Do You Play for Money?

[RobbyDuzak]

Sometimes $5 but no more than that. Keeping it fun.

[glk23]

Just started playing with some guys at my club: 2 man teams, sableford scoring, $1 each for front, back and total. Would like to start a 12-16 guy league using the same format with a blind draw and bets ranging from $1-5.

[Wisguy]

As a general rule, I don't gamble because I have the sort of luck that para-psychologists would like to study - I once lost more than 15 straight times at roulette betting red or black at a casino night fundraiser.  I haven't played poker in years and couldn't tell you the difference between Texas Hold-em and Go Fish, but I once had 4 queens... and lost to 4 kings (no wild cards).  So I learned a quarter century ago that gambling for me is generally about as fun as taking a match to my cash and has the same result.

Early on in my golfing years, I watched a bit of a blue-collar grifter type golfer take around $40 or so each off two fancy-pants types that we had walked on as singles and got paired up with them.  It was pretty entertaining.  They were not pleased by the end of the round and figured out that the dumb, drunk and uncouth black guy wasn't so dumb or drunk, and despite their Bobby Jones golf shirts being embarassed by the ragged hem on his cargo shorts, he knew a bit more about the game of golf than they did.

Once I played a round with a friend, his father-in-law, and one of their friends who were all better golfers than me and they wanted to put some cash on each hole - I forget whether it was $2 or $5.  I didn't want to bet at all, let alone that much and was also concerned because I knew one of the guys played winter rules when he thought no one was looking.  We ended up going a buck a hole on the par-3s, closest to the pin, with a carry over to the next hole if no one hit the green.  I ended up winning the hole after a carry-over hole, taking home $4 net after losing the other two holes.  I like the closest to the pin contests, if I'm going to gamble at all, because I don't have to worry about counting strokes or keeping an eye on anyone else - the winning shot is right there in plain sight.  I'll play closest to the pin for a beer sometimes on the last par-3 of a round with my usual golf buddy.  He doesn't usually like the pressure and once I had to grab his arm to prevent him from snapping his pitching wedge over his knee.  I actually think that the pressure of money on the line for every hole would probably make me focus and play better, but a lifetime of bad luck has me convinced that I'd be careening balls off flagsticks or front-of-green sprinkler heads into a pond  or watching my putts do a 720 around the cup and veer off just outside of gimme range if I tried playing for money.

Seems like almost all of the tour pros gamble, though.  I've heard that a lot of the young guys who want to make a living playing on tour play for pretty high stakes, more than they perhaps ought to, to become accustomed to putting big pressure on themselves.  I wonder if there are any top-20 pros who never, ever wager on their games.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by Wisguy

I'll play closest to the pin for a beer sometimes on the last par-3 of a round with my usual golf buddy.

That's more like it.

[Jameshooper]

I play with a group on Saturdays for $10.00 a man.  We usually play quota.  I also play on Sundays with usually 4 to 7 groups, and we play different formats....best ball, Quota, one ball net and one gross. And we play for $20.00 a guy, front 9, back 9, total and skins.

[ApocG10]

Almost every round I play with others is for money. It has been as low as a dollar a stroke or hole, to 100$ on a single shot, and once, 500$ each, in a 4 way stroke play between me and 3 other top players at one of the clubs i'm a member at. I won by 2 strokes with a73.

[ApocG10]

I will say though, im no fan of 1$ dollar skins and the like. Theres no suspense to it. I'll do it with friends who I know can't afford more, or refuse to bet more. But there is no suspense. At least 10$ a stroke has to be up for grabs to make it fun. I like 1-200$ rounds/

[Jim Kim]

I would never play for money even if I'm sure to win!

But I will surely bet for a round (or a sometime little lunch within family/close friends)...

[BuckeyeNut]

I have a golf membership, so I tend to play the same course.   I carry a 0hc.....so am I good or not?  I guess that is relevant. If you are a plus HC player......I'll probably take your money if you challenge me on my track...........LL   seriously........I may dominate you.  I know the course too well....I putt the greens too well.

