How to Play Wolf in Golf
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Ever heard of “Wolf” in golf? It’s a fun twist on the classic game where one player (the Wolf) can choose to partner up or go solo against the rest of the field. Let’s cover all the rules and variations for this awesome golf game.
Understanding the Basics of Wolf Golf
Playing Wolf makes you think about your shots and your opponents’ skills in a whole new way. Let’s dive into the rules and get you ready!
Setting Up Your Golf Game
- Gather at least 3, but ideally 4 players
- Choose an order for who goes 1st thru 4th (typically by flipping a tee and ordering by who it points closest to)
- Decide if you will use handicaps, and if so, who strokes on each hole
- Decide on points or dollar amounts
Typical Betting System
If you want to bet money on each hole, here’s a common system (this can also be swapped out for points):
- Declare a base bet per hole, for example, $1 per player
- If the wolf declares blind lone wolf (going alone without seeing any shots) it’s 3x the bet
- If the wolf hits and goes lone wolf, it’s 2x the bet
- If there are partners, the normal bet goes to the winning team
The Roles and Turn Order in Wolf
In wolf golf, one player is the “wolf” each hole. This role rotates on each hole (the player who is the wolf on hole 1 goes last on hole 2).
As the wolf, I can declare a “blind wolf” before hitting the ball and go it alone without seeing any shots (3x the bet). I can hit my tee shot and then declare “lone wolf” to go solo (2x the bet). If I go solo, I can earn more points, but it’s riskier. The other players team up against me.
If I don’t go it alone, I can see the next player hit and decide to take them as my teammate after their shot but before the next player hits. I get this same option after each of the next two players hit. If I don’t pick anyone then I go it alone without increasing the bet.
During this game, each player will play their own ball, and a team will take the score of the teammate with the best score on the hole.
For the last two holes (after everyone has been Wolf 4 times), the player who is losing the most can decide if they want to be Wolf on hole #17 or #18, then 3rd place player takes the other hole. The other order stays the same as the rest of the round. This gives them a chance to catch back up.
Alternative Versions & Rules
Wolf Goes Last
In this variation, the Wolf goes last instead of first. This lets them see the field before hitting their shot, which gives them a larger advantage and may take some of the fun away from risking going “Lone Wolf.”
Dump the Wolf
In this variation, a player picked as a partner by the Wolf can dump them and go alone as the “pig”. This must be done before leaving the tee box. In this scenario, the bet is doubled, but the pig must play against the other three players.
Modified Point System
You can use a point system if you’re not gambling dollars on each hole. You can follow the simplified system above (1x, 2x, 3x) or this modified scoring system that adds more complexity but balances the risks a bit:
- A lone wolf beats all other scores = 4 points
- All other players beat a lone wolf = 1 point each
- A wolf and partner have the low score = 2 points each
- Non-wolf partners beat the wolf team = 3 points each
- Tie = 0 points
Do you have any other variations or rules? Let us know in the comments!
Check out our full list of golf betting games.
