How do you guys play WOLF?

Players rotate being the "Wolf." The player designated as the "Wolf" on a hole gets to choose whether to play the hole 1-vs.-3 (himself against the other three players in the group) or 2-vs.-2.

And if the Wolf chooses to play 2-on-2, he must choose his partner immediately following that player's drive. Example: Player A is the Wolf. Player B hits a bad drive. Player C hits a pretty good drive. If the Wolf wants C as a partner, he must claim his partner before Player D tees off.

The side with the lowest better ball score wins the hole. If it's 2-on-2, then the winning side wins the bet. If it's 1-on-3, the Wolf wins double or loses double.

There's also Lone Wolf, in which the Wolf announces before anyone tees off - including himself - that he's going it alone, 1-on-3. On a Lone Wolf hole, the Wolf wins triple or loses triple

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double Bogey 

Players rotate being the "Wolf." The player designated as the "Wolf" on a hole gets to choose whether to play the hole 1-vs.-3 (himself against the other three players in the group) or 2-vs.-2.

And if the Wolf chooses to play 2-on-2, he must choose his partner immediately following that player's drive. Example: Player A is the Wolf. Player B hits a bad drive. Player C hits a pretty good drive. If the Wolf wants C as a partner, he must claim his partner before Player D tees off.

The side with the lowest better ball score wins the hole. If it's 2-on-2, then the winning side wins the bet. If it's 1-on-3, the Wolf wins double or loses double.

There's also Lone Wolf, in which the Wolf announces before anyone tees off - including himself - that he's going it alone, 1-on-3. On a Lone Wolf hole, the Wolf wins triple or loses triple

Just like this, with the Wolf teeing off first.  Wolf honors on each of the last 2 holes (after all 4 players have each had 4 turns as Wolf) goes to whoever has the fewest points.

Great game, but in my experience best played between players of similar abilities.  Even handicapped, it just doesn't seem to work out otherwise.

Is ther a set dollar amount per hole or does everyone put in say $10 and then split the winnings at the end?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetsknicks1 

Is ther a set dollar amount per hole or does everyone put in say $10 and then split the winnings at the end?

We play a set amt per point.  If you're the Wolf and pick me, and we win, we each get a point from the other team.  If you go it alone as the Wolf, you stand to win or lose 2 pts from each of us for a total of 6 pts either way.

Risk reward.....   But that's why it's tough to play as a net game though.   A player that's significantly better than the others can do a lot of damage by going it alone depending where the handicap strokes fall in relation to his turns as the Wolf.  If you have a group that's all within a stroke or 2 of each other, it's a fun, wide open game though.

One of my groups plays this game a lot.  It's great with 4 or 5 players, and actually works out pretty well even with a good spread in handicaps.  As was stated, Wolf rotates each hole (we usually follow the order listed on the scorecard to make things easier.  Wolf hits first). 

Wolf must choose his/her partner before the next player tees off (if Wolf wants to choose player B, he must declare that before Player C tees off).  If the Wolf doesn't care for a partner, he can declare him/herself "lone wolf" and play 1 v.3 (or 1 v. 4).  The way we play, the Lone Wolf must win outright in order to collect the double points.

If Wolf declares lone wolf before anybody else tees off (including him/herself), the points are 3/1.

We assign a value for each point before each match.  Usually it's $1.00 per point.

First off - I LOVE this game.

Double Bogey's post is spot on correct on how to play it (Of coruse, you can alter the rules however you wish). And I don't know about points for proximity, etc. It's just a point per hole, double when going Lone Wolf. You set a $$ amount for a point. Usually $1.

But here's an interesting wrinkle. Say you're on a par 3 & you're the Wolf. You hit a crummy shot. Player B hits a bad one. Player C hits a bad one. Player D stiffs it to say 3 feet. You pick Player D.

Player D can now decline to be your partner & HE goes Lone Wolf on the hole. Well call that the F-You Rule.

This is my groups typical fallback game just because it's fun to play hole to hole.  Play it just like Carrx stated, even with the 3/1 points on lone wolf before the tee shot.  I always tend to do well in the game, so I like it.

What's the best way to keep track of the points on the card? I very rarely gamble on the course but this game sounds fun. Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetsknicks1 

What's the best way to keep track of the points on the card? I very rarely gamble on the course but this game sounds fun. Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Actually a good question.  2 different ways..... depending on how aggressive you want to get.

