Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when a pair wants both players teeing off, one selected ball and alternate shots under stated competition terms. Choose Wolf when three or four players want rotating partner-or-solo hole decisions and agreed house rules for points, ties, stakes and handicaps.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Wolf in brief
A rotating hole-by-hole game where the Wolf picks a partner or plays alone.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | Wolf |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | A rotating hole-by-hole game where the Wolf picks a partner or plays alone. |
| Players | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. | Minimum 3; ideal 4. It is a four-player group game with a temporary head-to-head or 1-v-3 side on each hole, not one fixed individual field. |
| Scoring unit | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. | Holes, converted into points or agreed dollar stakes. A common convention gives each player on a winning partnered side 1 point, while a winning lone Wolf receives 2 points; losing points and ties must be agreed before play. |
| Handicap method | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. | Wolf has no WHS-listed handicap allowance. Agree the method before play and state whether each hole is treated as individual match play or four-ball match play. As a clearly labelled house-rule option, use the WHS Appendix C recommendation of 100% for individual match play and 90% for four-ball match play, applying the relevant Playing Handicaps relative to the lowest player; do not present either percentage as a universal Wolf rule. |
| Money settles how | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. | Per hole or per point, only when the group agrees the value and settlement before teeing off. A point ledger can be settled at the end of the round; lone-Wolf multipliers and ties are house rules. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. | Usually slower than ordinary stroke play for the same group, because the Wolf watches tee shots and makes a partner-or-solo decision on each hole. The extra decision-making is a tendency, not a measured timing claim. |
| Best for | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. | Three or four players who want a strategic social game with changing sides, visible risk decisions and optional low-stakes points or money. |
| Weakness | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. | There is no single standard for handicaps, points, lone-Wolf multipliers or ties, so an unagreed rule can create disputes and uneven results. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole. For one selected Wolf house rule, Alex chooses Ben as partner and their low 4 beats Chris and Dana's low 5. Awarding +1 point to each winner and −1 to each loser at $2 per point gives net +$2, +$2, −$2 and −$2.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C; Rules of Golf Rule 3 for underlying match-play and side concepts; no specific Wolf format rule.
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do greensomes and Wolf score differently?
For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. For Wolf: Holes, converted into points or agreed dollar stakes. A common convention gives each player on a winning partnered side 1 point, while a winning lone Wolf receives 2 points; losing points and ties must be agreed before play.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs Wolf?
greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. Wolf: Wolf has no WHS-listed handicap allowance. Agree the method before play and state whether each hole is treated as individual match play or four-ball match play. As a clearly labelled house-rule option, use the WHS Appendix C recommendation of 100% for individual match play and 90% for four-ball match play, applying the relevant Playing Handicaps relative to the lowest player; do not present either percentage as a universal Wolf rule.
When should I choose greensomes instead of Wolf?
Choose greensomes when a pair wants both players teeing off, one selected ball and alternate shots under stated competition terms. Choose Wolf when three or four players want rotating partner-or-solo hole decisions and agreed house rules for points, ties, stakes and handicaps.