Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual two-to-four-player group wants three individual points per hole for distinct achievements, with no standard handicap allowance. Choose Vegas when four players want a head-to-head, money-based team game built from paired scores, accepting house decisions on handicaps, flips, presses and high-score conventions.
Bingo Bango Bongo in brief
A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | Bingo Bango Bongo | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A three-point-per-hole game for first on the green, closest to the pin and first holed. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| 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 4: two teams of two; ideal 4 in one foursome. It is a head-to-head team game, not an individual field 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 per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money. |
| 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. | Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game. |
| 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. | Agree a value per point before teeing off. Add each hole's point difference to a running team total and settle the final difference at the end; presses, birdie or eagle multipliers and payment splits are optional house rules and must be agreed first. |
| 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. | Slower than ordinary stroke play in practice because each hole requires two-digit pairing, possible score flips and point arithmetic; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured statistic. |
| 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 balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| 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 single birdie flip or high score can create a very large swing, and different groups use different rules for handicaps, 10-plus scores, eagles and presses. |
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 a selected no-flip Vegas rule, Alex 4 and Ben 5 form 45; Chris 5 and Dana 6 form 56. At $1 per point per side, the 11-point difference pays $11 from the second side to the first. Agree caps and multi-digit-score handling.
Rule reference: WHS Appendix C (listed allowances and unrounded Course Handicap basis; no Bingo Bango Bongo- or Vegas-specific allowance); R&A Rule 3 (competition framework); R&A Rule 23 (four-ball context only, not a definition of Vegas)
Sources: www.massgolf.org , www.coloradogolf.org , help.18birdies.com , www.golfmonthly.com , golf.com , www.thefriedegg.com , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Bingo Bango Bongo and Vegas 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 Vegas: Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money.
How do handicaps apply in Bingo Bango Bongo vs Vegas?
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. Vegas: Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game.
When should I choose Bingo Bango Bongo instead of Vegas?
Choose Bingo Bango Bongo when a casual two-to-four-player group wants three individual points per hole for distinct achievements, with no standard handicap allowance. Choose Vegas when four players want a head-to-head, money-based team game built from paired scores, accepting house decisions on handicaps, flips, presses and high-score conventions.