Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three hole-by-hole points—first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed—with house terms agreed. Choose match play when golfers want a direct hole-by-hole contest, with handicaps, concessions and finish conditions settled beforehand.
Bingo Bango Bongo in brief
A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed.
match play in brief
Players win individual holes; the match goes to whoever is ahead when the result is decided.
Table
| Comparison | Bingo Bango Bongo | match play |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed. | Players win individual holes; the match goes to whoever is ahead when the result is decided. |
| 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. | Minimum 2 for an individual head-to-head; ideal 2, or a larger individual field arranged as separate matches. It is not one shared score against the whole field. |
| 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. | holes |
| 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 individual match play, the recommended WHS allowance is 100%. Apply it to each player's unrounded Course Handicap to calculate the Playing Handicap. The player with the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest Playing Handicap, with strokes allocated by hole as specified by the Committee or Terms of Competition. |
| 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. | Match play has no automatic money settlement. If players agree a stake beforehand, it can settle as one amount for the match; any per-hole side bet or carry-over is a house rule that should be written down before starting. |
| 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. | Often faster than stroke play, because the match ends once one player leads by more holes than remain and concessions can shorten holes; it can be the same or slower when matches are close, contested or extended. |
| 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. | Two players who want every hole to matter, a direct contest between unequally skilled golfers using handicaps, or a club knockout with clearly stated Terms of Competition. |
| 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. | A player can be eliminated before 18 holes, and a disputed handicap, concession or house-money rule can create friction unless the terms are agreed first. |
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. In a scratch singles hole, Alex scores 4 and Ben 5, so Alex wins that hole under Rule 3.2.
Rule reference: R&A Rules of Golf Rule 3.1a and 3.2a-3.2b; WHS Appendix C (individual match play recommended at 100%; no Bingo Bango Bongo-specific allowance listed).
Sources: www.massgolf.org , www.coloradogolf.org , help.18birdies.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Bingo Bango Bongo and match play 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 match play: holes
How do handicaps apply in Bingo Bango Bongo vs match play?
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. match play: For individual match play, the recommended WHS allowance is 100%. Apply it to each player's unrounded Course Handicap to calculate the Playing Handicap. The player with the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest Playing Handicap, with strokes allocated by hole as specified by the Committee or Terms of Competition.
When should I choose Bingo Bango Bongo instead of match play?
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three hole-by-hole points—first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed—with house terms agreed. Choose match play when golfers want a direct hole-by-hole contest, with handicaps, concessions and finish conditions settled beforehand.