturday & Sunday Men's Club is $20.00 buy in each day. Different game every week (Stableford, Low Net, Best Ball, 9 Blind Holes, etc), closest on Par 3's, and (4) Long Putts, so all skill levels have a chance to win. Everything is based on State handicap.

Also putting games with about half the members. That varies with who you are matched up with that week.

My Monday league is $10.00 buy in. Usually a 2 or 4 man scramble, depending on how many guys show up that particular week. Same putting game in some foursomes.

Playing with family, there is always wagering. It is handicapped as well. Usually a buck a hole (with carryovers), and a couple bucks for low putts.
 
Other than with
our little group of golf friends, I never gamble when playing with other golfers.

I've had many offers to gamble with different people, but I politely turn down the offers. I just say I'm not good enough, and leave it at that.
 
I like to have at least a little bet going on. It could be for who buys a beer or pitcher after to $10-$20 bucks. I have a couple groups I play with. The main group plays 50 cent ticks. Each birdie, sandie, closest to the pin, and skin is a tick. They also do two ticks for the front, back, and total net winners. Usually there is around 25-30 ticks so if you don't have one you can lose 12-15 bucks. About the most anyone has lost is $22-$23. They keep an excel spreadsheet of wins/losses and sometime in January we got to Hooters after playing and everyone splits it and pays for the Biggest Loser. He gets a Plaque with a naked mole rat on it and a picture with the Hooters girls. They used to do $1 ticks but decided to lower it after one guy lost $1000 in a year. The last couple the big loser has been around $200-$300.

Another group does $3 buy-in for nets and pays 1-3 places depending on how many guys. The also do $1 skins, closest to the pin, and sandies as well.
 
I do not bet.
 
Wiskey said:
Hello all! (If you are looking for the question skip to paragraph three)

We have a great golf culture at work and I regularly play with my coworkers. I also play as a single often and get paired up with random people. I'd say that 98% of the time there is money on the game. Not only with friends but also with random people I get paired up with. It's never my idea, I simply book a hot deal from golf now for one person and get paired up with a threesome that is playing skins.

I have never been a gambler, it just doesn't excite me, but if the group wants to play $1 skins without carryovers, or $5 per 9 considering handicap I'm fine with it because it only amounts to a few bucks. Last year I realized that I was making bets like this a couple times a week on average and started tracking it. At this point, I currently stand up $1 for the last 9 months so I continue to go with it because it makes everyone happy and I'm not losing anything really.

My real question is this. Do you gamble on nearly every golf game? Or is this more of a San Diego thing? Have you ever gambled with random players? (I'm not talking about big money, just a couple bucks)

Whiskey
Click to expand...

Yes. I pretty much don't play unless I'm playing for $$$ or in a tournament.
 
100% always with the regular group. We have several games going at once with our regular crew. All of us are between 6-7 hndcp so we play on our bellies. Usually 6-8 guys. $20 man for team and scats. Then a points game with junk based on a modified stableford. Double points on 9 and 18.
Usually not with someone I don’t know.
 
Don't gamble. The game is gamble enough.
 
I love team and solo Nassau's among friends.

Doesn't have to be for much, but the **** talking needs to laid on heavy.
 
Not much of a gambler on the course, the guys I play with aren't either. The biggest gamble for me is every time I take a golf swing. :laughing:
 
Never with random players, always with my buddies. $1 per stroke difference with handicap, winner take all. Usual take home is $8-10 for our threesome but it can be a lot higher if someone is having an off day.
 
We'll occasionally play a low-stakes Nassau, but most of us in the group I regularly play with aren't really into the gambling aspect of it. The Men's Club on weekends plays skins with a $10 buy-in, which I've played a couple times.
 
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