Page type: Group-size game guide
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Best first choice
Skins. It is the most practical first choice for seven because every player can remain an individual, ties can carry the pot forward, and no uneven teams need to be invented. Agree whether scores are gross or net, the value per skin, and any carryover or validation rule before the first tee shot.
What to agree before play
A seven-player Wolf rotation does not divide 18 holes evenly among seven Wolves, so publish the turn order and do not call it an official standard format. A large skins carryover can create a sharp single-hole settlement; write down whether each player pays one unit per skin or whether the pot is divided differently. Handicap treatment is not automatically supplied by a casual betting game's name; agree the method and stroke holes before play rather than transplanting a team allowance.
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Skins | A single pot per hole scales cleanly to seven players and can be played gross or under a separately agreed net-strokes method. |
| Bingo Bango Bongo | Three point opportunities on each hole keep all seven involved even when one player rarely has the lowest score, although the group must keep playing order clear. |
| Garbage (also called Junk or Dots) | A pre-agreed list of small achievements and penalties gives a large group several ways to score without fixed teams. |
| Nassau for individual players | Front nine, back nine and overall bets can be agreed between the seven individuals, but the settlement ledger is more involved than a simple skins pot. |
| Wolf-style rotating partner game | A seven-player house rotation can use the Wolf's partner-or-solo decision, but it is an arrangement rather than a standard seven-player format and needs an explicit turn and points schedule. |
Worked example
House rule: $2 per skin, gross scores, with ties carrying forward. If holes 1–3 are tied and Alex is the sole lowest scorer on hole 4, four skins are won; at $2 from each of the other six players per skin, Alex receives 4 × $2 × 6 = $48.
Rule reference: WHS Appendix C (recommended handicap allowances); Rules of Golf Rule 3.2 (match play and handicap strokes)
Sources: linksmagazine.com , www.golfdigest.com , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
What is the easiest betting game for seven golfers?
Skins is usually the cleanest arrangement because all seven play as individuals and only the lowest score on each hole needs to be compared. Agree the unit, gross or net scoring, and carryover rule before teeing off.
Can seven golfers play Wolf?
They can use a Wolf-style house arrangement, but seven does not divide an 18-hole rotation evenly. Set the Wolf order in advance, state whether the Wolf picks after each tee shot or can go alone, and record the points rule; treat it as an agreed variant, not a universal official format.
How should handicaps work in a seven-player betting game?
Do not assume that a WHS allowance exists for the casual game you have chosen. For an organised individual match-play competition, WHS Appendix C lists a recommended 100% allowance and says match-play strokes are based on relative Playing Handicaps; for informal skins or other side games, document the group's agreed method and use the course or Playing Handicap appropriate to the tees.
Is a seven-player Nassau practical?
It is possible as an individual Nassau, with separate front-nine, back-nine and 18-hole bets, but seven players create more bilateral settlements and more scorekeeping. Use it only if one person will maintain the ledger and the group agrees how ties and presses work.
Are these betting games official Rules of Golf formats?
No. Skins, Wolf, Nassau, Bingo Bango Bongo and Garbage are informal side games with house rules. The Rules of Golf and WHS can govern the underlying round or an organised competition, but they do not supply one universal settlement rule for these casual bets.
How much money should be at stake?
Set a unit that everyone accepts before play and state exactly what it buys. For example, a $2 skin is not the same exposure as a $2 Nassau or a $2 point in another game; keep the example illustrative and never treat it as a required stake.