Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Poker is a casual golf side game in which players earn playing cards for agreed achievements such as one-putts, birdies or sandies, then compare their best poker hand at the end. The group agrees the card triggers, ante, contributions and pot before teeing off.
How it matters in match play
Poker can run alongside Individual Match Play, but it does not change who wins a hole or the match. Keep the golf result and the card pot as separate records: a player may lose the match yet win the Poker pot. The card triggers, stakes and any handicap treatment are house rules, not a standard Rules of Golf format.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Poker |
| Category | betting |
| Applicable rule | No dedicated official rule established |
| Related concepts | Birdie, Eagle, Sandie, Stake, Pot |
Worked example
Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana each ante $20, creating an $80 pot; after 18 holes Alex has a pair, Ben a straight, Chris three of a kind and Dana two pair, so Chris wins the $80 pot under this agreed Poker settlement.
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.golfpass.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do you play Poker in golf?
Agree the ante, pot contributions and card triggers before the round. For example, a group might award one card for a qualifying one-putt, extra cards for a Birdie or Eagle, and then award the pot to the best five-card poker hand at the end.
Does Poker use golf handicaps?
The documented Poker version from Golf Digest says no strokes or handicaps are required. A group could separately agree a handicap adjustment, but that would be a house rule and should not be presented as a WHS allowance for Poker.
Is Poker an official Rules of Golf format?
No. Poker is a casual side game layered on a golf round. The Rules of Golf still govern the golf strokes and competition format, while the card triggers, ante and payout must be agreed by the players.
What happens if a player does not finish a hole?
There is no universal Poker rule for that situation. Decide before starting whether a picked-up or unfinished hole earns no card, and whether any applicable golf score or penalty is recorded separately.
Can Poker be played with two or three golfers?
Yes. Golf Digest describes two or three players as workable and says four is the strongest group size for its version. With fewer players, agree whether the same ante and card triggers still make a worthwhile pot.
Are one-putt Poker and three-putt Poker the same game?
They are related house-rule variants rather than a single standard. One version awards cards for one-putts and another can make three-putts add money to the pot; publish the triggers and settlement plainly so players know which version is intended.