Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three individual points per hole for green, pin proximity and holing out, rather than a team score. Choose shamble when players want selected-drive teamwork but each golfer should play an individual ball and count towards the lowest team score.
Bingo Bango Bongo in brief
A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed.
shamble in brief
Teams select the best tee shot, then play individual balls and count the lowest score.
Table
| Comparison | Bingo Bango Bongo | shamble |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed. | Teams select the best tee shot, then play individual balls and count the lowest score. |
| 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 players forming one team; ideal: 4 players for one team, or 8+ players for head-to-head teams or a 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. | Strokes: after the selected drive, each player completes the hole with their own ball; the lowest team score is the hole's team score. |
| 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. | Use the Competition Committee's Terms of Competition. The USGA shamble guidance suggests 75% of each player's Course Handicap for a two-person team and 65% of each player's Course Handicap for a four-person team; apply the percentage to the unrounded Course Handicap, then calculate Playing Handicap. These are shamble guidance figures, not a universal WHS allowance, and other team sizes or formats need a stated house method. |
| 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. | Shamble has no inherent money settlement. If stakes are agreed, settle on the final team totals or on separately agreed per-hole or match bets; write the payment and tie rules before play. |
| 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 stroke play for one group because everyone tees off and then plays an individual ball, although it can be quicker than a scramble after the drive because players do not repeatedly choose and replay one team ball. |
| 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 that want the teamwork of a selected-drive game while keeping every player's approach shots and putting in play; it suits a four-person team event or a small head-to-head competition with clear Committee conditions. |
| 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 is not fully standardised: drive-selection limits, team size, scoring, handicap treatment and tie procedures can vary, so an event without written conditions can produce 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 select a preferred drive then play separate balls, scoring 4 and 5. If the event counts one best score, their side records 4; another counting rule would require a different result.
Rule reference: Neither Bingo Bango Bongo nor shamble is a standalone form defined by the Rules of Golf; shamble conditions and any handicap allowance should be set by the Competition Committee, while Bingo Bango Bongo has no specific WHS allowance listed.
Sources: www.massgolf.org , www.coloradogolf.org , help.18birdies.com , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do Bingo Bango Bongo and shamble 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 shamble: Strokes: after the selected drive, each player completes the hole with their own ball; the lowest team score is the hole's team score.
How do handicaps apply in Bingo Bango Bongo vs shamble?
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. shamble: Use the Competition Committee's Terms of Competition. The USGA shamble guidance suggests 75% of each player's Course Handicap for a two-person team and 65% of each player's Course Handicap for a four-person team; apply the percentage to the unrounded Course Handicap, then calculate Playing Handicap. These are shamble guidance figures, not a universal WHS allowance, and other team sizes or formats need a stated house method.
When should I choose Bingo Bango Bongo instead of shamble?
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual group wants three individual points per hole for green, pin proximity and holing out, rather than a team score. Choose shamble when players want selected-drive teamwork but each golfer should play an individual ball and count towards the lowest team score.