Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Snake when three or four players want a simple putting side bet decided by three-putts, with stakes and conventions agreed beforehand. Choose Wolf when three or four players want strategic hole-by-hole partner choices or solo risk, accepting that rotation, handicaps, points and ties require house rules.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Wolf in brief
A rotating hole-by-hole game where the Wolf picks a partner or plays alone.
Table
| Comparison | Snake | Wolf |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. | A rotating hole-by-hole game where the Wolf picks a partner or plays alone. |
| Players | Minimum 2 players; ideal 3-4 players in an individual field. It can run alongside a head-to-head match, but Snake itself is not a match-play competition. | 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 | Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser. | 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 | No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage. | 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 | Agree a fixed dollar amount per three-putt before play. Add that amount to the pot each time, then have the final snake holder pay the pot to the other players; agree in advance whether the amount doubles, how unfinished rounds are handled and how any tie is resolved. | 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 the same as ordinary stroke play when everyone holes out in turn, but it can be slower if players debate whether a putt counts or add a separate token-and-settlement routine. | 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 | Three or four players who want a simple putting-focused side bet alongside their normal round or another agreed game, with clear stakes and no gimmes unless the group agrees otherwise. | Three or four players who want a strategic social game with changing sides, visible risk decisions and optional low-stakes points or money. |
| Weakness | The final loss can depend on one late three-putt rather than overall scoring, and informal conventions differ on putts from the fringe, conceded putts, doubling and the payout. | 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. Under a chosen last-three-putt Snake rule, Alex holds the Snake at the end and pays $2 to each of Ben, Chris and Dana: net −$6 for Alex and +$2 for each other player. Agree the trigger before play. 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: R&A Rules of Golf Rule 3; WHS Appendix C (recognised formats only; neither Snake nor Wolf is listed)
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Snake and Wolf score differently?
For Snake: Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser. 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 Snake vs Wolf?
Snake: No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage. 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 Snake instead of Wolf?
Choose Snake when three or four players want a simple putting side bet decided by three-putts, with stakes and conventions agreed beforehand. Choose Wolf when three or four players want strategic hole-by-hole partner choices or solo risk, accepting that rotation, handicaps, points and ties require house rules.