Table of contents
- Better than bingo
- Put your euro in
- Time to switch partners
- Pick and choose
Fun and friendly competition with minigolf
Getting together with friends for a round of minigolf at an event is an excellent way to combine exercise and friendly competition. Whether your skill levels are similar or not — using the handicap system, which adjusts scores to each player's ability — anyone in the group can win the round.
But on top of the main round, there are side games of skill and luck you can play at the same time. Whether you decide to play for prizes or just for fun, these games add a playful twist to your day on the holes.
1. Better than bingo
A game with rules that are easy to remember and an even catchier name is Bingo Bango Bongo. It can be played with two or four players, often with small token bets (10 cents, say) that each player pays the winner of each category.
On each hole:
- The first player to reach the green wins Bingo.
- Once everyone is on the green, the ball closest to the hole wins Bango.
- The first to sink the ball wins Bongo.
2. Put your euro in
Nassau is a popular side game for anyone who enjoys a wager. It is played with two or four players, in teams or individually. Over a round of minigolf, the Nassau splits into three separate games: the front nine, the back nine and the full round.
Players agree the stake (a Nassau, for example). Whoever scores lowest in each game wins that amount from each opponent. If a player or team is two holes down, they can also make a second bet or "press", offering the same amount that they will win the next hole or holes.
3. Time to switch partners
The game of Dots, also known as Buddies, is played in groups of four, with the pairings decided at the start of each hole. After the tee shot, teams form according to where the balls land relative to the hole: the two balls on the right make one team, and the two on the left make the other.
Each player plays the hole as normal, and the best score from each pair is compared. The team with the lowest "best ball" score takes a point on the card. At the end of the round, whoever has the most points wins.
4. Pick and choose
The group can go for games that only count part of the total score when deciding the winner of the round, agreed before you start:
- Consecutive Three: each player marks three consecutive holes on her card, and those scores are worked out using the full handicap.
- Criss-Cross: players pick nine holes alternating between the front and back nine (one or ten, two or eleven, three or twelve, and so on), using only half their handicap.
- Crier: each player replaces par for her three worst holes before working out the total score, applying the full handicap.
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