Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when an individual group wants three informal, skill-specific points per hole rather than a team total. Choose Chapman when four-player teams want both partners to hit second shots, select one ball, and finish each hole in alternate shots.
Bingo Bango Bongo in brief
A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed.
Chapman in brief
Two partners swap second shots, choose one ball, then finish with alternate shots.
Table
| Comparison | Bingo Bango Bongo | Chapman |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed. | Two partners swap second shots, choose one ball, then finish with alternate shots. |
| Players | Minimum: 2 players in an individual group; ideal: 2 to 4. Everyone plays their own ball, and the points are awarded to individuals rather than head-to-head sides. | Two players per side. A single pair can enter a stroke-play field; four players, in two pairs, make a head-to-head contest. Ideal: four in a playing group, or a larger event made up of two-player sides. |
| Scoring unit | Points per hole: one Bingo for first on the green, one Bango for closest to the pin after all balls are on the green, and one Bongo for first to hole out. Three points are available per hole; the group should agree how ties, a missed green and any unclaimed point are handled before starting. | Strokes per hole and total team strokes; the lowest net total wins in stroke play. A club may instead specify a match-play or side-bet settlement, but that is a competition choice. |
| Handicap method | There is no WHS allowance specifically prescribed for this informal points game. A Colorado Golf Association article says handicapping is not necessary; it also notes that longer hitters can have an advantage in the first-on-the-green contest. If Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana want a net-score variant, the Committee or group must write its own terms rather than automatically transplanting a stroke-play or match-play percentage. WHS Appendix C says allowances are applied to unrounded Course Handicap, but its listed formats do not include Bingo Bango Bongo. | For standard Chapman/Pinehurst stroke play, use the WHS recommended team allowance of 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. Apply the percentages to each player's unrounded Course Handicap before rounding the resulting team Playing Handicap. The Committee or competition Terms should state the allowance; do not automatically reuse this stroke-play recommendation for an unstandardised match-play version. |
| Money settles how | The format has no inherent stake. If the group agrees on $1 per point, total each player's points across the round and settle the difference at the end; alternatively, settle each hole's points as they are recorded. State the dollar value, tie treatment and whether a three-point sweep is doubled before teeing off. | No inherent money settlement. If Alex and Ben play Chris and Dana for an agreed dollar stake, the Terms should state whether the stake is settled on the winning net total, each hole, or another agreed side game; Chapman itself does not prescribe betting. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary stroke play for a small group when the group strictly preserves playing order, because players must wait for the ball farthest from the hole and track who is first to the green, closest after all balls are on, and first to hole out. A two-player group can be easier to manage; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured fact. | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball and potentially similar to foursomes, because all four players hit a tee shot, then each plays the partner's ball before the team selects one ball and continues with alternate shots. This is an editorial tendency, not a measured rule or timing claim. |
| Best for | A casual two-to-four-player round where different skills can win separate points and every hole stays live. It suits friends who want a simple side game without making gross score the only route to a result, provided they agree the local rules and any stake first. | A four-player team competition where partners want both players involved on every tee shot and an alternate-shot finish that rewards joint decisions. It suits a club day or friendly event with written Terms covering handicaps, ties and any stakes. |
| Weakness | The first-on-the-green point can favour longer hitters, and strict farthest-first order can slow the group or create disputes if players putt out of turn. Because this is a house game rather than a WHS format, an unagreed handicap or tie rule can change the result after play has started. | The format can feel slow and awkward at the second-shot selection: both partners must play the partner's ball, and the team then loses one of the two balls before alternating to the hole. Uneven team handicaps or unwritten house rules can also cause disputes. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. If Alex is first onto the green and first to hole out, while Ben is closest after all reach the green, the selected Bingo Bango Bongo rule gives Alex 2 points and Ben 1. Stakes are a separate house agreement. Alex and Ben both tee off, swap balls for their second shots, select one and alternate to finish in 4; Chris and Dana finish in 5. The event must specify the scoring and handicap terms.
Rule reference: WHS Appendix C; the Bingo Bango Bongo comparison is an informal points game, while Chapman/Pinehurst is the recognised team sequence described in the cited handicap guidance.
Sources: www.massgolf.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Bingo Bango Bongo and Chapman score differently?
For Bingo Bango Bongo: Points per hole: one Bingo for first on the green, one Bango for closest to the pin after all balls are on the green, and one Bongo for first to hole out. Three points are available per hole; the group should agree how ties, a missed green and any unclaimed point are handled before starting. For Chapman: Strokes per hole and total team strokes; the lowest net total wins in stroke play. A club may instead specify a match-play or side-bet settlement, but that is a competition choice.
How do handicaps apply in Bingo Bango Bongo vs Chapman?
Bingo Bango Bongo: There is no WHS allowance specifically prescribed for this informal points game. A Colorado Golf Association article says handicapping is not necessary; it also notes that longer hitters can have an advantage in the first-on-the-green contest. If Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana want a net-score variant, the Committee or group must write its own terms rather than automatically transplanting a stroke-play or match-play percentage. WHS Appendix C says allowances are applied to unrounded Course Handicap, but its listed formats do not include Bingo Bango Bongo. Chapman: For standard Chapman/Pinehurst stroke play, use the WHS recommended team allowance of 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. Apply the percentages to each player's unrounded Course Handicap before rounding the resulting team Playing Handicap. The Committee or competition Terms should state the allowance; do not automatically reuse this stroke-play recommendation for an unstandardised match-play version.
When should I choose Bingo Bango Bongo instead of Chapman?
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when an individual group wants three informal, skill-specific points per hole rather than a team total. Choose Chapman when four-player teams want both partners to hit second shots, select one ball, and finish each hole in alternate shots.