Option 1:

Use an extra scorecard......

On hole one, players A and B win against C and D.  A and B each get +1 for the hole and C and D each get -1.

On hole two, player B goes it alone and loses.  He loses double to each of the other 3 so he gets -6 and each of the others get a +2.

After the round, you simply net out everyone's points.  The net losers throw a buck a pt (or whatever) into the pot and it gets split among the net winners based on their net positive point totals.

In that way if you're on the losing team, you're paying one point to one of the team members of the winning team while your partner pays one point to the other member of the winning team.

Option 2: 

No extra card needed.  

Simply place a dot next to each winner's score on the scorecard for each point won.  If 2 players win against the other 2, each of the winners gets a single dot.  If 1 player goes Wolf and wins against the other 3, the single winner gets 2 dots.  If the Wolf loses against the other 3, each of them 2 dots.

After the round you add up every bodies dots and everyone collects from anyone less than them and pays anyone above them.

In this scenario, what's happening is that when the teams are split 2 against 2, each player on a losing team on any given hole, is paying one dot to each player on the winning team, not just one of the them.  If you're on the winning team, you're collecting a pt from each player, rather than just one of them. 

Because you win/lose more as a team in option 2 (2 pts) while the risk is the same as a Wolf (6 pts), option 1 tends to reward the lone Wolf a little more.

We generally play option 2. 

Hope that makes sense.......

When you keep score, put the order on the scorecard the same order as people tee off.  Then you can easily remember if someone is out of turn.  For score, put a dot, or dots, next to the score for that hole for the person/people that win.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicagogolf 

so just for clarification....

 

i go alone vs 3. there's 4 points on the table. i lose. so i lose 4 to each guy for a total of 12? so each guy but me is +4...

Correct. If you win, put 4 dots next to your score (each will owe you 4). If they win, 4 dots next to each of theirs (you owe each of them 4).

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL 

 

Actually a good question.  2 different ways..... depending on how aggressive you want to get.

 

Option 1:

 

Use an extra scorecard......

 

On hole one, players A and B win against C and D.  A and B each get +1 for the hole and C and D each get -1.

 

On hole two, player B goes it alone and loses.  He loses double to each of the other 3 so he gets -6 and each of the others get a +2.

 

After the round, you simply net out everyone's points.  The net losers throw a buck a pt (or whatever) into the pot and it gets split among the net winners based on their net positive point totals.

 

In that way if you're on the losing team, you're paying one point to one of the team members of the winning team while your partner pays one point to the other member of the winning team.

 

 

Option 2: 

 

No extra card needed.  

 

Simply place a dot next to each winner's score on the scorecard for each point won.  If 2 players win against the other 2, each of the winners gets a single dot.  If 1 player goes Wolf and wins against the other 3, the single winner gets 2 dots.  If the Wolf loses against the other 3, each of them 2 dots.

 

After the round you add up every bodies dots and everyone collects from anyone less than them and pays anyone above them.

 

In this scenario, what's happening is that when the teams are split 2 against 2, each player on a losing team on any given hole, is paying one dot to each player on the winning team, not just one of the them.  If you're on the winning team, you're collecting a pt from each player, rather than just one of them. 

 

 

Because you win/lose more as a team in option 2 (2 pts) while the risk is the same as a Wolf (6 pts), option 1 tends to reward the lone Wolf a little more.

 

We generally play option 2. 

 

Hope that makes sense.......

Good explanation. Thanks.

BTW, the math, in case someone gets stuck trying to figure out who owes what -

Let's say you're playing buck a point & it ends as follows -

Player A ends up with 12 points

Player B 9 points

Player C 5 points

Player D 2 points

Player A: 12-9 = 3, 12-5 = 7, 12-2 = 10. 3+7+10 = 20, or $20 won

Player B: Owes Player A 3 points, but collects from C & D: 9-5 = 4, 9-2 = 7, total 11 minus the 3 owed Player A = 8, or $8 won

Player C: Owes Player A 7 points & Player B 4 points, collects 3 from Player D: 3 minus 11 = -8, $8 owed

Player D: Reverse Player A. Owes $20.

So D pays A $20, C pays B $8.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf 

Can someone take 90 seconds and give me a brief description of how scoring works with just 3 players?

Can't be played with 3 players. You have to have two 2-team players on each hole. Otherwise it's 2 versus 1 on every hole. Can't work.