Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three separate, hole-by-hole opportunities—first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed—rather than a total score. Choose modified Stableford when a competition wants an individual points total with published rewards and penalties that sharpen risk and reward.
Bingo Bango Bongo in brief
A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed.
modified Stableford in brief
A points contest that rewards strong holes and penalises poor ones more sharply than ordinary Stableford.
Table
| Comparison | Bingo Bango Bongo | modified Stableford |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed. | A points contest that rewards strong holes and penalises poor ones more sharply than ordinary Stableford. |
| 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 field; ideal for 3+ players in a field. It can also be run head-to-head, but it is not intrinsically a match-play format. |
| 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. | Points awarded on each hole, then totalled for the round; the highest total wins. |
| 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. | There is no single universal WHS allowance specifically named for modified Stableford. The Committee should state the allowance in the Terms of Competition. If the event is administered as an individual Stableford handicap competition, WHS Appendix C recommends 95% of each player's unrounded Course Handicap as the Playing Handicap; confirm that treatment with the relevant national association because modified Stableford is an adapted form with committee-set scoring. Apply strokes by the published stroke index and do not present 95% as automatic for every modified Stableford event. |
| 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. | Only if players agree stakes: settle after the round on the final points totals, or use a separately agreed per-point amount. The format itself creates no required betting or payout method. |
| 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 ordinary stroke play when the Terms of Competition allow a player to stop once no points can be scored on a hole; otherwise pace is broadly similar. This is a practical tendency, not a measured rule or guarantee. |
| 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. | Groups wanting an individual points game with a clear risk-and-reward emphasis, especially a competition that wants birdies and eagles to matter more than in ordinary Stableford. |
| 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 points table is not universal, so players can dispute results unless the Committee publishes the target score, points for each result, handicap treatment, tie-break and pick-up procedure beforehand. |
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. Under an explicitly selected modified points table of par 0, bogey −1 and birdie +2, Alex's 4, 5 and 3 on par-4 holes total 1 point; Ben's 5, 4 and 4 total -1. The Committee must specify the actual table.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 21.1; R&A Committee Procedures Section 9A; WHS Appendix C. Bingo Bango Bongo is an informal points game, not a governed Rules of Golf format.
Sources: www.massgolf.org , www.coloradogolf.org , help.18birdies.com , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.pgatour.com
Common questions
How do Bingo Bango Bongo and modified Stableford 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 modified Stableford: Points awarded on each hole, then totalled for the round; the highest total wins.
How do handicaps apply in Bingo Bango Bongo vs modified Stableford?
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. modified Stableford: There is no single universal WHS allowance specifically named for modified Stableford. The Committee should state the allowance in the Terms of Competition. If the event is administered as an individual Stableford handicap competition, WHS Appendix C recommends 95% of each player's unrounded Course Handicap as the Playing Handicap; confirm that treatment with the relevant national association because modified Stableford is an adapted form with committee-set scoring. Apply strokes by the published stroke index and do not present 95% as automatic for every modified Stableford event.
When should I choose Bingo Bango Bongo instead of modified Stableford?
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three separate, hole-by-hole opportunities—first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed—rather than a total score. Choose modified Stableford when a competition wants an individual points total with published rewards and penalties that sharpen risk and reward.