Playing golf for money

[Lee Marks]

Does anyone play for money?  My skill level is good but not amazing. However, I only like to play golf if it's competitive, meaning there is money on the line.  And I don't really want to enter tournaments because only the top 2 or 3 people make money.  I'm more of the hustling type:  Challenging someone to a 1 on 1 game of golf for a few hundred dollars.  Does anyone else do this?  If so, how do you find partners to play with for money?

[David in FL]

Always. It doesn't need to be a lot, but a little something on the match makes it a lot more interesting. I'd rather win a $5 Nassau from one of my buddies than find $100 on the street!

[iacas]

I voted yes. It's not often, but… enough to vote yes.

[SavvySwede]

I usually play by myself and don't really want to gamble with strangers. Though I certainly would if I could get a regular game with people I know could give me a good match. One time my friend brought one of his buds to play with us. New guy wanted to play for money with me after making himself look bad after the first two holes. Played 3 over par for 36 holes and absolutely spanked him. I feel like my average would really dip if I had that kind of motivation all of the time.

[MrFlipper]

I voted yes, I don't play for big money but gotta play for something, even if its just a beer nassau. Generally I play in a regular group but sometimes you just click with people you meet and have fun playing the last 9 holes for beers or something. That's a fun part of just joining up with people.

I played skins at a muni growing up, no strokes, 3 or 4 groups would put $10 or $20 per person into the pot. It was pretty much a regular game, kinda like a weekly poker game. A great way to learn to play with some pressure as a teenager.

In general, gambling with strangers seems like a losing bet unless someone you know set it up. If I don't know who the rube is when gambling for a lot, it's probably me.

[Valleygolfer]

Usually play for beers after the round. Pretty much like money.

[boogielicious]

Other that the league stuff, no.  Beer on occasion as @Valleygolfer said.

[irishmike27]

Not big money, but my friends I always like to have a little something on the line.

[No Mulligans]

Yes, as long as breakfast or lunch = money.

[jsgolfer]

We play $5 Nassau with $2 birdies.  2 down automatic press (which I don't really like)

[99prblms]

I played for money as a 20 plus handicapper against single digit guys. Obviously I never won. I guess I'm a sucker, but I always figured I'd have one of those days where everything fell in place. But I voted yes.. money always makes competition a lot more interesting for me

[David in FL]

I played for money as a 20 plus handicapper against single digit guys. Obviously I never won. I guess I'm a sucker, but I always figured I'd have one of those days where everything fell in place. But I voted yes.. money always makes competition a lot more interesting for me

I lose money all the time to 20 hcp players.  The key is to keep accurate handicaps and play a game that makes it fair for all.

[irishmike27]

I lose money all the time to 20 hcp players.  The key is to keep accurate handicaps and play a game that makes it fair for all.

Agreed. Accurate handicaps are key. Even if someone doesn't have a legit index, at least having a score average to work off is important. I organize a golf trip with 12-16 guys, probably 3 of us keep indexes, but everyone turns in an average score to generate a "trip handicap" for all of the formats and money games we have going. Everyone has a shot to take home money, but it is pretty funny listening to some of the better players griping about someone who shot 120 somehow won the stableford despite the fact the better players were in the low 80s. Handicaps level the field and keep it fun for everyone (well almost everyone-you can't keep everyone happy).

[DaveP043]

I play with the same big group of guys, up to 12 of us on any given day, and we always play for a few bucks.  Its divided into a bunch of bets, nassau bets among the groups, lots of trash, low gross and net, its possible to lose maybe 20 bucks, or win a little more on a good day.  We all keep proper handicaps, and in the long run I think we end up pretty even at the end of a season.  Like several others have said, if you ALL keep handicaps the right way, and play by the rules, it works out pretty well.

[Patch]

I have played a few skins in my time, but only with good friends, and relatives. I never played for money with a stranger.  Now in another money area, I have made some very lucrative business deals  with other business folks while playing golf. Yes, there was a little politics that went on during those business rounds. Another area has been high score buys at the 19th. All that said, it been quite a while since any of that has happened.

There was one time I saw a few thousand dollars change hands during a round. The course was crowded, and I was placed with a twosome who were strangers to me. They were playing for $100 per par, per hole. I was not part of their gambling. A par 3 was worth $300, a par 4 was $400 and of course a par 5 was worth $500. They both played that course under par, and it was an enjoyable match to watch. Some really good golf was played. The course had three par 3s, eleven par 4s, and four par 5s.

Now that I think about it, I probably played golf to "spend" money.

[mvmac]

Not as much anymore but in high school and college I played for a good bit of money. I grew up at a club where the motto was that "it's no fun playing for fun". Standard was an individual medal bet with everyone in the group, 8-12 guys, 20-40-20 two ball nasa with automatic two down presses, birdies, greenies, sandies. When guys wanted a lot of action we would add an aloha bet on the last hole (double or nothing) or play an amigo game (Las Vegas).

[rkim291968]

No, never.  I am a gambling type of guy but never bet with other golfers on golf.    My club has a weekly skins game I can participate but I don't.   By betting money, I think I will become a different golfer that what I am now.   I don't trust myself (temper, anger, frustration, ...) in competitive setting.   For the same reason, I don't drink during a round.

[billchao]

I play a $2 Nassau with the only guy I regularly play with. It makes the game more interesting because we are competing against each other. I've learned that I hate to lose and I focus more when up against a wall.