[cooke119]

No I usually don't. I was invited to play with some guys once and when we got to the first tee the conversation changed to what the stakes were going to be. Well, what was I going to do, say no, so I was in. Lost $15 that day, luckly I played well or it could have been been a lot worse.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by cooke119

No I usually don't. I was invited to play with some guys once and when we got to the first tee the conversation changed to what the stakes were going to be. Well, what was I going to do, say no, so I was in. Lost $15 that day, luckly I played well or it could have been been a lot worse.

If you didn't want to be part of the money game, all you had to do is say so.  I've been there before, when I was playing with someone I didn't know, or didn't know very well, and wasn't about to let myself get hustled.  I've also been in the position where the best player didn't want to give the strokes that weaker golfers were entitled to, so I declined, and the low capper literally won every wager without working up a sweat.  If I'd joined, he'd have cleaned up on me too.  If you don't like the conditions they set, then just decline the offer.

[Lefty-Golfer]

I only gamble when golfing...at my club i don't know of anyone who doesn't have a game going - or two or three. not heavy 5 or 10 3 ways. always teams sometimes an extra one on one bet - always automatic for the first press sometimes full auto - never play high/low we just play low. junk depending on the guys...skins if you have a multi 4 some group...i thought this was standard.

[zipazoid]

This thread reminds me of a story I read in like Golf Digest or some mag years ago -

An 18-handicapper agreed to play a Scratch straight up, no strokes. Forget what the wager was, but there was definitely money on the line. In lieu of strokes, the Scratch had to drink one shot of Whiskey on each tee.

The Scratch was one up on the 18th tee when he passed out.

[x129]

The scratch player should have picked a better day. He needed to make sure it was either a 2 hour round or a 7 hour one.

Originally Posted by zipazoid

This thread reminds me of a story I read in like Golf Digest or some mag years ago -

An 18-handicapper agreed to play a Scratch straight up, no strokes. Forget what the wager was, but there was definitely money on the line. In lieu of strokes, the Scratch had to drink one shot of Whiskey on each tee.

The Scratch was one up on the 18th tee when he passed out.

[NM Golf]

I rarely play without some kind of bet in place. Don't play for a lot of cash, normally maybe $20 might change hands. Play quite a few games with a $20 buy in, most of those require a sub par round in order to get your cash back.

Never saw a need to play for hundreds of dollars, but maybe I would if I had more money laying around. The guys I know that do play for big money always seem to have more money than game. I would be happy to play in their games, but they would want too many strokes from me and I don't give strokes. If you want to play for my cash bring your game and don't ask for charity.

[roperdad]

We always play for $, and is sounds like a lot to someone that has never played with our group before.  But the bets are split so many ways by the end of the day if you lose $20 you've had a REALLY bad day.  Mostly is is about getting under the skin of who's hot or not on a hole or stretch of holes

Thick skin and a sense of humor are required or we are not very much fun to play with.

[jetsknicks1]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

I rarely play without some kind of bet in place. Don't play for a lot of cash, normally maybe $20 might change hands. Play quite a few games with a $20 buy in, most of those require a sub par round in order to get your cash back.

Never saw a need to play for hundreds of dollars, but maybe I would if I had more money laying around. The guys I know that do play for big money always seem to have more money than game. I would be happy to play in their games, but they would want too many strokes from me and I don't give strokes. If you want to play for my cash bring your game and don't ask for charity.

In a gambling situation, with players of varying skills, giving strokes is not charity.

[David in FL]

][quote name="NM Golf" url="/t/19354/do-you-play-for-money/90#post_787077"] I don't give strokes. If you want to play for my cash bring your game and don't ask for charity. [/quote] I tend to agree.... ......as long as the guys I'm playing against aren't better than me. :-D