Do You Play for Money?

[RMD]

I was just wondering how many of you play for money and, if so, what kind of stakes? To me, a little wager is a healthy thing. I'm in my 50's and retired so I play quite a bit. Here are my regular games and stakes:

Tuesday Blitz: $5
Wednesday Blitz: $2
Thursday Blitz: $5
Friday Blitz: $2
Saturday Blitz: $10 (heavy)
Sunday Blitz: $5

The Wednesday & Friday's are run by our pro shop on a points/quota system with any winnings going to pro shop credit.

Incidently, and talking about big money, last Wednesday I played in our year end Senior Mens tournament. There was no entry fee as the event was covered in our annual dues ($25). There were 28 players and I came in second winning $5 and a hat. Take that Tiger!

[Smallville]

I have not and likely never will. At least not until I am playing for that purse money on tour! Come to think of it, that won't happen either!

[MiniMoe]

I play in a Tuesday/ Thursday game where we play team, individual (net) and skins (gross). Cost is $11, but you have many chances to win. Skins usually pay $15 - 40 depending on how many skins are out. Team wins 10 - 20 per man. Individual usually pays 20-30 for front, back, and total. It's hard to win the net for me, but make up for it in the skins. It's a fair game and if you play will, you can win 50 - 100 bucks.

Within our 5-some, we either play $2/4 wolf, or $1 umbrella. If you don't play well, you can lose some bucks on those games.

[Smallville]

I play in a Tuesday/ Thursday game where we play team, individual (net) and skins (gross). Cost is $11, but you have many chances to win. Skins usually pay $15 - 40 depending on how many skins are out. Team wins 10 - 20 per man. Individual usually pays 20-30 for front, back, and total. It's hard to win the net for me, but make up for it in the skins. It's a fair game and if you play will, you can win 50 - 100 bucks.

I'm thinking that's why I don't play for money!

[PiKapp23]

Some of my golf partners enjoy playing for money, but I do not. I just do not enjoy playing for money, but then again I don't enjoy any sort of gambling. To me golf is all about the competition against the course, not my mates. Everything in life is about money these days, so why should my favorite why to escape from that world?

[RMD]

I play in a Tuesday/ Thursday game where we play team, individual (net) and skins (gross). Cost is $11, but you have many chances to win. Skins usually pay $15 - 40 depending on how many skins are out. Team wins 10 - 20 per man. Individual usually pays 20-30 for front, back, and total. It's hard to win the net for me, but make up for it in the skins. It's a fair game and if you play will, you can win 50 - 100 bucks.

I'm not familiar with Umbrella. How does that go?

[RocktimusPryme]

Its about 50 50 depending on whom Im playing with. Ill ussually play $5 skins, or $10 match. if you have a terrible game you might lose 80+ but most of the time its more of a break even bet where the winner comes up like $40 bucks.

I'll play stroke play for lunch all day long. Ussually a $40 to $50 value. I actually play terrible for money. If Im playing for money you can probbaly add 10 to my handicap. I need to get over that though, so I keep on doing it.

[RMD]

Its about 50 50 depending on whom Im playing with. Ill ussually play $5 skins, or $10 match. if you have a terrible game you might lose 80+ but most of the time its more of a break even bet where the winner comes up like $40 bucks.

Hey Rock,

Where do you play in Las Vegas? I lived there in the 90's and was a member at Spanish Trail.

[tjy355]

I like to play for small stakes, maybe $5 or $10 max.

I like to think it keeps me focused and I like the pressure of having to nail a putt to win or halve a hole.

On the other hand, if the stakes are too high, it becomes uncomfortable and not fun.

[Fat Slice]

I throw in $10 for a skins pot once a month. I put in $20 for match play once a year (to cover the whole season). Our fees go toward prizes, so that's a form of betting I suppose. I never bet head to head, though...sort of takes the 'nice' out of the game if the other person is losing and unhappy. I've seen that a lot, even for a small bet.

[flopdarock]

yeah... i never play for money... my buddies always play for who's buying lunch... who's paying for beer... who's gonna have a free round next time out... things like that... makes it more fun than for straight out cash

[rangerat]

I put in for skins all the time but that is my limit. I agree with some of the other posters that certain forms of gambling kind of take away some of the aspects of golf that I enjoy.

[Fraser]

I used to hustle a bit when I was younger. When my brother and I were in our early teens and members at a course together we were a couple of years older than most of the other kids, but they were quite a bit better.

One summer they decided to make a small bet so I went along with it. I had brought a can of Stella Artois onto the course with me to lube up my swing and it was rather refreshing on the warm summers day....I cracked it open on the 4th tee (when I was 2 down) and the kid I was playing, around 11yrs old, asked if he could have a sip. As his alcohol tolerance was very low his game went to hell in a hand cart and by the time we got to the 15th green I'd sewn the match up

From that day forward I carried an extra can with me, and as was customary the other younger party would maybe 4/5 times ask for a sip so I'd extend them an olive branch and offer them the whole 'spare' can.

I stopped doing it eventually, but I don't think they ever figured out they were losing the vast majority of games because of the beer they seemed so grateful to be drinking

[Fat Slice]

...the kid I was playing, around 11yrs old, asked if he could have a sip. As his alcohol tolerance was very low his game went to hell in a hand cart and by the time we got to the 15th green I'd sewn the match up

Here's that kid, years later:

[og512]

Foursome I play with, we play $2 a hole. Were all pretty even so it makes it competitive and the most you would be out of if you never won a hole is $36.

[denver_nuggs_15]

I usually do not unless it is during summer. We get a bunch of caddies two to three times per week to play matches. We generally play either wolf with $2 skins (90% hcp) or 2 man best ball ($5 front, $5 back, $10 overall, $2 junk [birdies, sandies, greenies on par 3s, and nasties], 80% hcp, optional presses). The matches are fun and make the game more interesting. Payouts are usually less than $20 because the matches are even unless someone plays amazing. I will not play junk with more than two single digit golfers in the group.

[anthonykim3]

i play in the summerfor money all the time but my friends stop cause i was making alot of money lol like 25 each time we played itleast 7 time till the wanted to stop

[SubPar]

Any time I can have a little action it always makes it more interesting.

It changes the game for the better when you have something concrete at stake. You learn to handle pressure and you grind a little more.

I play a regular 9-hole skins game on Sundays and we have all kinds of action that makes it fun. Birdies pay with carry overs, skins the same, GIR pays, low putts pays, zero putts pay, greenies pay. Then we have side bets within each group.

I usually have only $20 at risk, but with 12-20 guys playing you can win a nice chunk of change.

A couple of days a week I play a 9-hole par 3 before work for $1 a hole. A couple of times I have been down 4 holes with 5 to play and win the last 5. That feels good all day!!

SubPar