Tournament formats and golf bets

Definition: Criers and Whiners is a game of do-overs, or mulligans that can be used from any point on the course. In Criers and Whiners, handicaps are converted into free shots that are used during a round.

Say a player has a handicap of 14. Rather than applying the handicap in the proper manner, the player is instead given 14 free shots to use at any point on the course, at any time. Hit a bad shot off the second tee? Hit it again. Now you've got 13 left.

The game can be played with full handicaps (as in the example above) but it most common to use only three-fourths or two-thirds of handicaps. That forces the player to be judicious in using his replay strokes.

Two other conditions usually apply: The first tee shot of the day may not be replayed, and no
shot can be replayed twice.

Definition: Defender is a betting game or points game for groups in which one member of the group per hole is designated as that hole's "defender." The defender's job is to get the lowest score on his hole; the other members of the group are trying to beat the defender.

Before teeing off, establish a rotation (for a threesome, A is the defender on the first hole, B on No. 2, C on No. 3, back to A on No. 4, and so on) for the Defender.

When the Defender successfully defends his hole - that is, gets the lowest score - he earns 3 points and the other players lose 1 point. If any member of the group beats the Defender, the defender loses 3 points and each other player gains 1 point. If the Defender ties for low score on his hole, the defender gains 1 1/2 points while the others lose a half-point.

Defender can be played just for points and bragging rights, or a dollar value can be assigned to the points and money divvied up at the end of the round.

Definition: Greensomes is a competition format that is a variation of foursomes (2-person teams, each playing one ball). In Greensomes, both players on a team tee off, the best of the two tee balls is selected and that ball is then played alternate-shot until holed.

In regular foursomes, the 2-person team would play alternate shot for the full hole, i.e., only one tee ball would be hit.

Greensomes is essentially a 2-person scramble off the tee, then alternate-shot into the hole.

Definition: Last Man Standing is another name for a Flags tournament. Each golfer begins the round with an allotment of strokes - usually his or her full or partial handicap plus the par of the course being played - and plays until those strokes are used up. The golfer who advances farthest around the course before using up his allotment of strokes is the winner.

Definition: Three Club Monte is a golf format that requires the players to pick just three clubs to use during their round. All players are allowed their putters in addition to the three other clubs they choose. The choice of clubs can't be changed during the round - once you've chosen a 3-wood, 5-iron and 9-iron, for example, those are the only clubs (other than putter) you can use during the round.

Three Club Monte is a good game to play in order to learn and practice half-shots, knock-downs and so forth.

Definition: Thirty-Two is a side bet for golfers that focuses on putting. It's essentially a challenge from one golfer to another to avoid a three-putt.

Let's say your buddy is facing a long, difficult putt. You invoke the thirty-two side bet. If your buddy three-putts (or worse), he owes you two units of the bet. If he two-putts (or better), you owe him three units of the bet. (If the bet is $1, for example, and he three-putts, he owes you $2; if he two-putts, you owe him $3).

Definition: Gruesomes is a 2-person team game that is more common as a betting game but is also sometimes used as a tournament format.

In Gruesomes, both members of the team tee off - and then the opposing team selects which drive they have to play. Needless to say, the opposing team is likely to select the worst - or most gruesome - of the two drives.

Following selection of the tee ball, the teams play out the hole in alternate shot fashion. The player who hit the "gruesome" tee ball also plays the second shot.

An American, driving erratically from a grass bunker, hit and killed a cow in the adjoining pasture.

"my God," he cried, running up, "I'm terrible embarrassed! Can I replace her?"

"Dunno," replied the farmers boy, "How many gallons a day do you give?"